Published January 14, 2015
Actor and filmmaker Robert Redford (search) played videotapes of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate "over and over" to coach former President Jimmy Carter (search) before his debates with former President Gerald Ford.
"I was probably president because of Bob Redford," said Carter, who confided that before the debate leading to his 1976 election he "didn't know what in the world I was going to do."
Redford told him what not to do. He arrived at Carter's house with a projector and films of the historic debate that made Richard Nixon (search) look dour and John F. Kennedy (search) charismatic.
Redford "played the tape over and over and gave me advice," Carter said Saturday as part of an author's series.
Redford embraced Carter before taking the podium to praise his old friend at his Sundance ski resort, nature preserve and corporate retreat in Utah's Wasatch Mountains (search).
"His concern for peace, human rights and justice was more than evident when he was in office but even more so after he left office," Redford said.
Carter, author of 17 nonfiction books, talked about his writing career after serving one term as president. He joked that Redford offered him no advice for the 1980 election campaign he lost to Ronald Reagan.
Carter's latest work, "Hornet's Nest," is a saga of Deep South colonists during the Revolutionary War. The characters were patterned after Carter's own ancestors, who helped settle Georgia during the 18th century.
Carter, who turns 80 this year, appeared healthy and cheerful as he greeted fans, shaking hands and posing for pictures.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/carter-redford-coached-me-before-debate