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

[imadf]

We all are watching first hand that a candidate with substance and genuine interest in leading a classy nation (Obama, Carter) makes a good pinata for the mud slingers who end up sitting up-top and making a mockery of our nation. That's the reward mud slingers get for no good qualities of theirs (the Karl Roves of the world, and now Clinton - though not as disastrous as Rove(?) but things are getting *worse* :( Lord help the people of this country from being ruled by thugs again-n-ag­ain-n-agai­n just because thugs are in it to gorge their bellies and can swing more crap from their butts - thus overshadowing the genuinely capable and driven few!!!

IT HURTS!!!

[knixphan]

Yeah, sad but true-

It's the 'classy' vs the 'classless' - and there are more classless mudslingers than there are noble folks who keep the dialogue elevated.

Which is why everyone's kids need to go to college and get their minds past the current 'acceptable' level of discourse.

[crossoverwriter]

Amen.
Carter is a wise man who is one of the few not afraid to speak truth. Unfortunately, given the mudslingers and lowlifes and divisive pundits, it is probably best that Carter not officially endorse Obama at this point.
God help us if we get Hillary or McCain in office.
The US is so used to tearing down people of vision, that their first impulse is to criticize, crush, condemn. Maybe once we'll get it right. Maybe once we can uplift our country.
Repubs, Independents and Dems for Obama. let's work together to get this done. Remember 1776. Think outside the box. Obama, yes we all can.

[eurydice]

I think Carter realizes that an endorsement by him is a double-edged sword.

[americanwomaninpa]

an endorsement from Jimmy Carter is the 'Kiss of Death'.

[Crozier]

The 39th President of the United States, James Earl Carter, Jr. was an honours graduate of the US Naval Academy. He is a nuclear engineer who worked with the late Admiral Rickover, the father of the nuclear submarine fleet. His father's death made him end a promising naval career to return to Plains GA to take over the peanut business, and eventually the state legislature, the governorship and POTUS.

Unlike others, Carter has sought to better mankind. His Carter Center has ended disease and stopped wars and arbitrated peace treaties and oversaw democratic transitions. You cannot advocate real as opposed to puppet governments and then, when the Palestinians elect Hamas, reject them out of hand. The MIC, AIPAC, PNAC are all in bed together in a menage a trois that will destroy this Republic, and bankrupt the nation economically and morally.

[thacher]

Which war did he stop when convinced Clinton to give North Korea a light water reactor? This man should be in prison. He is a friend to terrorists everywhere. He is an absolute disgrace.

[speakingtruth2power]

Hate and misinfromation go hand in hand with you trolls.

[RoloTomassi]

YOU are a disgrace for spreading disinformation.

[outnow]

Israel sees regional superpower status as a means of achieving both security and regional hegemony. Let us not forget that the Arab states were put together by European powers. These states have internal conflicts that can be exploited to Balkanize these states. From 1982 onwards, it has been a somewhat publicly acknowledged fact that any threat to Israel or anything that is in Israel's way to achieve its ends is the fight to which the US. is committed financially, politically, and militarily.

Eisenhower prevented the take over of Suez, for example. Carter with his Camp David Accords is standing in the way. Israel does not want any roadmap to peace and neither does Bush and his neocon supporters. Iran is a threat to Israel's aspirations, not a threat to the continental United States.

The cat's out of the bag as far as these plans for Israel's security and regional aspirations. The United States had equally ambitious designs with the lands of the Native Americans and the Mexicans. We called that manifest Destiny; they call it Zionism.

[devinsbuddy]

I didn't realize how much I loved this leader until I read your post. He is a truly wonderful human being.

[9yroldayesha]

Looks like all the secret and not so secret Jew-hating beings have crawled out of the woodwork. Hamas was voted in democratically by the Palestinians and so were the Nazis by the Germans of that era. You dont try and negotiate with fascists, instead you try and isolate them and then defeat them ideologically, militaryily etc.

The far left having seen their dreams of Utopia come down with the Berlin wall have entered into a devils pact with Islamists, the fascists of this era, hoping that such an unholy alliance will bring down the "west". In Iran the mullahs and the far left, very rightly got rid of the corrupt Shah, but then the Islamists hijacked the movement and then went after the leftitsts, the end result being most of the leftists themselves ended up being killed or are now in exile in other nations. Jimmy Carter's presidency was one of the worst in American history, a man who has adrift at sea, as events of that era unfolded. Negotiating with Hamas, is akin to accomadating Nazis and will definetely have negative consequences for the secular democratic world. Just say no ....to Hamas.

[buske]

They still make your model?

[Mike169]

Why is it that criticism of Israel automatically becomes anti-semitism? With regard to Hamas wasn't it our president who insisted upon the elections that brought them to power? Having done so we cavalierly toss out Middle East democracy that our soldiers are presumably dying for in Iraq. The worst president in American history sits in the White House today and one reason for his being considered so is his mindless support of Israel and the fact that he listened to neoconservatives who led us into this foolish war. If you want to sit on your ass and criticize the the "left" for their so-called support of Hamas- which is hardly the same thing as speaking to them - I might want to remind you that those who exterminated the Jews in Europe happened to be from the other side of the political spectrum.

