TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — KGUN 9's Ryan Fish spoke with former Arizona Senator Dennis DeConcini on Saturday, hours after an announcement that former President Jimmy Carter would enter hospice care.
DeConcini, a Tucson native, crossed paths with Carter early on in his political career.
After one term as Pima county Attorney, DeConcini was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976—the same year Carter was elected president. They both took office in early 1977.
“He was not one of the close, in-tight political people—neither was I—in Washington, D.C.," DeConcini recalled. "He got rid of the the president’s yacht, you know. He did stuff like that because he thought it was wasteful.”
Both men were Democrats, but DeConcini and Carter would clash over the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977.
DeConcini—who became the deciding vote on the treaty—would not support the measure unless Carter added language allowing the U.S. to use military force if necessary to keep the canal open.
DeConcini won that battle, but the two would later reconcile.
“What was nice about him is when you sat down with him, even if you were having a little disagreement with him, he was genuine," said DeConcini of the former president. "He was listening to you. He wasn’t just about him, as some presidents that I’ve sat in the Oval Office with are.”
The two would later disagree on funding for public works projects. Yet DeConcini still speaks highly of the former president, both during his time in office and his life afterward.
“I think he’ll go down in history as a marvelous individual who really cared about other people," said DeConcini. "And of course the Carter Center, and all the work they’ve done for housing and other disasters around the country, will go down in history, or has already gone down in history.”
Carter turned 98 last year. He is the longest living president in U.S. history.
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Ryan Fish is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9 and comes to the Sonoran Desert from California’s Central Coast after working as a reporter, sports anchor and weather forecaster in Santa Barbara. Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs, frequently visiting family in Tucson. Share your story ideas and important issues with Ryan by emailing ryan.fish@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
