Jimmy Carter Praises Obama, But Won't Endorse Candidate

PLAINS, Ga. -- Former President Jimmy Carter lavished praise on Illinois Sen. Barack Obama during an interview at his home Monday, though he won't formally endorse any candidate in the race for the Democratic nomination.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120164702395826651.html

Jimmy C. has done a lot of good in his lifetime, both in the White House and beyond it.

Well..Carter has done many good things after his presidency...but..in 81 he was widely viewed as a failure. Remember the umiliating Iranian hostage crisis, the botched rescue attempt that left Americans dead in the desert. The Soviets had brazenly invaded Afghanistan, and Carter's response (including boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics) that was seen as ineffectual. Carter's years also included energy crisis, soaring inflation, and skyrocketing interest rates.

That was then. Today, although Carter remains a controversial figure, many agree that no American ex-president has done more good, tirelessly devoted himself to promoting human rights, eradicating diseases, and spreading democracy

but they didn't tell us about Bush and Reagan's dirty tricks with the hostage situation, or that the economy was shit because of the debts from vietnam. He had all that laid on him when he took office, it was all already in motion.

for events largely out of his control.

Iran -- arms for hostages? Wasn't that the scam that ushered in the Raygun regime in 1980?

Yes, the rescue was a failure but no American civilians were killed as a result of the helicopter crashes and aborted military missions. I could cite all sorts of military failures under Raygun (remember Beirut and the Marine barracks?).

Under Pres. Carter, for a wonderful and short period of time in American history, it was actually legal to visit Cuba! Raygun killed that freedom to travel PDQ, practically as soon as he came to the White House.

Energy crisis? You left out that fact that he mandated the 55 mph speed limits. It was a well-thought out solution for the time, but unfortunately most American drivers were not willing to give up some travel time in order to minimize their fuel usage on the highways.

The Soviet invasion never accomplished much in Afghanistan, and now we've taken their place as the new foreign occupier. Don't see why it's necessary to take Carter to task on that one.

Carter was never controversial in my book, unless one views peace and justice as some kind of controversial idea for America.

This is the right thing to do, even if they do really want a certain candidate to win.

Obviously this doesn't make as much sense if the one running is a spouse, but still, this is the right thing to do.

“I can say without equivocation that no one who is running for president has presented anywhere near as comprehensive and accurate a prediction of what our country ought to do in the field of environmental quality, in the field of health care for those who are not presently insured, for those who struggle with poverty,” Carter said.

He predicted that Edwards “has a very good chance to do well” in the presidential race.

Carter told The Associated Press afterward that it was too soon to make an endorsement in the 2008 race and that his comments were not meant as a criticism of other Democrats.

“I think he is a very appealing candidate, especially for rural voters here,” Carter said.

http://politicalchase.com/2007/08/29/jimmy-carter-praises-john-edwards/