[9yroldayesha]

Hamas are a totalitarian, fascist outfit. Far right extremists are rightly isolated in Europe even if the are voted in democratically. Its a question of common sense. Hamas and others of their ilk are not seeking a peace treaty but the extermination of Israel and all the Jews in it. The sooner they and others 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," which is derived from their interpretation of Islam as meaning until such time when they are strong enough to eliminate or subjucate the Jews. No sane and fair minded thinking person in the world is going to fall for it.

[imadf]

I don't mean to waste much energy on a post that has nothing to do with the article nor does it serve anything of substance. It is venomous to top it... But I do want to point out that here's a perfectly blinded opinionated person on the lookout for some place to bite and poison when there's mention of Palestinians! At least a place like the Huffpost allows you to be off point all day long, though it's *quite* distracting at best, but that's your goal & agenda. Get a life dear. One with substance!

[jimi945]

Sounds as if you wrote the speech at the Republican National Convention. This sounds just like the other 5000 Republicans I have heard...It­'s the same speech...W­ow, must be cloned. Oh I forgot...R­epublicans are against cloning, but they have been cloned...

[k6007]

It was your brilliant Administration that pushed for free and fair elections in the Middle East. Now you have them.
'Hamas was voted in democratically by........­' Yeah well, the same could be said for Bush, if it were true.

[paixa3]

Yes, well, the USA is filled with hypocrits.­...they absolutely love deomocracy (that does NOT exist in the USA) untill people in other countries elect someone other than their hoped puppets.

[ghostofgrrrl]

Jimmy Carter is a great humanitarian and I for one hold him in high regard.

[byrdlegs]

Hip Hip Horray! You can say what you want about the Carter Administration, but there is nothing one can say negatively about Jimmy Peanut. He is one of the greatest people to inhabit this earth. To even think of comparing him to George W. Bush is in itself the most ridiculous thing I ever did hear, except listening to BUSH speak.

[OkieMon]

as obama and his mentor/minister turn the 08 campaign into a sordid race-baiting spectacle, hillary charges to the lead in the national polls....c­ome on obamaciders join the bandwagon or forever be political outcasts.

[08timefortruth]

1. What does this have to do with Jimmy Carter and Hamas?

2. What polls do you refer to

RCP Average 04/18 to 04/27 48.0% 42.2% Obama +5.8%
Gallup Tracking 04/25 - 04/27 47% 46% Obama +1.0%
Rasmussen Tracking 04/24 - 04/27 49% 41% Obama +8.0%
AP-Ipsos 04/23 - 04/27 46% 43% Obama +3.0%
Newsweek 04/24 - 04/25 48% 41% Obama +7.0%
USA Today/Gallup 04/18 - 04/20 50% 40% Obama +10.0%

[OkieMon]

AP-Ipsos clinton leads mccain by 9 and obama leads mccain by 1.8....

[byrdlegs]

Hillary lagging Obama by 7 in the national polls is not exactly charging to the lead. If you meant that she leads McCain by a margin of 50-41, thats great. The only hitch in your comment is she wont be running against McCain. You see here in America, the person with the most delegates, most popular votes wins the primary. You can't count those imaginary votes...So­rry, maybe next time.

[OkieMon]

statistically the primaries have been a wash so you have to go to the person who has the best chance of defeating mccain and that's hillary...­..up 9 on mccain whereas obama is up 1.8 (latest AP).

[revko]

OUTCASTS?

Obama supporters better get on the bandwagon or be "outcast"?

That's the Clinton strategy? Get on "board" with us or be cast out?

Fuck off

[thirdgo]

As President, Jimmy Carter tried to hold the US to the highest moral standards and focus on human rights. He negotiated a peace between Egypt & Israel that holds to this day. He created the Dept. of Energy and has a strong environmental record, protecting millions of acres in Alaska. The Iran hostage crisis dominated his final year of office and damaged his popularity. But since leaving office he has promoted global health, democracy, human rights, and has worked on relief efforts and peace negotiations. He's been instrumental in Habitat for Humanity, has written at least 2 dozen books, and generally serves as a trusted statesman. He's known to be a deeply religious man, but not one who hides behind his religiosity while quietly resorting to torture.

Save your ridicule for someone who deserves it, not mentioning any names.

[outnow]

You must understand the agenda of his critics. His principles stand in the way of their plans. They cannot discredit his ideas or his integrity, they must launch an attack on what he stands for by using ad hominem attacks.

[chinaskee]

The major point to remember about Jimmy Carter is that he served one term as President,after which he was voted out of office in an election where his opponent beat him in the biggest landslide in American history.No­w what was that all you children have been saying about how great a President he was ?

[nevergiveup]

Reagan was the beginning of the end of Democracy in America.

Jimmy Carter is still a great statesman and humanitarian. George Bush didn't get reelected either--but that didn't stop all the Rethugs from electing his eminently unqualified, loser son. You drawing conclusions out of thin air.

[Collielady]

That was then. The country was in a coma. This is now. The country is stirring in its sleep.

