The late President Jimmy Carter tried to keep his presidency closer to the American public by holding "town hall" meetings around the country.
In 1978, he visited Bangor.
"We've had town meeting now since I've been president in Massachusetts and in Mississippi. We'll have an hour and a half. I'll make a brief opening statement on a subject that's important to you and then I'll answer questions. I'll take the last question about twenty minutes after nine," Carter said.
The President appeared before a crowd of 2,500 at the Bangor Auditorium, opening with a brief speech on energy policy, noting that he had arrived in Maine just 10 days after a historic snowstorm known as "the blizzard of 78". Carter said that while Mainers were experts on living and working in cold weather, they were being unfairly burdened with some of the highest heating costs in the country.
"The energy costs you about 45% more than the average place in our country. No part of the nation has suffered more from the lack of a comprehensive national energy plan than has New England," he said.
Carter called for conservation of oil, increased domestic energy production, and for finding more plentiful sources of energy.
He then opened the floor to questions. Some involved issues that were unfolding in Maine at the time: a dam project in northern Maine that, ultimately wasn't built. The Indian land claim case which would be settled two years later in 1980. And the future of a major military facility that had been targeted for closure.
Audience member: "My question Mr. President is what are your feelings about the closure of Loring Air Force Base?"
Carter: "I have asked Secretary of Defense Harold Brown to reassess the decision made by the previous administration about Loring. And I told him to take into consideration not just environmental questions and defense questions but also the economic impact on Maine of closing Loring Air Force Base."
Loring would remain operational for well over a decade longer, before becoming a casualty of the Base Realignment and Closure process. For about an hour and a half, the President fielded questions about national health insurance, abortion, the equal rights amendment and arms sales to foreign powers before signing off.
"And I would just like to remind you of one thing in closing. We do have problems. Economically. Politically. Sometimes we've been embarrassed with our government officials' actions. But we're still the strongest nation on earth. We're still the best nation on earth. We're still the greatest nation on earth. And I think all of us would serve ourselves and our country well to think of the good things and the positive things and the tremendous future that we have as Americans. Thank you very much," Carter said.
President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at the age of 100.
