Remarkable Rosalynn

By Baxter

Today we all received the news that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has entered home hospice care. Since her husband, the former President, entered hospice six months ago and is still with us (and recently celebrated his 99th birthday), our first thought was whether Mrs. Carter would go the distance as well. But you never know. Typical hospice patients die within a week of entering the program.

So as we wait for any updates — and think warm, furry thoughts — we cats would like to say a few things about Mrs. Carter.

First, to all the TV talking heads out there — whether you're too young or an older idiot who should know better — please pronounce Mrs. Carter's first name correctly. It's ROSE-a-lynn. Thank you.

Second, Rosalynn Carter is not only a former First Lady but also one of the world's great humanitarians. 

For more than 40 years now, she and President Carter have tirelessly worked on the priorities of The Carter Center: waging peace, fighting disease and building hope. They have empowered people to improve their own lives, and have constantly sought to find solutions to problems that have most people throwing up their hands in defeat. They've eradicated a bunch of awful diseases that none of you have heard about — and trust us, you don't want the gory details. The Carters have saved literally millions of lives.

And of course they've monitored 115 elections in 40 countries, and promoted democracy and peace around the world.

And here's the other thing we want to say about Rosalynn Carter. She's a hell of a politician, and an intrepid campaigner. In 1976, she criss-crossed the country on Jimmy's behalf, staying in people's homes, canvassing, holding town halls, and doing the kind of bone-tiring retail politics that make people faint now. The Nancy Reagan model of staying glued to her husband's side and listening adoringly to every speech was not for her. More political spouses should follow her example.

Today, people would call Rosalynn a badass. The term didn't exist back in the '70s, but that's what she is. Bet she'd be proud to claim it. We cats salute her, and we PURR.

(IMAGE: Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter conduct Carter Center election monitoring in Nepal in 2008.)

UPDATE, November 19: Mrs. Carter died in Plains, Georgia, this afternoon at 2:10 pm. The world is a less-lovely place today.