The Carters’ key to marital bliss? Jimmy and Rosalynn resolved long ago never to go to sleep angry at one another.

Question: What does it take to be a good husband?

Jimmy Carter: Well, I think a good husband for one thing has to depend on having a good wife and I was lucky enough to choose the right woman and we were married more than 64 years ago. Rosalynn and I have run into a few things, first of all, we give each other plenty of space. We don’t try to encroach on the private affairs of each other. Rosalynn has her own major commitments outside of home and so do I. We cooperate whenever we can, we share delightful aspects of life like fly-fishing and bird watching and things of that kind. And also we made a commitment a large number of years ago not ever to go to sleep at night estranged. If we do have some arguments during the day, we have almost a commitment before God that we will resolve that argument before we go to sleep. So I think those are the reasons we’ve been able to enjoy each other’s company all this time.

Recorded November 30, 2010
Interviewed by Andrea Useem