Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter
Date
1981
Artist
George Tames, 1919 - 1994
Sitter
Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr., 1913 - 2006
Richard Milhous Nixon, 9 Jan 1913 - 22 Apr 1994
Ronald Wilson Reagan, 6 Feb 1911 - 5 Jun 2004
James Earl Carter, Jr., born 1 Oct 1924
Exhibition Label
This photograph captures the first time that four U.S. presidents gathered in the White House at once. They came together in order to make a plan to represent the United States during an important ally’s funeral. On October 6, 1981, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, the author of significant peace negotiations with Israel, was assassinated during a parade in Cairo. Sitting President Ronald Reagan had survived an assassination attempt earlier that year, and government security agencies recommended that he not attend the funeral. Instead, the U.S. was represented by a delegation of the three former presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, and Richard Nixon. Despite their combative election campaigns and differing ideologies, the presidents ultimately agreed to come together to honor Sadat. Although they made a show of solidarity, photographers noticed Carter’s discomfort during the send-off. Carter, who considered Sadat a close friend, viewed Reagan’s decision not to attend as cowardly.
Esta fotografía captura la primera vez que cuatro presidentes de los Estados Unidos se reunieron en la Casa Blanca en un mismo momento. La reunión tenía por objetivo trazar un plan para representar a los Estados Unidos durante el funeral de un impor- tante aliado. El 6 de octubre de 1981, el presidente egipcio Anwar Sadat, autor de importantes nego- ciaciones de paz con Israel, fue asesinado durante un desfile en El Cairo. El entonces presidente Ronald Reagan había sobrevivido un intento de asesinato unos meses antes aquel mismo año, y las agencias de seguridad del gobierno recomendaban que no asistiera al funeral. En cambio, los Estados Unidos fueron repre- sentados por una delegación de tres expresidentes: Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford y Richard Nixon. Pese a sus hostiles campañas electorales y a sus diferencias ideológicas, los presidentes terminaron acordando actuar en conjunto en honor a Sadat. Sin embargo, a pesar de su muestra de solidaridad, los fotógrafos notaron a un Carter incómodo durante la despedida. Carter, amigo cercano de Sadat, consideraba la decisión de Reagan de no asistir al funeral como una muestra de cobardía.
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National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Frances O. Tames
