- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

(soft patriotic music) - Good evening, everybody.

First of all, let me say that it's a great pleasure to be back here in Portland.

(upbeat music) - [Nora] So tell me about the time Jimmy showed up and what it was like.

- Well, first of all, a motorcade arrives, about 10 or 15 cars and motorcycles, and- - Well, in all the neighborhoods, you know, people were lined up all along the street.

So we're standing on the front porch with our two children.

And then it's like, oh wow, this is happening.

(Janet laughs) (crowd cheering) - When you think about it, how crazy it was that just the president stayed at a house and the fact that like the nuclear codes were across the street, that's a little, kind of a little creepy.

(upbeat music continues) - It was a Thursday night at 9:00, which is kind of late in the evening.

We received a phone call from Angus Duncan, who worked in the mayor's office, and he said, "Would you consider having the president spend the night at your house?

You're on a list of some people that we're considering."

We were a bit shocked by this question, but we said- - Sure, not going to happen.

- Sure, and then Sunday evening, Ed Maddox, who was one of the White House staff, he said, "My president has asked me to ask you if he could spend the night at your house."

(Janet laughs) - [Nora] Did you ask why (soft, bright music) or did he explain why the president was trying to sleep at people's houses?

- Well, President Carter had made a practice of staying in people's houses, especially before he qualified for the federal funding for elections.

So he didn't have all of the money to stay in hotels everywhere where he went.

And even after he qualified, he still, he enjoyed the process so much that he continued to stay in people's homes as one of the things that he enjoyed doing if he had to make a trip.

It's quite an involved process to get all the security situation correct and involve the Secret Service, and- - Our phone were connected to the White House switchboard, so we still have two phones in the house that were put in the house at the time.

You know, this is a very powerful man, who's, you know, coming into your simple, well, simple big home, but.

- People in the driveway, people across the street on the lawns and in their driveway, you know, people just trying to get the best view that they could.

(crowd cheering) - Well, Kristen kind of did her little twirl, which she loved to do, and he immediately picked her up.

He was really very wonderful with our children.

- I'm sure my parents were like, "Someone important is coming to our house, and it's a big deal."

And I probably just kind of took that, knowing just how I am, that some little thing special was happening and then I'm going to make the most of that little thing.

And obviously, it was a huge thing.

- All of a sudden, you know, here we are with the president, (Paul laughs) but you could just see him relaxing.

He took off his tie, his coat, he eventually took his shoes off.

When it was bedtime, he came with us, and he offered to do the bedtime story.

Kristen chose the book, which was "The Emperor's New Clothes."

And we thought that was, I mean, that was totally her choice.

- It was probably 'cause it was funny, but also it seemed like it was long, and that could've been an ulterior motive that we knew the book was a little long, and we'd get to stay up a little bit later, so.

- [Nora] So what happened the next morning then?

- Well, he didn't want us to prepare any breakfast.

I could've made him an omelet.

(Paul laughs) - He had, we took a cup of coffee up to him.

By that time, of course, all the neighbors were in the street.

The mayor was here.

So once he stepped out the door, you know, he belonged back to the public.

- [Reporter] President Carter not only appeared well rested when he left the Olson house this morning, he seemed to possess the energy of a politician running for reelection.

And while the national polls may show his popularity dipping to an all time low, his spirits were high as he greeted neighbors.

He left the Olson home shortly after 8:00 and immediately walked toward the crowd for 15 minutes of old fashioned handshaking and casual conversation.

- All night.

Very interesting.

Thank you.

Had to get up this morning and do some studying, but I enjoyed it very much.

- [Nora] Was there ever a moment where you got sad, like that it was over?

- No, not sad.

I think we were just so uplifted by the experience, and, you know, just feeling really good about President Carter and what he was doing.

And I guess the sad experience was when he lost the election.

(soft patriotic music) - His politics were not as popular at the end of his presidency.

I think people thought he should have exerted US influence in a stronger way.

- [Janet] I think it was important for people to know how someone who's so powerful can be so human.

- Yeah, I don't know.

I kind of just feel like he's always going to be there, which is kind of funny, like if someone's, you know, watching this are like, okay, you met him when you were five, and you saw him again when you were six.

I just feel like because of him staying here, he's kind of family.

- [Nora] Do you know what happened to my parents with our grass?

- [Kristen] No.

- [Nora] The Secret Service came to my parents' house, or our house, and knocked on the door, and said, "Will you cut your grass?"

- Oh.

- [Nora] And they said, "No, we won't."

I think it was also, you know, like, how dare you tell us that we're trashy people?

(Kristen and Nora laugh) And then a few days later, my parents came home from work, and the grass was cut.

- And the grass was cut?

No, I don't think we have heard that story.

- I don't know that story.

- Oh my gosh.

- Oh my goodness.

(Janet laughs)