FLASHBACK:Jimmy Carter Attacked by Killer Rabbit (April 20, 1979

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[NC Conservative]

Today in Odd History, President Jimmy Carter was attacked by a rabbit during a fishing trip in Plains, Georgia. The rabbit, which may have been fleeing a predator, swam toward his boat, "hissing menacingly, its teeth flashing and nostrils flared." President Carter was forced to swat at the vicious beast with a canoe paddle, which apparently scared it off.

Upon his return to the White House, Carter told his staff about the furry amphibian's assault. Most of them refused to believe him, insisting that rabbits can't swim (although since most mammals can swim, there's no reason to believe that rabbits cannot), and that even if they could, they certainly wouldn't attack humans, and certainly not presidents. Fortunately, a White House photographer had been on the scene, and had recorded the bizarre attack. The photograph showed Carter with his paddle raised, warding off a small creature which might, or might not, have been a rabbit. One staffer was quoted as saying, "You couldn't tell what it was." Undaunted by their skepticism, Carter had the image enlarged, and there it was--a killer bunny rabbit, apparently bent on assassinating the president.

The story might have ended there, except that White House Press Secretary Jody Powell mentioned the incident to Associated Press reporter Brooks Jackson in August. The Washington Post ran it as front page news. The original photograph was not available (until the Reagan administration leaked it in 1981), but the paper filled the gap with a cartoon modeled on the poster for the movie Jaws, starring the rabbit and entitled Paws. Powell made a belated attempt to impress the public with the seriousness of the attack, calling the creature a "swamp rabbit," but since Carter had to appease his rabbit-loving constituents by insisting that he had not actually smacked his buck-toothed opponent with his paddle, but only splashed water at it to drive it away, it seemed unlikely that he had been in danger. The entire episode became a symbol of Carter's floundering presidency. According to Powell, "[I]t shows the extent to which an insignificant incident can snowball and end up in newspapers and news shows across the country.” Carter biographer Douglas Brinkley says, “It just played up the Carter flake factor.... I mean, he had to deal with Russia and the Ayatollah and here he was supposedly fighting off a rabbit.”

Note: While some presidential apologists have suggested that Carter might actually have been attacked by a nutria, a large, aggressive aquatic rodent, others have insisted that the President's assailant was a simple, if unusually vicious, bunny rabbit. Fulk, the 12th century king of Jerusalem, was killed by a rabbit. (Well, really he was killed by a fall from his horse, but the horse had been startled by a rabbit.) And many years ago, I was the owner of a Blue Dutch rabbit named Sequin. One of my friends still bears the scars of an encounter with Sequin--a perfectly matched set of parallel teeth marks, where Sequin's fangs closed on her hand and ripped through the flesh when she pulled her hand away. Bunnies are, indeed, fiercer than anyone but Monty Python has generally given them credit for.

[NC Conservative]

I saw this on I Love the 70's on VH1 and did more research. I did not believe it at first.

[baltodog]

Run away!
Run away!

[Old Sarge]

MONTY PYTHON HOLY GRAIL BUMP!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Never send in a bunny to do a professional hitman's job. :)

[TrebleRebel]

"...And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff..."

[Jean S]

LOL, an oldie but goodie. Wasn't there a picture? I hope someone can find it.

[TrebleRebel]

Monty Python ping

[ambrose]

Better than the pack of wild dogs which attacked Ross Perot

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

[T Minus Four]

I've been looking for that picture forever, but I think all traces have been wiped off the internet. SOMEBODY has to have an old newspaper clipping they can scan!!!

[Jean S]

I was just looking too. I can't find it. The new sources that published this no longer have the picture available although the articles are still there.

[Redwood71]

"Carter told his staff about the furry amphibian's assault"


I didn't do too well in biology in school, but I think I can remember that a rabbit is not an amphibian. I can see why Carter has failed at almost everything he has touched.

[4mycountry]

[GreenHornet]

President Carter was forced to swat at the vicious beast with a canoe paddle

Never bring a canoe paddle to a rabbit fight.

[tame]

I praise God Jimmy Carter left the Southern Baptists. Now hope Slick Willie follows him out.

[Porterville]

Did Jimma join with the Episcopalians??? Their anti everything beliefs fits Jimmas master plan of appeasing everyone.

[tame]

Did Jimma join with the Episcopalians???

He belongs with them, that's for sure!

[TBall]

Some good ole boys having fun with a remote controlled swimming rabbit?

[tame]

BTW, why did you leave the God's chosen valley for San Luis? I'm from Fresno. WHat were your other screen names?

[dfwgator]

Kill the wabbit Kill the wabbit Kill the wabbit Kill the wabbit ...