NPR: Carter Hails Obama's Ability to "Transform Image of U.S."

Carter Hails Obama's Ability to "Transform Image of U.S."

This one sort of escaped much notice here in America.

Toby Harnden, the Washington-based reporter and blogger for England's The Daily Telegraph, has a rather interesting interview with former President Jimmy Carter that was published in the paper on Tuesday. In the interview, Carter (who hasn't 'officially' endorsed anyone yet) spoke glowingly of Sen. Barack Obama, and called on the party to decide on a winner by June 3rd.

"I don't see any reason at all to continue after June 3rd when we know who got the most [pledged] delegates, who got the most popular votes, who won the most states and so forth," said Carter, 83.

As Harnden writes, he even "sketched out the kind of inaugural address the first black United States president could deliver."

"If the first statement he made was while I'm president of the United States we will never torture another prisoner and while I'm President of the United States we will never go to war unless our own security is directly threatened...it would transform the image of the United States in the minds of many people around the world.

Carter, who is on a promotional tour for his new book about his mother, Lillian Carter, said his mother would be "delighted" with a black president, but just "pleased" with a woman president.

Here is the transcript of the entire interview.

5:15 PM ET | 05- 1-2008 | permalink

Comments

Jimmy Carter is a disgrace to this country

Sent by deek | 5:31 PM ET | 05-01-2008

Mr. Carter served in the U.S. Navy and is a veteran of the Korean war. He also served 4 years in the Georgia State Senate, 4 years as the Governor of that state and also served four years as the 39th President of the United States. During his presidency he created both the Department of Energy and the Department of Education - both posts still exist today. He was a champion for environmental issues and for human rights and has remained so in the years after his presidency.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter

It saddens me to see the level of ignorance and vitriol on the part of Deek, who I suspect has never done anything to serve his country that he feels is so rightly his. It is perhaps endemic to the culture that all but a few have embraced, which spews blind hatred for perceived slights or to those of different races, cultures, gender or idealogical beliefs.

Sent by James Cutler | 10:03 PM ET | 05-01-2008

James the key word there is WAS.

Presently Carter is a national embarassment. I don't hate the man, I pity him.

Sent by deek | 9:08 AM ET | 05-02-2008

Well put James, deek has nothing but anger and hatred in every single post he puts on the comments and while I do my best to ignore everthing he posts, it does make me just pity him when he writes pure ignorance like this.

Sent by Jay -MN | 9:12 AM ET | 05-02-2008

"I don't see any reason at all to continue after June 3rd when we know who got the most [pledged] delegates,..."

Considering that delegates can "change their minds" at any time, why not carry this thru to Convention? Does the Obama side (as well as President Carter) want to "hurry up" before his delegates get to "return the favor" of changing their minds...

PS: I would hope that if Obama's delegates begin to support Clinton that O-supporters will be as receptive as when the opposite has taken place...

Sent by ard | 10:21 AM ET | 05-02-2008

Jay I would be happy to discuss anything that you deem to be hatred on my part.

If you equate beliefs and thoughts contrary to yours as hatred then I'm not so sure anything would sway you.

Yes, ignore me, it doesn't really matter to me. If my ideas anger and confuse you then by all means block them out.

Sent by deek | 12:19 PM ET | 05-02-2008

"If my ideas anger and confuse you then by all means block them out."

Nice try deek, but as far as I can tell you don't *have* any ideas regarding Carter. What ideas would those be, except for an unexplained and generalized proclamation unsupported by any argument? Do you even know the first thing about him?

Carter is a major figure in Habitat for Humanity, building homes for those who need them. He is a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a peace accord between Israel and Egypt that still holds. The Carter Center which he founded is largely responsible for the near-eradication of Guinea Worm disease. The list of his awards, accolades, and honorary degrees is too long to insert here. He is a devout Christian and unlike most major American politicians, including all his presidential successors, actually acts like it.

But you just go ahead and explain to us how this highly honored and widely respected man is an "embarassment" to his country. But first I'd like you to tell us all about how many wars you've prevented and how many houses you've built. As always, I look forward to your deafening silence. ;)

Sent by Kasreyn | 2:45 AM ET | 05-03-2008

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