"Get Out the Vote" Rally in Jackson, Mississippi Remarks by Telephone to Participants in the Rally

Good afternoon. This is Jimmy Carter-at Camp David, as a matter of fact. I've been out campaigning in the last number of weeks in 31 different States, recognizing how important it is to Democratic candidates to have a large vote. Since most of the Democratic voters are working people, quite often we are not inclined to vote as strongly and as eagerly as are the Republicans, because the special interest groups that really want something for themselves out of government are always the ones that are most eager to go and vote.

You've got a wonderful candidate, Maurice Dantin, and I really need him to be in the Senate to represent, first of all, the United States; secondly, Mississippi; and then third, of course, to help me on key issues as they come up in the Senate.

I was in Flint, Michigan, the other night, and I recall that I won the Michigan primary and got about 50-something delegates by less than one vote per precinct. And I went directly from there to the 10th District of Illinois, where the incumbent Congressman won by only 201 votes out of about 200,000 votes cast.

We've seen a very close race in Mississippi evolve, and I know that every vote will count. So, as President, I want to encourage all of you to do as southerners have always done, and that is to show that you run your own government and that your strong expression of opinion and will on election day is the guide for not only your future Senator, Maurice Dantin, but also a guide to me as President.

We only have a few hours left, the rest of the day and all day Monday, and then, of course, you can work on Tuesday as well. But there's no reason why everyone at this rally, 600 or 700 people, can't put in 15 or 20 hours of solid work between now and the close of election day Tuesday for Maurice Dantin and the entire Democratic ticket there in your State.

It's not enough just to come to a rally on Sunday afternoon and express your opinion that Maurice should be the next Senator. You know how close the race might be. And I hope that everyone there will promise this afternoon before you leave to put in 15 hours of solid work on the telephone, with your neighbors, in your community, at campaign headquarters, to get people to go and vote, and vote for Maurice Dantin. He'll be a great United States Senator. I'll certainly be proud to have him in Washington next January. And as President, I'm counting on you to express in a democratic way your right to control your own government.

So, thank you very much for letting me be part of this wonderful Sunday afternoon rally for a very fine candidate. Now our confidence has to be in you. I know you won't let me down. I know you won't let your party down. I know you won't let your country down. I know you won't let Maurice Dantin down.

Good luck. As soon as you adjourn, go to work.