Jimmy Carter called himself a "military man who will not hesitate to impose the force of an armed National Guard on a campus or community to restore order."
Carter warned there is organized crime in the state. He read price quotations on drugs from a magazine which is "peddled in the notorious hippie district of Atlanta."
"If God gives me the power, I will stamp out the use of drugs in Georgia. It's one of the most devastating afflictions to come on our state. I know the problem is concentrated on college campuses. I know it's wrong."
Carter, holding a news conference at his Valdosta headquarters, said he would commit the National Guard to "take whatever action is necessary to protect innocent lives, including shoot-to-kill orders, if that is necessary as a last resort to restore order" in a riot. Carter said he had "always said I will not permit disruptions in our cities and on our college campuses."
"I'm going to be as tough as I possibly can be in stamping out drugs."
"I favor retention of capital punishment."
"I'm opposed to legalized gambling and if the legislature passes a bill authorizing the legalization of gambling, I will veto it."
Carter pledged to begin work to coordinate law enforcement immediately after his inauguration to stamp out crime "centered in the hippie area" of Atlanta.
"One of the first things I intend to do after the inauguration is to call in the state and federal agents along with Chief (Herbert) Jenkins of Atlanta and ask them what help I can give them as governor of the state."
Combatting crime in the area might include "stricter enforcement of housing standards." "Also we now have only six federal drug officers in Georgia. We have an allotment of eight and I'm going to ask the Attorney General of the United States to fill out the complement."
