Thinking Right

By Copyleft

April 16, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this

Always nice to see Wooten standing up against freedom of speech.

It’s a good reminder of what modern Republicans are really all about. Thanks, Jim!

By Freedom

April 16, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

Jim,

You suggest that criticism should only be expressed within our boundaries. What if Carter had been praising versus criticizing? Would that freedom be OK? What if the person were a retired state department official or General? Would your same restrictions on freedom apply? Exactly where are you going with this line of thought, Jim?

By TW

April 16, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

Nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Republican Majority Senate, Michael Griffin began his duties as the 11th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on April 14, 2005.

BERLIN (AFP) 4/16/08 - A 13-year-old German schoolboy corrected NASA’s estimates on the chances of an asteroid colliding with Earth, a German newspaper reported Tuesday, after spotting the boffins had miscalculated.

That’s just great. Now, can we give the tough jobs back to the smart people? Or are asteroids just more fuzzy science?

Got Brains?

By HIDT

April 16, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this

It was my distinct pleasure to not vote for Jimmy Carter in my first election as an eligible voter. While peace between Israel and Palestians is a worthy goal, it cannot be brokered by Carter. His credibility as a statesman with the Israelis has been eroded to nothing. And, imagine being the Israeli prime minister and you deal officially with the Bush administration on one hand, but have this bitter, old ex-president over here showboating on the other hand. He is best ignored.

That said, I really enjoyed his book An Hour Before Daylight about growing up in rural south Georgia, because I grew up there, too.

By jbmlaw

April 16, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

Good morning all. President Carter matters, and is valuable to all conservatives. Few people have a name so indelibly associated with failed policies. I credit President Carter with two true successes in his administration: (1) defusing some of the murderous activities of Islamists by compelling talks between President Begin and Terrorist Arafat, and (2) organizing the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Otherwise, practically every initiative of this administration was pre-ordained to fail, whether an economic policy or his negotiations with the Iranian terrorist-government that captured and held prisoner American diplomats.

President Carter’s failures were not born from a malicious heart; quite the opposite his intention was to unite the American people and bring them hope for deliverance from what the leftist media characterized as the country’s darkest hour. (Of course it was not, but the MSM’s record of accuracy was rarely better than that of President Carter.) President Carter campaigned for president offering little specifics in the policies he would bring, and only too late did the American public discover he was just another touchy-feely leftist. The American public realized the error of its ways, and four years later granted the first of two landslides to a radical conservative who implemented the policies he campaigned on.

President Carter’s visibility is vital to conservatives in election years, and I strongly support all efforts to publicize his record and his activities, as neither is distinguishable from those offered by the democrat party in 2008.

By Carbon Footprint

April 16, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

Carter’s will ask for a concession from Hamas. Hamas will demand a concession from Israel. Not even God has been able to secure that. Jehovah knows Allah has tried. Allah. Jehovah. Yahwey. God. The story of the bible in 2008? Is the feud that old? Yes, the feud is that old. This brings up the question: was the word allah invented by Mohammed in the sixth century, or is Allah just the word the arabs used to say, “Yahwey?” is it a corruption of Yahwey? Is yahwey a corruption of allah? Somebody look that up.

Sunni/Shia feud is not as old as the bible. The Kurd/Arab feud is. The Kurds and The Jews have identical histories dealing with the same arabs and persians throughout the ages: both tribes have been herded and driven like cattle from one land to the next.

Carter’s mission has no chance to succeed. Whatever politics he’s playing in this election year will not affect the polls. We are simply numb to the Jewish plight. Watching perpetual war does that to an observer.

Debate tonite might address the Carter mission to Hamas. Want to hear parsing and spin? Homework: Count the # of times Hillary says, “hard work”.

By HIDT

April 16, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this

Palestinians

By Adam

April 16, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this

CommieLeft@8:51 immediately starts out whining about “Freedom of Speech”. Who said anything about Carter not having the right to speak? Is he facing charges? Has he been threatened with imprisonment?

The title of the article is “Does Carter Matter?” The answer is a resounding NO. The longer Carter stumbles around in his ego driven fog the more irrelevant he becomes, if that’s even possible. After he was voted out of office following his hopelessly inept administration his quest has been to establish some relevancy and to be remembered for something other than a miserably failed presidency. Unfortunately after an initial effort at hammering nails he has tried to freelance his way back into world affairs and only reminds everyone why we rejected him in 1980.

Someone close to him should gently suggest he get some help with his senility and stop embarrassing himself and far more importantly, the image he portrays as a former president.

By Mid-South Philosopher

April 16, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this

Commendable as the hoped for result may be, former President Carter is way out of line in this effort…just as he was with his ill-favored initiative toward North Korea under the Clinton Presidency. For better or worse, foreign policy must be directed by Georgie Bush…at least until January 20, 2009.

I will pose this question.

Given that both administrations were and are less than rousing successes (some would say abject failures), does anyone think that Georgie Bush will work as hard over the next 27 years to improve his legacy as Jimmie Carter has worked to improve his?!?

We shall see.

By Dennis

April 16, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten writes, “What Carter does as a private citizen and certainly what he does as a private citizen during the administration of George Bush has no consequential policy implications.”

If you really believed that, Mr. Wooten, you wouldn’t be writing about it today.

You also complain about Jimmy Carter’s correct observation, ““Since Syria and Hamas will have to be involved in a final peace agreement, they have to be involved in discussions that lead to final peace,”

Do you honestly think, Mr. Wooten, that there will be peace by continuing the U.S. failed policies of “We’ll just ram what we want down the throats of these people and if they don’t like it that’s tough” will work? If so, why hasn’t that already happened? And as well, in Iraq?

Why can’t neocons ever explain that?

Americans are onto the game of our corporate controlled government and the war crimes that have been committed in the name of the American people, and, Mr. Wooten, Americans are not happy about that.

YOUR corporate controlled government is scared of the American people. They know too much! They’re not interested in world domination. They get in the way of “business as ususal”.

Try as it may, and your column included, the American media has failed to indoctrinate the supposedly bewildered herd, the American people.

You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignnorant one to deny it.

By Freedom

April 16, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this

According to Jim, all former presidents need to go home and keep their mouths shut. I guess that rules out Bush trying to improve his legacy by criticizing Iran, North Korea, etc., outside of the US.

By Redneck Convert

April 16, 2008 9:37 AM | Link to this

Well, I used to think Jimmy Carter was from this Georgia, but I think we may all be confused. He acts like maybe he is from that Communist Georgia over in Asia or somewhere. Our President is the one what’s got to do the getting together of the Palestinians and the Jews and he’s going to do it, too. Heck, you can’t pick up a newspaper without there being some picture of him sitting down with both sides and stories about him going over there and them coming over here to work out peace treaties and whatnot. Well, back to the vacation. I’m getting bedsores laying on this creek bank while fishing. Have a good day everybody.

By ron

April 16, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Good morning,Sadly,I think Jimmy Carter needs to stay home.I hate to say that as I’ve often admired the man in the past.Not the President,just the man.It’s time for Jimmy to go to Plains,put his feet up and watch the paint dry.

By Peter

April 16, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this

Yes Jimmy Carter matters, and he is STILL behaving as a leader.

He is showing our current leadership that communication in our world is necessary and the “Right Thing to do”.

Now if the King in Washington did the same we might not be in the mess we are as a nation today.

By deegee

April 16, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

Ex-presidents are accepting millions of dollars in income from overseas “investors” by giving speeches, and greasing the skids in Washington. When you are paying an ex-president hundreds of thousands of dollars for about 30 minutes of ex-presidential hot air and insider access, what do you expect? You think that the ex-prez is going to stand up there and talk about their golf handicap and anecdotes from the Rose Garden? If you think that the trend is going to stop with W, you might be mistaken.

By Copyleft

April 16, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this

To answer the question: Of course Carter matters. He’s reminding the world that America didn’t used to be this bad.

And if he didn’t matter, why would Wooten be panicking about his showing up Bush’s incompetence and hamfisted arrogance (yet again)?

Ahhh, it’s great to be a REAL American, and not a pathetic failure Republican! Wheeee!

By AmVet

April 16, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this

Two quick thoughts before I head out and help pay for the occupation.

1) America’s policy of “isolating” these countries, regimes, etc. has had the polar opposite effect. We are now the country that once upon a time used to lead the world in diplomacy and statesmanship. But under this neo-con administration and their bizarre ideas we have built a “coalition of the willing” that is a de facto “coalition” of one nation - us.

2) Indeed the faux conservatives would be thrilled if Carter followed every ex-Republican President’s lead and did virtually nothing but sit around their mansions, libraries, etc… except for the occasional, lucrative “speaking engagement”.

Republican Bloodbath, Part Deux. Coming to an election near you this November.

By Southern Democrat

April 16, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Today’s essay today is pretty laughable. As President Bush’s approval ratings drop to the lowest of his tenure and a company of Iraqi soldiers abandon their post in Sadr City and put American soldiers at risk, Jim Wooten spends his time criticizing President Carter trying to broker a peace deal.

Of course, the last time U.S. officials met with a terrorist organization, the I.R.A., it seemed to work out okay, but perhaps Senator Mitchell is worthy of more respect than President Carter in Wooten’s eyes?

One thing that infuriates me about the far right’s views on foreign policy and anti-terrorism is how uninformed and overly simplistic the theories are.

There is a compulsion to make the easy black/white distinction between terrorist/not-terrorist in the “Global War on Terror.” As we all know (and can see in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq), the reality is much more complex. We are not fighting a uniformed enemy with designs on worldwide conquest, a la fascism in either its far right Nazi or its far left Stalinist form. We are fighting an insurrectionist guerilla movement funded by religious fundamentalists. We can list 10,000 examples of how brute force can not tamp down a widespread insurrection (including our Revolutionary War), but still apply that as our M.O. The way to defeating an insurrection based upon an ideology as inherently-flawed as that of al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, etc., is to bring them to the table. If they are invested in the structure, then the structure gains more credibility and the real, hard work of building education and opportunity to win the “hearts and minds” can begin.

While this approach makes ideologues like our resident jingoist Dusty apoplectic, we must start combining soft power diplomacy with our military might in the interests of our national security.

By Southern Democrat

April 16, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

Today’s essay today is pretty laughable. As President Bush’s approval ratings drop to the lowest of his tenure and a company of Iraqi soldiers abandon their post in Sadr City and put American soldiers at risk, Jim Wooten spends his time criticizing President Carter trying to broker a peace deal.

Of course, the last time U.S. officials met with a terrorist organization, the I.R.A., it seemed to work out okay, but perhaps Senator Mitchell is worthy of more respect than President Carter in Wooten’s eyes?

One thing that infuriates me about the far right’s views on foreign policy and anti-terrorism is how uninformed and overly simplistic the theories are.

There is a compulsion to make the easy black/white distinction between terrorist/not-terrorist in the “Global War on Terror.” As we all know (and can see in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq), the reality is much more complex. We are not fighting a uniformed enemy with designs on worldwide conquest, a la fascism in either its far right Nazi or its far left Stalinist form. We are fighting an insurrectionist guerilla movement funded by religious fundamentalists. We can list 10,000 examples of how brute force can not tamp down a widespread insurrection (including our Revolutionary War), but still apply that as our M.O. The way to defeating an insurrection based upon an ideology as inherently-flawed as that of al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, etc., is to bring them to the table. If they are invested in the structure, then the structure gains more credibility and the real, hard work of building education and opportunity to win the “hearts and minds” can begin.

While this approach makes ideologues like our resident jingoist Dusty apoplectic, we must start combining soft power diplomacy with our military might in the interests of our national security.

By Randy

April 16, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

The answer is no, Carter does not matter. Eight years ago, he was good for being able to say that the worst president in the history of the country was a democrat. Now that I can’t say that anymore, he no longer matters.

By Charles

April 16, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

Jimmy Carter was the worst President of the last century and a total embarrassment for the State of Georgia. He’s only redeemed himself in a small way by his works with Habitat For Humanity. But by not following what other Presidents in the past did (be seen and not heard) he’s stuck his foot in his mouth WAY too often! Maybe Alzheimer’s has settled in and made his irrational thoughts even more bizarre.

By Jan

April 16, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this

Jimmy Carter has NEVER

By @@

April 16, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Yep Jim! Jimmy’s like the left’s crazy old uncle. ‘Ya just gotta love the love thingy.

So what does Meshaal plan to do with Jimmy’s visit? Let’s take a look at the Islamic-world net:

Talk to Hamas

Abu Zhuri said the Carter-Meshaal meeting signals the rising awareness in the West of the importance of talking to Hamas.

“It reflects the growing realization in the West of the importance of talking to Hamas,” he told Al-Jazeera.

“It also shows that it is impossible to reach arrangements in the region without Hamas.”

A Carter-Meshaal meeting would be the first public contact in two years between a prominent American figure and Hamas officials.

The Hamas spokesman said the meeting would give the group an opportunity to explain its stances.

“We will also seek to defend the Palestinian rights and highlight the suffering of the Palestinian people,” he said.

‘Ya just gotta love a terrorist organization’s objectivity in these matters is what matters.

GAWLDANG AMERICA!!!!

By Jackie

April 16, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

Jimmy Carter matters because he has the courage of his convictions and the is not afraid to speak out about what he sees as fundamental truth.

He speaks to Hamas, a democratically elected government of the Palestenians, to try and broker peace between the occupied and the occupiers.

Seem strange that the occupiers will not negotiate a peace treaty and will not live up to their previous signatory peace offerings.

There should be more politicians that has his courage.

By @@

April 16, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

Oops! almost forgot…

Let’s look at how Condoleeza Rice approached Carter with the respect owed a former President:

The State Department said it has counseled Carter, a vocal critic of the Bush administration foreign policy, against meeting any Hamas leader.

“Hamas has been offered many opportunities to come into line with international standards concerning the Middle East,” said Rice, who sought Carter’s counsel on her own previous Arab-Israeli peacemaking efforts ahead of a US-hosted peace conference in Annapolis last November.

“Hamas has been unwilling to do that,” Rice added.

So Secretary of State Rice sought Jimmy’s counsel and he ignored hers.

I think we can safely say that Carter is an elitist with total disregard for any opinion other than his own.

By BPJ

April 16, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

Former President Carter matters a great deal, especially to all those people who have been spared the ravages of river blindness and other horrible diseases which the Carter Center has gone a long way toward eliminating.

As for his trip to meet with Hamas, here are three points to keep in mind (which Mr. Wooten & other Carter critics did not bother mentioning):

(1) he is attempting to negotiate the release of one or more prisoners of Hamas;

(2) he went this week to a village in Israel which has been hit by Hamas-fired rockets, and called such attacks “despicable” - this matters when Jimmy Carter says it, precisely because he is perceived by Arabs as someone who cares about the Palestinians - if Pres. Bush or Jim Wooten says it, frankly that’s not going to change any behavior over there - Carter has a chance of changing Hamas behavior by persuasion, and he should take that chance;

(3) Hamas has several factions, some of which are simply loathsome killers, and some of which could be persuaded to deal with Israel; remember when we didn’t talk to Arafat’s PLO? Eventually factions in that group were persuaded to negotiate with Israel, and today’s Fatah party is one that Israel’s prime minister meets with. For many people in Gaza, Hamas is a social-service organization (obviously that’s a selective and naive perception, but that’s the face of Hamas to many Gazans). A skillful diplomatic effort (with help from Saudis, Jordanians…) could peel away the more pragmatic Hamas supporters…not that “skillful diplomatic effort” and “Bush Administration” are likely to show up in the same sentence. You may argue that the chances of persuading Hamas to change its behavior are low, but what workable alternative do you propose? Bomb Gaza out of existence? Really?

By Tim

April 16, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

Can we ask ourselves: Would he matter if he “pimped” himself out for 300,000 per speach? Jimmy Carter has become the example of what ex presidents should be…Don’t believe me, See Bill Clinton and Bush 41 and their efforts on behalf of the tsunami victims and other tragedies arounf the world. Ex presidents have a rare platform. Because of their status, they can call people to action in a way that no one else can. They almost have an obligation to step up … and Jimmy carter has done that for 27 years!

By GaConservative

April 16, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

As a former President of the United States, his words and actions matter. His position lends credibility to those he chooses to dialog with. His tacit approval of dictator and terrorists has a long history and is an embarrassment to this country. How can any sitting President from either party establish policy concerning terrorist states when a former President works against that official policy? He is undermining the authority of the President and should be stopped by Congress. Congress chooses to do nothing because Democrats are as interested in embarrassing a Republican President as Republicans were in embarrassing a Democrat President. President Carter needs to be in the dementia ward of some nice retirement facility. That our news media give this man a forum speaks volumes about the state of “journalism” in the country.

By BuckheadBill

April 16, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

I still say that Billy got the brains in that family.

By Suppressed

April 16, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this

Arrest him. Send out troops over there to get him and bring him home. Put him in Guantanamo and water board him until he admits who he’s really working for. We have a right to know. How dare he contradict our great leader. All hail the chief.

By TW

April 16, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

The lowest punch this morning goes to Mr. Wooten. The day after McCain answers calls that he respond to the economic crisis, Mr. Wooten says nada…nothing…zip. Perhaps the conservative remnants of Mr. Wooten’s conscience don’t like that McCain has put Big Oil in front of hard working Americans?

Republicans invoke the name of Jimmy Carter only when they know they’re whipped.

It’s over, morons. Thanks for screwing up the country.

By George Washington

April 16, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

Yes, Jimmy Carter matters as the only honest broker involved in the whole middle east mess. The Israeli’s are a pack of ungrateful racists…Carter brokered peace between Israel and Egypt in 1979, at an ongoing cost to America of six billion dollars per year, with the lion’s share going to Israel. If Israel wants peace, why should American taxpayers have to pay them for it? Israel treats Arabs and Muslims as subhuman animals to be killed at the slightest provocation…Ignoring the fact that Israel took by force the land these Arabs had owned and lived on for thousands of years….With no compensation I might add…Never, ever trust Israel, and especially never ever trust a fanatical pro israel American….

By Dennis

April 16, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

By George Washington April 16, 2008 11:31 AM “Yes, Jimmy Carter matters as the only honest broker involved in the whole middle east mess….

“If Israel wants peace, why should American taxpayers have to pay them for it?”

Being a typical media neocon, Mr. Wooten is not about to touch this question.

You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.

By Glenn

April 16, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this

It does matter. In social theory (which gave us, among other things, the concept of “nation building”), regimes are sustained by a process of “legitimation”. When regimes are “delegitimated” they fall either soon or else immediately.

The President’s trip unquestionably legitimates an oppressive regime militating against not only an ally of the U.S., but against the U.S. itself. Those are some of the reasons why the aura of presidential approval is so coveted by these murderers, and the president is engaging in a treasonous act in legitimating a deadly enemy of both human rights and the United States.

So heck no, Bush should not go to the Beijing Games.

By George Washington

April 16, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

To BPJ - You call some members of Hamas cold blooded killers, but you fail to mention the cold blooded israeli killers: General Dagan, the current head of the Mossad, is widely known to have run death squads in the Gaza, picking up Arab boys and teenagers for torture and execution…General Dagan personally participated in these death squads prior to becoming the head of the Mossad…He is a retired Israeli Air Force General…Cold blooded killers exist on both sides the middle east…The difference is the Israeli’s have a massive PR machine, and anyone who tells the truth about them is censored in the american media….

By JackLeg

April 16, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this

Jimmy Carter does not matter; he himself said he was going as a private citizen. He can do anything he wants. But meeting with terrorist, putting a wreath on king of terrorist grave is just crazy. This is absolute proof that he has gone off of his medication.

By Freedom

April 16, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this

The President should not go to the games. He should send a former president in his place. He can use a secret code: send Carter if he disagrees with their policies, send Bush-1 if he agrees with their policies, or send Bill Clinton if he looking for more clarification on the issues (you know, definitions of key words, etc.). It’s the diplomatic thing to do.

By Jim's a Cherry Picker

April 16, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

Hi Jim,

So if there’s only one president, how does Dick Cheney fit in?

With regards to your topic, Carter must matter. The right can’t quit talking about hiim.

By Dusty

April 16, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this

Well, what cha know?? Jim Wooten throws us an interesting “bone” this morning and everybody jumps right on it. Great debate for a change. Let’s see:

Southern Democrat, true to his colors & pro-Jimmah, declares “we are not fighting a uniformed enemy with world wide conquest a la fascism”. He suggests we bring terrorists to the table to win “hearts & minds”.How sweet it is!!(Like they brought Richard Pearl’s head to the table.)

Then Southern wants to compare retreating Iraqi soldiers at Sadr City with President Bush’s so called popularity rating. Southern should have compared retreaters to Osama’s antiwar record.

Then other Dems here declare that Jimmah’s freedom of speech goes around the world, even when it obstructs the policy of the USA. Such little points as the undermining of this country’s policies does not worry liberals.

But jbmlaw comes with the jewel in the crown. He suggests we let Jimmy Carter talk & talk since it reminds us so much of what Democratic policies would be in 2008. AMEN!!……..

From your resident jingoist Dusty apopletic!(Thank you, Sou Dem, for the title. I love it! But you forgot to add “sweet thing”!)

By larry

April 16, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this

Jimmy Carter, like so many of his fans, is all arrogance and incompetence, nothing else.

By George Washington

April 16, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

The word “terrorist” is used as a lable for anyone who does not kiss american or israel ASSets…Who is the bigger terrorist, the one who launches hell fire missles at cars on a highway, then flies home for a beer and sandwich, or the person who wears his explosives on his body and dies in the name of his cause? What American built and paid for aircraft flown by Israeli’s did to Lebanon two years ago was the biggest act of terrorism in the world since 9/11….

By Blain W.

April 16, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

Carter is the “peenuked” prez - an empty shell of a man. Ground to a fine powder and squeezed, he can be used as an alternative fuel FOR RADICAL ISLAM.

What a lousy investment of Democrats’ votes.

L is for loser.

LD is for learning disabled and lousy democrats.

By Did you mean...

April 16, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this

Daniel Pearl? It matters.

By Glenn

April 16, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

@@,

It’s hard to think of Mr. Carter as “an elitist” because I can’t think of an elite to which he belongs. I imagine he still cuts quite a figure in the Southern Baptist Convention, but a less elitist group of kinfolk would be hard to find. Does he come by this hauteur from his association with the Naval Academy and his distinguished service as a submariner? Maybe.

I recognize him more readily as a solipsist who lives in a world without Greenwich: All Carter, All the Time. It seems to me that he spends his days like a made old British colonel who might decipher the Great Pyramid or trace the Lost Tribes or some such parlour game. Only Carter, to my mind, daily pins on a battle ribbon testifying to the fact that I Was President Once, and takes his breakfast in the game room, wherein the world is represented by leaden figures in which the foot soldiers, diplomats, Queens, spiritual leaders and generals are all named Carter.

One gets the impression that for years the longsuffering Miz Rosalynn has resigned herself to the impossibility of dragging the ridiculous ham off the stage and onto some shady peanut plantation where he can bark self-important Big Daddyisms from his porch rocker until the rocker comes to a final standstill.

By Michelle

April 16, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this

Did everyone forget that negotiations or diplomacy only start when everyone starts listening to each other? Carter has done all he can to promote peace and prosperity around the world. He even builds houses for people that cannot afford them. And let’s not forget his democratic election oversight work. Hum, seems to me that those who challenge his work haven’t tried to produce any results towards these issues themselves. Let’s move away from fear mongering and move towards open dialog. I think it’s a much better approach to resolving challenges than shutting the door to possibilities completely or would you rather keep living without rights? Actions speak louder than words.

By Southern Baptist Convention

April 16, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

We are a conservative group in our literal reading of the Bible and politically. We haven’t embraced Jimmy Carter since about 1987.

By Dusty

April 16, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

Did you mean @12:16

Yes, I DID mean Daniel Pearl killed by Islamic fundamentalists in 2002. He was decapitated for no other offense than being an AMERICAN.

By Michelle

April 16, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

Did everyone forget that negotiations or diplomacy only start when everyone starts listening to each other? Carter has done all he can to promote peace and prosperity around the world. He even builds houses for people that cannot afford them. And let’s not forget his democratic election oversight work. Hum, seems to me that those who challenge his work haven’t tried to produce any results towards these issues. Let’s move away from fear mongering and move towards open dialog. I think it’s a much better approach to resolving challenges than shutting the door to possibilities completely or would you rather keep living without rights?

By Mid-South Philosopher

April 16, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

I note that the U.S. Supreme Court has just upheld lethal injection as a constitutional form of execution.

Drat…I was practicing my hangman’s knot!

By Devastator

April 16, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

The Boss Picks A Boss: Bruce Springsteen Endorses Obama Huffington Post | Rachel Sklar | April 16, 2008 09:44 AM

Legendary all-American rocker Bruce Springsteen has thrown his red bandanna into the political ring, today endorsing Barack Obama for President on his website.

Wrote Bruce:

Like most of you, I’ve been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President.

He speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that’s interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where “…nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone.

The endorsement seems to have been prompted by Obama’s recent comments about Pennsylvanians being “bitter” and “clinging” to guns and various prejudices, first reported by the Huffington Post — and seems to take a swipe at Hillary Clinton in his endorsement:

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man’s life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.

So: Anyone who thinks that Barack Obama doesn’t respect his small-town fellow Americans can take it up with the guy who wrote “Born In The U.S.A.” (and “Thunder Road,” and “The River,” and “Backstreets” and “Badlands” and pretty much a zillion classic songs about working-class life in small-town America).

What’s interesting about this endorsement from a new media perspective: It went up on the Boss’ website. That’s where it broke, and from what I can tell we were the third site to pick it up (kudos to you, CBS News and Marc Ambinder). It’s going to go huge, obviously, and it’s gonna happen before noon (cable news producers are digging up the stock footage now). That’s a phenomenon unique to this election cycle, and yet another example of how lightning-fast the news cycle is. It’s also a really interesting new wrench to throw into the “bitter” story, which has basically been running unchanged for the past six days — and this completely turns it on its head, making Obama the victim and Clinton the villain for trying to “distract us from discussing the real issues.” Look for Springsteen on “Meet The Press” on Sunday. (Oh, my God, Tim would love that. For sure he has an old Boss concert hat to pull out.

Springsteen, who memorably supported John Kerry in 2004 (i.e.

in concert, and every Bruce concert is memorable), seems pretty intent on making his point:

After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.

Over here on E Street, we’re proud to support Obama for President.

In other words, honey he’s got the heart he’s got the soul he needs control right now. I smell a collaboration with will. i. am in the offing.

Message From Bruce Springsteen [BruceSpringsteen. net]

p.s. Or, how’s this for another Bruce quote for Generation O: “I believe in the love that you gave me, I believe in the faith that can save me.” Also from Badlands. Listen here.

By Glenn

April 16, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

SBC,

You mean to tell me that at a time when Dr. Price is entertaining Calivinists the Rev. Mr. Carter is unwelcome?

Michelle,

With respect, I don’t think you realize how high the stakes are, and how deadly. The first right of every nation is self-preservation, and Mr. Carter simply isn’t on board with America’s assertion of that right. For many years he clearly has believed that he is the nation, and will scold us into understanding what’s good for us. As far as I know, the closest the world has come in recent memory to nuclear annihilation was in recent months, during the turmoil in Pakistan. But as we can see, the region had peace instead. Where was Mr. Carter? Nowhere to be found. Why? Because he had been part of the problem, and is persona non grata. It is even absurd that we should be discussing both him and world affairs simply because he is up to his latest round of increasingly silly, anti-Semitic showboating.

By George Washington

April 16, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Critizing Israel is not anti-Semitic, Israel is a country, not a race. There are approximately 2 million arab citizens of Israel, second class citizens, but citizens never the less. They are the decendents of the Arabs who owned and lived on most of the land that now consitutes Israel, and their ansestors refused to run away in the face of Israeli massacares of Arab villages in 1948 and 1949. Of course, their land was siezed by the new israeli government, and they were never compensated for this government taking of their property. I find it amazing the double standard, any thing taken from a jew can be recovered by other jews no matter how much time has passed (try three thousand years) but land stonlen from the pals in 1948 is ancient history, and cannot be recovered today. oh yeah, remember, it is a one way street for wealth and technology transfer from america to israel: we get nothing back. In 2005-2006 the us army was suffering a sever shortage of M-16 ammunition, due to the demands Iraq and Afghanistan. The factories could not keep up with demand, and our stocks were dangerously low. We asked Israel if we could borrow some ammunition, which we would pay back as production increased. The Israeli’s refused, even though we had given them that ammunition free of charge. They did offer to sell it to us, at four times the going world rate. We were desperate, so we paid their price. They sold us the oldest ammunition in their inventory, ammunition that did not met specifications. You may remember complaints at the time that the M-16 was underpowered, and would not put a man down with just one shot. That was because the ammunition was so old that it had lost much of its power. Now remember back to 1973, when israel was losing the Yam Kipper war to Egypt. They had lost many aircraft to Egyptan surface to air missles, many tanks to anti tank missles, and they lacked artillery - they relied on air power to be their artillery. America stripped Europe of its war reserves, and flew into israel anti tank cannon ammunition, aircraft, bombs, and everything else israel asked for, at no cost to israel. As I said, it is a one way street, and it does not favor the american tax payer, especially non jewish tax payers.

By Southern Baptist Convention

April 16, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

That’s exactly what I’m telling you. From SBC president Jerry Vines in 1987 until present day, he is shunned. In fact, Carter and Clinton talked about forming a moderate Baptist group to counter the good conservative principles we hold dear. Building a barn for Baptist blacksheeps as it were.

By getalife

April 16, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

All Presidents matter until they die.

Carter is a man of peace that actually helps the poor. A real Christian, if you will.

Show him some respect hack, he is from your State.

Obama voted yes on cheney’s energy bill, Clinton voted no. Thank Obama at the pump.

He is lying about everything like not taking their money and people are starting to see they are getting punked by Obama.

He just can’t tell the truth about anything or apologize for insulting them.

He is a fraud and not a different kind politician. Just another lying, divisive, politics as usual.

Clinton will attack his lies in the debate.

By Did you mean...

April 16, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

You got that right Sister.

By jbmlaw

April 16, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this

Dear Glenn, your 12:19 post paints a vivid picture of President Carter as the old British General at the Odd Fellows Club. And, I’ll wager, an accurate one.

By TW

April 16, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

After reading his resume, the thing I like about John McCain is that he makes John Kerry look like General Douglas MacArthur.

By rED fOREMAN

April 16, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

Yimmy is an idiot. He is the WORST President in the hisory of the USA.

Thanks God for Reagan!!!!

By rED fOREMAN

April 16, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

Yimmy is an idiot. He is the WORST President in the hisory of the USA.

Thank God for Reagan!!!!

By rED fOREMAN

April 16, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

Yimmy is an idiot. He is the WORST President in the hisory of the USA.

Thank God for Reagan!!!!

By Skeptic Tank

April 16, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this

He is certainly more relevant than the current resident of the White House. While Carter attempts to build bridges, your beloved leader is intent on destroying them. Let’s face it, Wooten & Co.: anyone who deviates from your stark and indefensible positions matters for one reason, and one reason only…to provide a straw man for your idiocy.

By Sarah

April 16, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

Ah. Trust me Jim. He matters more than you do.

By Truthifier

April 16, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

Mr. Carter was elected Governor of Georgia, President of the United States, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, yet Mr. Wooten questions if Mr. Carter “matters.” Interesting.

By kellyp

April 16, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

The arabs killed Peril because he was a Jew. Just watch the video on YouTube or many of the other sites that the arabs keep putting it back up on. He is forced to say that he is a Jew before they saw off his head.

George Washington,

Your ignorance and bias is also apparent in your rambling posting. Additionally you are such blatant lier you can’t even post under your real name or a unique individual screen name.

Israel did not steal land in 1948. Israel asked to live in peace with its arab neigbors but the arabs decided to unit and kill the Jews. They did not hid this goal and the arabs still don’t hide this goal. Its part of the Hamas charter and is still part of the PLO’s charter (even though they promised to remove it). The arabs failed in their attempt to kill the Jews and ran away fearing that the Jews would punish them. The arabs (most of them renters and not owners) left land empty. Just like Arafat these arabs did not live on the lands for thousands of years as you claim. Arafat was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt.

Israel did give ammunition to the U.S. when it was requested. At the same time they said that the only bullets they had with American labels on it was old but still good. The newer ammunition in Israel’s storage was stuff they made themselves and had Hebrew markings and warned that it might be a bad Public Relations move on the U.S. Army’s part to use and leave lying around. The Army realized that was smart thinking and decided to use the older American made bullets.

Israel had to buy all the equipment that they got during the war of 1973. it was provided at greatly inflated prices. It was only after the war and after the bills were paid that the US Government started to provide aid to Israel.

Hamas leadership has order and claimed responsibility for ordering their membership and followers to target and kill children. Yes, Israel has killed arab children, but that is only because the arabs shooting at Israel insist on committing activities while surrounding themselves with these arab children.

By TW

April 16, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

Anybody read ‘w’s book?

By getalife

April 16, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this

President Bush: “Probably true” that next attack will come from neglected Afghanistan

Geez.

By Copyleft

April 16, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this

Glenn: Our nation’s survival depends on peace, not war. Carter is working for peace; therefore, he’s ensuring the survival of our nation.

Bush, on the other hand, is working for our destruction. Pretty easy to figure out which one’s more admirable. Although it’s troubling to think that Bush might “matter” more (at least, for now).

By TW

April 16, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Copyleft - the trouble with your ‘peace’ idea is that it’s just not very profitable.

By Martain Elder

April 16, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this

KellyP,

You forgot to point out that Israel offered back the lands they won in the wars the Arabs started if only the Arabs would negotiate and sign a treaty.

The Arab response to Israel was: No Reconciliation, No Recognition , No Negotiations [with Israel.]

By Copyleft

April 16, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this

TW: You’re right, darn it. What was I thinking?

Halliburton and Blackwater won’t make any money from “peace”! What horrible prospect.

By Dusty

April 16, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this

Hmmm..libs are scurrying around looking for excuses for Carter and a lil’ prop news for Obama.

Long winded Devastator @12:43(who never misses reprinting LONG essays from another liberal) has proudly announced that Bruce Springsteen is all for Obama. Whoopee! Who’s next? The Chipmunks? Jane Fonda? All Idol contestants?

Getalife.(switch hitter)..now knocking another liberal, a little change from the usual.

TW says John McCain’s resume makes John Kerry look like General Douglas MacArthur. Yes indeed, just like the time when President Truman told MacArthur to “get up and go”.

jbmlaw@1:23, if I may correct you.. President Carter is the odd fellow at the old General Store in Plains.

“George Washington”, please use your corrrect name, i.e. Benedict Arnold. Martha and I are sick of your complaints about our allies.

So it goes….

By HT

April 16, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Poor Jimmy - failed presidency and he is so in need of being relevant once again. And the only people who will give him an audience, because they can pull the strings on his puppet outfit, are terrorists’ organizations. Newsflash to Jimmy: you blew it, we knew it, now you spew it, and we view it thusly - you’re an idiot, and still prove it!

By Stephen

April 16, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

“And he meets with leaders of a terrorist organization determined to see the destruction of America’s staunchest ally.”

You sound like one of the people who criticized Carter’s Apartheid book without even reading it. You need to do your homework, Jim. To say Carter seeks the destruction of Israel is a ridiculous distortion of the truth.

By @@

April 16, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this

Glenn @ 12:19:

When reading my posts, always anticipate a touch of sarcasm.

When I think of Jimmy Carter as an elitist, it’s not in the “common usage”, no wait…….

maybe it is in the “common” usage.

Jimmy was, at one time, a good man with good, albeit misguided intentions. A simple fellow from simple roots too eager to join Club Elitist where he very quickly received lessons on the art of manipulation…..HIS.

Rubbing elbows with azzholes and hoping beyond hope that he’ll end up on top.

Kinky!

By ghost rider

April 16, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Unlike Carter…When Bush’s term is gone…The guy won’t be qualified to run the shake machine at the local Dairy Queen. Nor, will anybody even want to see this moron show up! Off to Crawford…You’ve done enough damage to the United States to last this country our lifetime!

By J Moore

April 16, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Hell no Jimmy is not relevant. America and Georgia made huge mistakes ever electing this bozo to any office higher than meter maid. He is a total embarassment kind of like Clinton who does realize that his 15 minutes of fame came and went though not soon enough. He has turned his back on his church which was simply following the scriptures. He has turned his back on Israel, a faithful ally. He is a traitor in the order of Jane Fonda and should be serving time instead of traveling around. He is a white Jessee Jackson who always intercedes in matters that he has no business in.

By Dusty

April 16, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this

kellyP@1:52

I do not think all Arabs are Islamic Terrorists. You may be correct that terrorists killed Daniel Pearl because he was a Jew, but in particular, an American Jew.

American soldiers Kristian Menchaca and Thomas Tucker were beheaded and they were not Jewish. Nor were Americans Eugene Armstrong and Paul Johnson among others who met the same fate such as Buddhists, a Russian diplomat and many Iraqis.

It is the sheer horror of terrorism that our military face every day. They do it to keep the rest of us from having to face these butchers. Our President has led the fight to keep us safe from them.

Jimmy Carter, on the other hand, is conferring with those without honor, justice or humanity, those who hate Americans. He blots his own efforts at humanity with his self induced compatibility with those whose main goal is to kill us and our allies.

I find no honor in such actions.

By DEMSMUSTGO

April 16, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

Carter is a haulacost non believer and has terrorist friends.He needs to go on and move to Iran or somewhere over there and take his peanut farming a* and go as far from georgia as possible!

By DEMSMUSTGO

April 16, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this

Carter is a haulacost non believer and has terrorist friends.He needs to go on and move to Iran or somewhere over there and take his peanut farming a* and go as far from georgia as possible!

By DEMSMUSTGO

April 16, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this

Carter is a haulacost non believer and has terrorist friends.He needs to go on and move to Iran or somewhere over there and take his peanut farming a* and go as far from georgia as possible!

By Filster

April 16, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this

Old peanut smile didn’t matter much when he was president; why should now be any different.

By Neil

April 16, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this

Does Jimmy’s trip matter? Jimmy Carter doesn’t matter but nobody told him. The libs still think this guy has value. Come November we, as Americans, must remember that libs are not among our brightest and best.

By jm

April 16, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

Granted it was earlier in our country’s history but after the presidency, John Quincy Adams returned to the US House of Representatives, Teddy Roosevelt formed his own political party ro run against the man who used to be his vice president and William Howard Taft (the man TR ran against) went on to become Chief Justice (a title he much preferred to President).

By Glenn

April 16, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this

@@,

Must be no fun explaining your own stylistic irony to tin ears. Bet yer right about his lord and savior JC.

SBC,

That’s very interesting to know. Wonder wher Huckabee was on all those doings. In any event I’m delighted to know that we Calvinists are more welcome in the SBC than Jimmy Carter is. (I may have to request a transfer of letter!)

ghost rider,

As to retirement activities, I expect Sonny to continue to flack for Delta and W to serve as Commissioner of Baseball. (Of the PRC, of course.)

By GayGreyGeek

April 16, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

Neil @ 3:36 - If your contention about “the libs still thin this guy has value” is true, then why is it only the Neocons and Paleocons who keep bleating about Carter today?

Oh, that’s right. In PaleoconLand, Up Is Down, Left Is Right, Right Is Wrong, the sky is a bright purple Madras plaid, Iraq had WMDs, Brownie did a heckuva job, and we supposedly reached “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” several years ago…

By EnigmaFroyd

April 16, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

No.

By Devastator

April 16, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this

These facts are for getalife:

Poll shows 10-point lead for Obama, increasingly negative view of Clinton

Sen. Barack Obama holds a 10-point lead over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton when Democrats are asked whom they would prefer to see emerge as the party’s presidential nominee, but there is little public pressure to bring the long and increasingly heated contest to an end, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The fierce battle, however, appears to have taken a toll on the image of Clinton, who was once seen as the favorite. And Obama has widened his lead since early February on several key qualities that voters are looking for in a candidate and has narrowed sizable advantages for Clinton on others.

He now has a 2-to-1 edge on who is considered more electable in a general contest — a major reversal from the last poll — and has dramatically reduced a large Clinton lead on which of the two is the “stronger leader.”

While Clinton retains a big edge over Obama on experience, public impressions of her have taken a sharply negative turn. Today, more Americans have an unfavorable view of her than at any time since The Post and ABC began asking the question, in 1992. Impressions of her husband, former president Bill Clinton, also have grown negative by a small margin.

In the new poll, 54 percent said they have an unfavorable view of Sen. Clinton, up from 40 percent a few days after she won the New Hampshire primary in early January. Her favorability rating has dropped among both Democrats and independents over the past three months, although her overall such rating among Democrats remains high. Nearly six in 10 independents now view her unfavorably.

Obama’s favorability rating also has declined over the same period but remains, on balance, more positive than negative.

By AmVet

April 16, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this

Kudos, Jim! Your rabid right fans have had some real fun today, yes?

Carter has many faults, no doubt.

But in comparison the man is a genius.

The GOP has had the White House for 20 of the past 28 years to equal anything even as remotely as significant as the Camp David accords.

And, as in virtually every other area of foreign policy, they have been a dismal failure.

In fact, I cannot think of one comparable accomplishment in this area.

Not a single one.

Reagan, in particular was a dictator-coddling joke.

But what is to be expected with third rate amateurs like Condi and a Bush-league President as our “ambassadors”?

01-20-09.

By WBUSH News at Noon

April 16, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this

Former President H.W. Bush, i.e., the other Bush, was observed attending a ceremony in Hollywood today honoring the brave men and women that resisted the abuses of McCarthy. When questioned by the press, the other Bush stated that it was time to put the ill feelings aside so that the peace process between Babbs and G.W. Bush could begin. The other Bush was promptly thrown in the dog house for daring to override G.W.’s long-standing policy regarding dissident actors and actresses from Hollywood. He said the only good actors are those from Texas and his dad should know that by now.

By Dusty

April 16, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this

Devastator @4:28

Oh my, just read Dev’s lengthy log and it made me burst into song. Just sing along with me and Johnny Mercer;

You’ve got to accentuate the positive

Eliminate the negative

Latch on to the affirmative

Don’t mess with Mister In-between!

No sir. Vote positively for John McCain.

By deegee

April 16, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this

“WASHINGTON — Alberto R. Gonzales, like many others recently unemployed, has discovered how difficult it can be to find a new job. Mr. Gonzales, the former attorney general, who was forced to resign last year, has been unable to interest law firms in adding his name to their roster, Washington lawyers and his associates said in recent interviews.”

Pretty soon George can join his buddy Berto. Maybe they can get a reality TV show on VH1. They can show us how tough it is for a couple of Harvard grads to find work.

By Devastator

April 16, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this

The Democratic Debate will air tonight on ABC at 8:00 PM ET/PT, 7:00 PM CT/MT

Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts after.

Sincerely,

Scott & Martha @ Obama HQ

By Dusty

April 16, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this

Oh nooo, Doom & Gloom has arrived from his usual haunts at Luckovich’s…none other than our loyal liberal loser AmVet @4:36.

Well, as soon as I finish reading another serious political piece “Is your pet Republican or Democrat?”, I shall pay close attention to the moaning,groaning and prevarications of AmVet. Well, maybe tomorrow or a little later. Sometime….

By Southern Democrat

April 16, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

Dusty inadvertantly raises some interesting points. She lambasts (rightly) terrorists for the cold-blooded murder of innocents like Daniel Pearl. She (unwittingly) opens the door, however, to question, though,