[AMJordan]

Didn't say he was a great President, he wasn't. But since then he's become a GREAT MAN.

[lodipete]

Calvin Coolidge,Warren Harding & Herbert Hoover won by landslides too. Great presidents?

[ceipower]

Your point is well taken,it's actually a comment on how stupid American voters can be. After all , Bush was elected twice in spite of his obvious faults, weakness , and just plain stupidity. WE don't want the truth, we can't handle the truth,we want to be lied to.How else can you explain a two term G.W.Bush?C­arter was a victim of several things that he himself did not create.Bus­h can make no such statement. So long as people are willing to cling to stupidity, Ann Coulter,Rush Limbaugh,Sean Hennity and others will continue to make billions off the truely stupid out there among us. They will drive a wedge between facts and wishful thinking and many will continue to support their absolute rubbish. We get the Governmant we deserve and apparently 8 years of Bush is just that. Bill C.

[Collielady]

Carter is a truth seeker. This interview clearly shows that he represents all of the qualities the neocons lack.

Carter, unlike Bush, is fearless, calm, and thoughtful; he's a confident adult who isn't afraid of our enemies, who doesn't rely on hyperbole and fear to make his point. He is a statesman of great integrity who, by comparison, makes the current White House look like the three ring circus that it is.

Carter is a truth seeker who values honesty over legacy. Bush is a deceitful liar whose legacy will have no value.

[maxwellinformed]

WHO WANTS TO BE FAMOUS? ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE A VIDEO LIKE THIS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc&feature=relate

Except you say Leave Jeremiah Alone!

[08timefortruth]

off subject

[landmine]

Well, Monkeys can type, and Parrots can talk. It's too bad they can also vote and duplicate themselves.
I'm not sure of the true identity or purpose of the Trolls on this post, like: "Dumbro" and "Nutmessage",
but it is nice to see people who know what history and facts are, instead of pulling their "information" out of the Fox Nuts waring blender.

[PierreLeClerke]

The economic and foreign relations nightmare that the Carter administration inherited was born of the Nixon / Ford years. The hangover from the cost of Vietnam was item 1, and the deliberate collusion of Big Oil/Big Business, forming the OPEC cartel with the intent to consolidate their grip on the worlds economies was item 2. The fact that the financial interests of mega corps drove policy and wanted Carter out was clear. Eisenhower warned us fifty years ago of what he saw unfolding. "Mission Accomplished"
The illegal actions of H.W.Bush /Reagan/Casey prior to the elections negotiating deals with Iran during the hostage saga for their own agenda gains was treason! Those are the facts. Carter was, and remains the last honest man to hold the office of President in the last fifty years.
I speak from first hand knowledge of the circumstances. If your going to challenge these facts, come prepared to support them with evidence or stand down. No hot air will be acknowledged.

[VictorLudorum]

biully boy billy boy
run to hamass
they openly confess killing
from behind the back
still unlike yasser arafat
the won camera
you missed cigerette
with carrera

[revko]

VictorLudorum
Composes babbling verse
Neocon parrot?

[VictorLudorum]

billy boy billy boy
your nature is clear
youll suck both the candidates
because things aint clear ,
she liberated liberal press
and he will run your planes
because you were concieved in a haystack
and born in a train,

[ashleybaines]

The only people thumping on Carter are Jews. I think they should be honest and admit their bias.

The problem on this board is that Jews keep hassling Arianna when they are criticized or critiqued for their political activities­.... this post will probably be pulled once the Jews start complaining.

The fact remains that Jews for Israel hate Carter - and mistrust Obama because he is not a proven supporter of their genocidal policies.

It's time for Americans to start parsing these kinds of statements and ask themselves WHO IS THIS PERSON and why do they say what they do.

But that won't happen with this particular minority - they are not willing to be identified for their specific ethnic bias in this election.

[Delphine]

Well this member of "this particular minority" happens to respect Jimmy Carter even if or when I disagree with him.

Your comments - calling Israel "genocidal" - are really over the top. Funny how it is the so-called champions of the Palestinians (Arafat, Hezbollah, Hamas) who repeatedly declared their desire to "wash Israel (and the Israelis) into the sea". That sounds rather genocidal to me.

[enoughalready]

I didn't agree with Carter's policies as President but one good thing he accomplished was the Camp David Accords and they hold to this day. He is a good negotiator. I believe his post-presidential work is his best and I also believe if anyone can bring the Palestinians and Israel together it will be Carter.
Unfortunately our country has held an Israel bias when negotiating with Muslim countries in the Mid-East. If we are ever to see peace in the Mid-East with Israel and their Muslim neighbors we are going to have to look at both sides and step back to a neutral position.

Every American should be proud of what Carter and the Carter Center has accomplished with Homes for Humanity. Carter has no problem hammering nails and getting his hands dirty. I can't say the same for the likes of many GOP retired Presidents.

[AlgerHiss]

Failed presidency and he's still trying to make up for it.

Peanut farming and house building is his true calling.

Go home, Jimmy. Go home. Build a home. Stay out of the middle east and off the TV. You have nothing to say that anyone wants to hear. Retire with dignity.