Bush: Jimmy Carter 'Made My Life Miserable'

George W. Bush took a shot at fellow ex-president Jimmy Carter during this morning's closed-door reunion breakfast for Bush-Cheney alums, saying Carter "made my life miserable."

While discussing his future plans, according to Mike Allen, Bush implicitly criticized Carter for offering him unsolicited advice during Bush's presidency.

"I have no desire to see myself on television. I don't want to be a panel of formers instructing the currents on what to do. ... I'm trying to regain a sense of anonymity. I didn't like it when a certain former president -- and it wasn't 41 or 42 -- made my life miserable," Bush said.

As ThinkProgress noted, there's little question that Carter, No. 39, was Bush's target; the only other two ex-presidents living during his tenure -- Ronald Reagan, No. 40, and Gerald Ford, No. 38 -- didn't have much to say about the Bush administration. Carter, on the other hand, offered several unflattering assessments on the record. This is not the first time part of the Bush-Cheney camp has attacked Carter, either.

Comments

[billygore2000]

10:00 AM on 03/02/2010

Bill Clinton eventually, if too late, spoke out against the invasion of Iraq. If only Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, both, had come out against the war as early as Al Gore did in September of 2002.

[hellelmer]

06:53 AM on 04/11/2010

If only? Like something different would have resulted?

Clinton was adamant in postulating that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and might use them at any moment. Again and again.

But he could have stayed out of it or condemned the incursion of U.S. forces into Iraq, and next to nothing different would have ensued. Would Hillary also have to condemn it? Why not all the Democrats?

None of them would have condemned it and if they had nothing different would have followed.

History is iron.

[billygore2000]

09:08 AM on 03/02/2010

Can't you hardly wait for the release of Bush's (inevitable) book?

[glzgowlass]

08:34 AM on 03/02/2010

To be fair, Carter made Clinton miserable too- not just Bush. Still, glad he got under Bush's skin and made him squirm.

[billygore2000]

09:13 AM on 03/02/2010

What is Clinton's grudge against Carter? He probably should have listened to Jimmy, too.

[bighat]

12:46 AM on 03/02/2010

It is time for us to leave the middle east. There is no reason for us to be there.

They want to sell oil and we want to buy oil. Using the military seems more like we are subsidizing foreign oil and keeping oil located in the US from being produced.

Would it not be better to drill in Alaska and the other states instead of making the middle east rich.

We also should legalize many of the drugs being sold in the streets instead of making drug cartels rich

Does anyone have an example of sanctions actually working and making whatever country basically see the light and change their ways or does it just make them madder.

[hellelmer]

06:54 AM on 04/11/2010

Intellectual? Not a very good choice of words.

[bighat]

12:42 AM on 03/02/2010

Obama is now President. We all know he is a great intellectual. Our status is rising in the world.

Maybe it is time we should put the cold war behind us and start trading with Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union.

Do we sell anything to China other than technology.

Why not set up equal trade with all countries. Free trade with those that want it and tariffs on those that choose such a route.

America should return to basics. Seems like with our technology we could produce products as cheap as anyone even though they use cheap labor.

Why is drilling for oil off the coast of California being approved and not drilling in Alaska?

[StopThePlanet]

07:50 PM on 03/01/2010

W: "I hate when someone makes me accountable for my actions!"

[sugarmoes]

04:06 PM on 03/01/2010

bush: i hate it when some nerdy do-gooder tries to expose my crimes and lies.

[medici]

03:47 PM on 03/01/2010

Good for you, Mr. Carter.

[RobinL]

02:16 PM on 03/01/2010

You mean somebody or something actually made this creep MISERABLE?? He made the entire WORLD miserable and the fallout from his administration continues to create wave after wave of grief and loss. Why isn't this character in jail?!!!

[easttone]

02:05 PM on 03/01/2010

i agree we should never be involved in the midle east, we just back away from all issues in the midle east and let the chips fall were they may. if iran blows up isreal so what if isreal blows up iran so what.
let the midle east implode for all i care. when the midle east shuts down oil to us we as americans will come up with something we always do. so to bush you $$&*%* up. to peanut man shut up and just build houses. the USA needs to stop being the police of the world and the care takers of poor countries. if we do nothing till we solve all of our own problems. lets treat the USA like a family charity begins at home first take care of homeland issues. sorry this may be cold and cruel some may say but the united states first priority should be for all citisens when we have no more homeless and the economy is moving along with health care for all. that is when we can worry about helping others after we have taken care of our own.

[just-a-mechanic]

02:04 PM on 03/01/2010

There both out of office. Who cares if they made each other miserable. History is not going to be kind to either one of there Presidencies.

[Fenarkleman]

02:01 PM on 03/01/2010

Bush made everyone else's life miserable. It's only fair. Thanks, Jimmy!

[kempis]

02:14 PM on 03/01/2010

Well-said.

[billygore2000]

01:49 PM on 03/01/2010

Carter called Bush on the carpet for misleading America into the invasion of Iraq and for being a Christian in name only. Bush was miserable for being found out.

[esolesek]

01:37 PM on 03/01/2010

Bush will go down as America's Nero, one of the worst people a nation can generate. The scary part is he was insane, but reasonably functional at getting horrible things done, which, of course, was Cheney's doing. Clinton will be remembered as a middle-class destroying sell-out to globalism as well, especially since the blow-up of the corporate jackboot economy. More whining from the crybaby that is George Bush, but then most entitled richboys never can see the advantages they were born with, and have to whine about whatever small things didn't go their way. At least Bush will go to his grave knowing America neither likes nor respects him, and he should live a good, long time with that knowledge. On top of all that, the man is a mass murderer. While all US presidents are, his body count was higher than anyone since Nixon.

[Levonsky]

01:33 PM on 03/01/2010

I didn't like it when a certain former president -- and it wasn't 41 or 42 -- made my life miserable,"

Good! the little shite should not be coddled.