Bob Kelley, a former advance man for President Jimmy Carter. Photo: Jim MacKay/WBZ NewsRadio
DENNIS, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — As a National Day of Mourning commences Thursday for Former President Jimmy Carter, one of his closest staffers from Cape Cod shared memories with WBZ NewsRadio about his time in the Carter Administration.
Bob Kelley, who’s retired and lives in Dennis, served as a member of Carter’s advance team, which worked with the Secret Service to scout locations for presidential visits to help make sure everything was secure, and logistics were in place.
“I spent a lot of time and [went] a lot of places with him,” Kelley said.
Kelley’s home in Dennis is filled with photos and letters of President Carter addressed to Bob and his family. Memories he will always cherish, along with a particular phrase his team lived by while serving Carter, the “five P’s.”
“Positive planning prevents poor performance, and that’s what makes the president look good,” Kelley said.
A signed presidential portrait of Carter addressed to Bob Kelley. Photo: Jim MacKay/WBZ NewsRadio
Kelley referred to his former boss and friend as 'Jimmy," and remembered his sense of humor, which was veiled behind his serious public persona.
He recalled a speech at Georgia Tech where there was such an overflow crowd, that the president wanted everyone to get a seat, and called to Kelley while on stage to make sure that everyone in the crowd had a ticket.
He also remembered an international trip to South Korea.
“When we arrived in Korea, I was with him. I did a crowd event there with over 250,000 people,” Kelley said.
Kelley traveled with President Carter on most of his trips foreign and domestic, and said that the crowds that came to see Carter on each trip is something that is emblazoned in his memory.
