In celebration of Presidents’ Day on Monday, NBC’s 3rd Hour Today show hailed a new documentary that fawned over former President Jimmy Carter’s love of music and declared him to be the “Rock & Roll President.” The hosts eagerly played a clip of the “rockumentary” and proclaimed that it “looks really cool.”
Early during the 9:00 a.m. ET hour show, co-host Craig Melvin announced: “As we mentioned, it is of course Presidents’ Day. And when you think of specifically former President Jimmy Carter, Rock & Roll may not be the first thing that jumps to mind. But this morning, we’re seeing a side of President Carter that most folks don’t know about.”
“He’s featured in this new documentary, and it’s called Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President. It’s a ‘rockumentary,’ it shows how Carter’s lifelong passion for music gave him an unexpected edge as a presidential candidate,” the anchor explained.
Fill-in co-host Kristen Welker gushed: “It’s something that I think a whole lot of people don’t think of when they think of Jimmy Carter....it includes interviews with a number of big names in music, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson.”
Melvin touted: “And on this Presidents’ Day, we have for you an exclusive first look.” A clip played of country music star Garth Brooks praising Carter:
His love for music makes all kinds of sense to me because music is the voice of the heart. Music is the voice of the soul. When you talk about heart and soul, I think he’s the president, in my mind, of my living time, that I can think of, that brought it to the office.
After the footage, Melvin excitedly remarked: “That looks really cool.” He then told viewers that the documentary was going to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, an event organized by left-wing actor Robert DeNiro.
Even four decades later, the media are still trying to rehabilitate Carter’s disastrous presidency.
Here is a full transcript of the February 17 segment:
9:02 AM ET
CRAIG MELVIN: As we mentioned, it is of course Presidents’ Day. And when you think of specifically former President Jimmy Carter, Rock & Roll may not be the first thing that jumps to mind. But this morning, we’re seeing a side of President Carter that most folks don’t know about. Did you know this?
KRISTEN WELKER: No, I didn’t. This is this documentary.
MELVIN: Yeah.
WELKER: This new documentary.
MELVIN: He’s featured in this new documentary, and it’s called Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President. It’s a “rockumentary,” it shows how Carter’s lifelong passion for music gave him an unexpected edge as a presidential candidate.
WELKER: It’s something that I think a whole lot of people don’t think of when they think of Jimmy Carter. You think of his service, you think of all of his products, you don’t think of this. By the way, it includes interviews with a number of big names in music, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson. So this is going to be an interesting one I think.
MELVIN: And on this Presidents’ Day, we have for you an exclusive first look.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President”; New “Rockumentary” Looks at His Passion for Music]
GARTH BROOKS: His love for music makes all kinds of sense to me because music is the voice of the heart. Music is the voice of the soul. When you talk about heart and soul, I think he’s the president, in my mind, of my living time, that I can think of, that brought it to the office.
JIMMY CARTER: I think music is the best proof that people have one thing in common, no matter where they live, no matter what language they speak.
MELVIN: That looks really cool.
JILL MARTIN: It’s cool to see the other – that side of him.
MELVIN: That looks really cool.
WELKER: And it’s a great message. He’s right, it is the thing that everyone has in common.
MARTIN: Right.
MELVIN: It’s going to debut April 15th at the 19th Tribeca Film Festival. I’ve said, what you just said before, I’ve said before there are a few things that fortunately unite us – music, sports, and food.
WELKER: Right. Well, exactly.
MELVIN: Music, sports, and food.
WELKER: Absolutely.
MARTIN: And happiness.
WELKER: And happiness, for sure. So we look forward to that.
MELVIN: Looking forward to that.
