IN August 1979, Margaret Thatcher, referring to New York governor Hugh Carey’s visit to Ireland amid reports that he was planning to put pressure on the British government over Northern Ireland, said she “would not think of discussing with President Carter, for example, US policy towards their black population”.

FORMER US president Jimmy Carter claims Republican Joe Wilson’s outburst to President Barack Obama during a speech to congress last week was an act “based on racism” and rooted in fears of a black president.

America has a "dangerous" dependence on foreign oil and the US should lift its ban on oil and natural gas exploration, Republican presidential candidate John McCain will say today.

THE leader of the world’s Roman Catholics has been to the White House only once in history, when President Carter hosted John Paul II in 1979.

SENATOR George S McGovern is probably best remembered as the Democrat Party’s nominee defeated by Richard Nixon in the US presidential election of 1972, but the tactics used, especially in the Watergate building, led to Nixon’s resignation less than two years later.

ON ST Patrick’s Day 1977, four prominent Irish-American politicians issued a statement in Washington denouncing the violence in Northern Ireland.

THE year 1977 was not a great one from the standpoint of the state papers. Historically, the most important events were related to that year’s general election. As the civil servants were not formally involved, the elections were glossed over in the state papers.

Ireland is the strongest voice for human rights within the EU, former US president Jimmy Carter said today.

The White House dismissed former US president Jimmy Carter as “increasingly irrelevant” after his harsh criticism of President George Bush.

Some of the one-liners over the years which helped to make Bob Hope the incomparable comic that he was: