Jimmy Carter Speaks Out On Wright, Obama, McCain

Former President Jimmy Carter appeared on CNN's Larry King Live on Monday, addressing everything from the 2008 election and Rev. Jeremiah Wright to his recent talks with Hamas.

In the first segment, Carter said he would not have left Wright's church after hearing his remarks, and that Wright wouldn't be "anything permanent or damaging" to Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy.

CARTER: I grew up in Plains, Georgia and we have 600 people and 11 churches. And the largest and most powerful church is the Lebanon Baptist Church, which is an African-American Baptist church, so I have heard this kind of preaching all my life when we visited their church and they came to mine. What I think he's teaching is a liberation theology and his origins... I think sermons are still shaped by the deprivation of racial discrimination that our country has felt for 100 years after the civil war.

Carter said he would not be endorsing a candidate during the primaries (despite the fact that "all of my grandchildren and all of their spouses and all of my children and all of their spouses were for Obama"), and predicted that the party would rally around a winner after the primary elections were over in early June. But he did offer praise to both candidates:

I think [Obama] has brought a new level of eloquence and inspiration to a lot of people. Hillary has also surprised a lot of people with her tenacity and her capability as a formidable candidate. I think at first she was kind of in the shadow of her husband. I think now she's blossomed forth in a very formidable fashion. If I were she, I would not withdraw until defeated and if I was Obama I would go forward as well.

In the second part, Carter addressed his recent trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, during which he spoke twice to representatives of Hamas. King played clips of John McCain challenging Obama to condemn Carter's meetings, and of Obama saying he personally would not have met with Hamas.

Carter responded:

Well, you know, I know the pressures that are on candidates running for president or Congress or governor or anything else in this country, and I don't blame Senator McCain for making what I consider a very foolish statement, telling Obama to tell me what to do. And I think Obama takes the right attitude by saying it's not his place to tell me what to do, but he would not go and meet with them. I think it's perfectly rational.

Comments

[outnow]

Who is the better "Christian"? George W. Bush or Jimmy Carter? Who is more honest? Who has courage? Who is educated? Who was born on third base? Whose family is in the Carlyle Group? Whose family supported the bin Ladens? Whose family supported Hitler?

[Gary47]

Carter, brilliant as usual. One of the best presidents ever.

[ohiomark]

More proof that liberals see the world upside down.

Only dictators and the far left love Jimma.

32 years after he was elected and he STILL doesn't get it. Neither do the moonbats.

[albionmoonlight]

What is the "it" that you believe has not been gotten?

[mari2JJ]

Actually, President Carter surely must make neo-cons nervous. He is brilliant, fair, knowledgeable, and most of all, honest. He actually served his military stint on a nuke sub - every day of it, not campaigning for his daddy's friend who was running for office, not like this president did, abandoning his job of protecting our southern border, actually brilliantly matriculating at University, and finally being a great President. As I recall, in the very tense years he was President, he actually talked to Middle East politicians and ended up with the Camp David Accords. Too bad the next President lacked the moxie to build on those great efforts by Carter. However, I am aware that neocons do not like anyone who actually does the right thing instead of strutting about and making dismal war on others, and that, not even done well. War in Iraq for as far as the eye can see, Bankrupting our country so it is now in recession, and unless we elect some creative Democrat, we will end up in depression. Yep, give me Carter any time in comparison to this sloth we have in the Oval Office now.

[helonias]

Well the Saudies love the Bushes and old their hands even

[helonias]

Nixon and Mao?

[charlietuna11]

carter should stay out of the middle east . is he blind? can't he see the great success the bush/cheney team has brought to the region? peace has broken out all over. there is now peace between israel and palastine, israel and syria, israel and hezbollah, israel and hamas..the­res something wrong if bush doesn't win a nobel piece prize. spelling intentional. the fact is pres. carter is an amazing man..he knew in advance supporting a balanced policy would draw the wrath of aipac and their israeli supporters­..carter, unlike all the candidates does not cower in fear of the lobby. he knows its wrong that brave americans are used as little pawns in the master plan to defend israel at all costs.. the israeli lobby was successful in talking america into invading a soveign country. they now insist america attack iran and possibly syria. they see enemies every where.. maybe its because they stole the land and birth right of another nation..th­ey will never know a peaceful day until they stop their apartied policies. carter knows that, the world knows that but bush, and his born again bigots don't. since bush talks to jesus every day, i can only assume that jesus approved of the iraqi invasion that killed thousands of innocent people..so much for the so called prince of peace...

[Gemma08]

Amen. You, Sir, are that strange anomaly, called a clued-up American re the Middle East. I salute you.

(But there are quite a few clued up Americans on this site. I salute you all!)

[Mewcatone]

Someone needs to point out that the Israelis and Palestinians have a lot more in common than either side would like to admit. There's a shared culture between these two groups that has been diminished by the Israeli government and other groups such as Hamas. Both are being used by the United States. Israel is being used as the watchdog of the Middle East and Palestine as the scapegoat for all that ails the region. Our current administration has no reason to negotiate peace between the two parties. If we did the Israelis and the Palestinians might come to realize that they do not need the United States to "protect" or "liberate" them.

Good for President Carter. You can't have peace unless there's a dialogue with both sides.

[9yroldayesha]

The sooner Hamas and others of its ilk realize that Israel is here to stay, the better the prospects for peace in the middle-east. The charter of Hamas calls not for a peace with Israel, but a truce! Any sane and fair minded person will definetely not fall for this ruse.

[Gemma08]

Islamophobe.

Phobias are irrational fears. They are called 'irrational' for a reason. And if you want to get your hate speech right, Ayesha was SIX, not 9.

[jacobfloyd]

Obama Supporters, Hillary Supporters -- Listen Up!

It's time for US to start the healing process. The MSM won't do it for us. We need to call a truce amongst ourselves, rather than the candidates. I know who I'm voting for. You know who you're voting for. Nowhere is it stated that we have to tear each other down in this process.

As DEMOCRATS, we all have a common purpose to remove the Republicans from power. We know our future depends on it. We should stop holding up Obama and Clinton signs, and start holding up DEMOCRAT signs. We must spread this message.

Divided, we have no power against the Republicans.

[avraamjack]

.
It was a great tragedy for America when President Carter was not reelected.
.

[Gemma08]

It was a greater tragedy when they did re-elect Bush. I think Rev Wright is too late. God has ALREADY damned America. I mean... look at your current administration!

[Rockerbabe]

President Carter is a voice for reason and sanity in today's politics. He understands that a competition is not over until one of the contestants has been defeated. Too many of the pundits and the bloggers on the and other websites, want the contest to be over because the boy is slightly ahead of the girl in this election season. I think they are afraid that a girl just might get to run things for awhile. But, as anyone who knows about baseball, it ain't over, till it over and we still have several weeks and a number of primary elections to go. The boys and the naysayers, including Arrianna, need to stop all this chicken-little behavior and grow up.
As far has his recent peace efforts are concerned; Condi Rice should be so welcomed in the middle east, but since she hasn't got a clue, it is good that someone does! Keep on truckin Jimmy! Georgia on my Mind to the rescue!

[livesimply]

It has grown pretty obvious how the MSM and the administrations have lied and manipulated to create a public consensus which will further their (administration) agenda: Hamas, Iran, liberals (etc., etc.)= bad. All you have to do is look at how the talking points are manipulated within our own country to see how they shape public opinion concerning other countries and groups. If only more people would actually think instead of following whatever "they" say. It actually doesn't take a lot of critical thought to know that we're ALL human and want our families and neighbors to live prosperous and meaningful lives...th­at is, except those who are consumed by greed and the desire to have and "be" more than anyone else.

[mike53]

Reagan democrats did not start voting republican just because of Reagan. It was just as much a rejection of Carter. I know I have voted republican ever since then.

[outnow]

Get over it already! Reagan was a front man for big money. An actor. You don't understand that do you? Reagan was brought into the right wing fold after having been a union organizer. Nancy's family introduced him to the people with the big money. Rockefeller brought in Carter. Remember Burt Lance? It's all about money. Presidents have little to do with what goes on. Their "base" tells them what to do. It all comes down to money with a religious front to it. That religious thing makes it all go down easier for the masses who cannot see the forest for the trees. It has always been that way throughout history.

[BobSF94117]

And how well has that turned out? Carter tried to tell America that her days of easy glory were past and that only hard work, frugality, and working with our allies AND our enemies would sustain our leadership in the world. Reagan argued that military force and cutting taxes would make the world ours.

Today, "it's morning in America", all right. We've woken up hungover and sick and that cute Young Republican babe we took to bed last night turned out to be a hooker. The house has been ransacked, the wallet's missing, and, if I'm not mistaken, that rash looks pretty suspicious­...

[REAGANRIGHT]

Jimmy (Abu Peanut) Carter, failed president, he can not seem to figure out that his admin. is over and like it or not. he no longer makes forign policy for the nation. He is an embarasment to the country.

[demdekalb]

You guys still owe your victory to Khomeni in 1980 - and you have not forgotten it. The republicans were the favorites of the radical islamist then and now.

[REAGANRIGHT]

No, we owe it to a president who failed in his job, Jimmy Carter.
Islamist radicals fear us, they like wimpy libs like you. . We have not forgotten what the did or what they are capable of doing (9-11). So if you want to send the peanut king to have a chat go ahead, I would rather send a MARINE WITH A BAD ATTITUDE.

[ksyellowdog]

Ah, the famous republic answer to everything. Don't see through the hype, hypocrisy, and dogma of reaganomics. Ronnie Raygun was until now, the worst president ever. Now he's a close second. Republic politics have destroyed our country, undermined our infrastructure, and effectively caused our government to fail on almost every level where they control it. Electing people who think government doesn't work is a self-inflicted wound. If you don't believe in government, stay the hell away from it.

[REAGANRIGHT]

No Dem control of the congress for 40 years ruined our country, not Ronnie.
Carter and Clinton, I believe history will show to be the worst Presidents of the 20th century.
And this will piss off alot of you, but history will show Bush as a good Pres. willing to do the tough things, not just following the polls

[Ruwa]

So, why do you care his coming or going?

[REAGANRIGHT]

Its not his place to set forign policy, so its not his place to go.
If Barry wins the gen. election to be Pres. and Bush decides to meet with a forign leader in 2011, to talk policy, you would be pissed. now do you understand

[peskyliberal]

What's an embarassment to the country is not following Carter's engery plan. If we have listened to him we would be off of foreign oil and no longer Saudi Arabia's bitch.

[JonBFertippton]

Carter was a better president than Reagan or any of the Bushes that followed him. He confronted real problems and had his feet on the ground - and remained a human being as well. Carter was already seeking solutions to the energy problem in the 70s. Reagan's first act as President was to have the solar cells removed from the roof of the White House. Reagan won the election by making a weapons deal with Khomeni so that the American prisoners would not be released (before his election). Before he became Mr Alzheimer, old Ron certainly played Mr. Benedict Arnold for a while!

While talking small government all the GOP presidents after Carter expanded the government exponentially while decreasing its effectiveness and efficiency in order to make it fulfill their mantra that government doesn't work. Katrina, Iraq, EPA, Veterans scandal, Iraq/Bremer, Enron, and on and on.

Get real Republicans. Your GOP presidents have been catastrophes for the USA and the world. You Republicans have been and are still catastrophes for the world. Please get real, stop chirping your GOP talking points in unison, and then try to disappear for a while and do some penance.

[thacher]

"Carter was a better president than Reagan"


Lol...let us know when the shuttle lands pal. My goodness..­..

[outnow]

It seems to me that prejudice and separate but unequal are problems all over the world. It is ironic, to say the least, that countries which are in turmoil over racial and religious issues hold themselves up as the paragons of virtue. One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist said Ronald Reagan. He was justifying the use of terror with the Contras. What about the terror in Northern Ireland. How about the KKK? No people are exempt from that terminology if you are its victim. Jimmy Carter understands that right and wrong are relative as to whose right is being violated and in what way. Albert Einstein realized the same thing. Any reasonable moral person must come to this understanding whether through the laws of physics as did Carter and Einstein or by the laws of the Christian/Judeo tradition, as did both Carter and Einstein. Furthermore, Rev. Wright brings out the hypocrisy of our failed Middle Easter policy. MLK and Gandhi came to the same result. So did Christ and Buddha. The war-mongers always have their agenda, using religion no less to achieve their justifications. It has always been so.

[knixphan]

hear hear

[Careful]

With your statement, "...right and wrong are relative as to whose right is being violated ..." it seems that you are actually comparing Einstein's "theory of relativity" to relativistic moralism. Are you really making that comparison???

[eahce]

Gee I wonder what Mr. Carter meant by pressures on the candidates in THIS country in response to his meeting with Hamas. Could it be Isreal and their strong arm lobbying in This country as was demonstrated by an ambassador last week. I think american candidates should represent america's interests first and foremost and not be strongly influenced by any outside forces.

[outnow]

You are beginning to sound like George Washington, and that is dangerous talk!!!!!!! Dangerous ideas.!!!!­! Off to re-education camp. We run the world because we are spreading democracy. Nobody told Washington about this plan. He would not have lent his support, ya think?

[eahce]

I'll think for myself thank you. If you want to spread democracy, you better think closer to home after bush and his cronies with the help of the democrats shreded the constitution.

[Bluesman48]

"blossomed forth in a very formidable fashion."
Ugh. I wouldn't call it blossoming, more like a festering sore that won't respond to conventional treatment.

[whitenoise007]

"the Muslim world cannot tolerate a Jewish infestation in their region,"

A Jewish infestation? is that from Mein Kampf? Good work HP monitors. Read your history, bonehead. Jewish presence in the region goes back a couple of thousand years; in fact, it predates the existence of Islam. To say they have a legitimate claim to their land is an understatement.

[Careful]

A lot of people on the left are infested with anti-semitisim.

[holeybuybull]

Careful...
Billiant statement. Are you implying that the left hates Arabs and Jews?
You are aware that both groups are Semites!!!!

[Boobaloo]

whitenoise007 : Those Jews that were there for thousands of years are Arab Jews, not Russian, Polish, Indian, Morrocan, Chinese or German Jews.

There is no legitmacy to Israel in Palestine. Period.