When class was king — Ronald Reagan gave a moving speech in 1986 about his predecessor on Jimmy Carter’s birthday. Some choice bits: “None of us today need feel any urge, in the name of good will, to downplay our differences. On the contrary, in a certain sense we can be proud of our differences, because they arise from good will itself — from love of country; from concern for the challenges of our time; from respect for, and yes, even outright enjoyment of, the democratic processes of disagreement and debate. Indeed, from the time of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, frank debate has been a part of the tradition of this Republic. Today our very differences attest to the greatness of our nation. For I can think of no other country on earth where two political leaders could disagree so widely yet come together in mutual respect. To paraphrase Mr. Jefferson: We are all Democrats, we are all Republicans, because we are all Americans.” AND “In another of its important aspects, the story of President Carter is a story of the South. For when Jimmy Carter was born on this date in 1924, many southerners knew only poverty, and millions lived lives that were separate and unequal because of the color of their skin. There’s a photograph inside the library that sets the scene: A little boy is drinking from a fountain. He is black. He’s drinking from that particular fountain because on a tree next to the fountain there’s a sign that reads: ‘Colored.’ “Well, the world has changed now. It has changed because men and women like Jimmy Carter stood up in church to protest the exclusion of black people from worship, and it has changed because Jimmy Carter spoke these words in his inaugural address as governor of Georgia: ‘I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over. . . . No poor, rural, weak, or black person should ever again have to bear the additional burden of being deprived of the opportunity for an education, a job, or simple justice.’ AND “Others will speak today, Mr. President, of all phases of your political career and your policies. For myself, I can pay you no higher honor than to say simply this: You gave of yourself to this country, gracing the White House with your passion and intellect and commitment. And now you have become a permanent part of that grand old house, so rich in tradition, that belongs to us all. For that, Mr. President, I thank you, and your country thanks you.” AND “There’s only one thing left to say. From the 40th president to the 39th, happy birthday! And, Mr. President, if I could give you one word of advice: Life begins at 70.” nationalreview.com/corner/re…