Breaking tradition, Carter rips Bush's policies

[sabra]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-03-carter-bush_x.htm

Breaking tradition, Carter rips Bush's policies

WASHINGTON — Former President Jimmy Carter said Thursday that "fundamentalism" under George W. Bush has resulted in a "dramatic and profound and unprecedented change" in American policy that threatens the United States at home and abroad.
Carter, who is promoting a new book critical of Bush, faulted the Bush administration for "an unprecedented and overt ... merger of the church and state, of religion and politics."

At a breakfast with reporters sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Carter, 81, diverged from a time-honored practice in which ex-presidents refrain from criticizing those currently holding the office. He acknowledged making mistakes when he was president from 1977-81, and at one point declared: "I can't deny that I am a better ex-president than I was a president."

But he said Bush has made such significant changes to U.S. foreign policy and human rights doctrine, resulting in precipitous declines in the country's standing abroad, that he felt compelled to write "Our Endangered Values." It is Carter's 20th book since he was defeated for re-election by Ronald Reagan in 1980.

...

He said the natural "arrogance" of second-term presidents is exacerbated by a fundamentalism under Bush that causes many of his supporters and those who work in his administration to believe that "I am right because I am close to God (and) anybody who disagrees with me is inherently wrong, and therefore inferior."

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Jimmy tells the truth

and yet he has a sense of humor about himself-I loved the line about him being a better ex-president. He always struck me as someone who was as honest as he could be, and always someone who was honorable and who had the best interests of the US and the world at heart. Carter is a practicing Christian, in that he applies the teachings of Jesus to his everyday life and actions. The fact that he is speaking out is telling-we are really in a serious spot, and we need to get out of it before our nation and the world is destroyed.

[malmapus]

29. Couldn't of said i better myself.

Agree with all you said and then some!

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

74. "Carter is a...

...practicing Christian, in that he applies the teachings of Jesus to his everyday life and actions."

How true. He lives Christian principles as opposed to just spewing them, like so many bible thumping
hypocrites do---one of the reasons I've always had such great respect and admiration for the man.

[classysassy]

109. AMEN TO THAT

[Vyan]

110. Not only that...

Carter was on of the very first politicians to publically admit to being a "Born-Again" Evangelical Christian in the Playboy interview where he admitted that he has "lusted in his heart".

Vyan

[atomic-fly]

2. Thanks For speaking up Mr. Carter.

kick!

[raccoon]

3. Way to go, Jimmy. nt

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

77. Why has no one brought up Carter's DEDICATION on the PALESTINIAN issue?

He worked with Arafat-respected the views of BOTH parties, and worked his ASS of to get the Middle east to calm down---
---and NOW WHAT THE HELL DOES THE BOOSH CARTEL DO?
Poppy and Sonny--blow it all to hell.

!

[CottonBear]

4. Carter has nothing to lose. He is morally correct and Bush is not.

It is quite simple: he speaks the truth.

[lenegal]

54. Oxymoron

Bush and morals in the same sentence is definitely an oxymoron.

One year to go till the midterms. And I don't mean exams either.

[zonkra]

55. And let's not forget

that Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney and Ollie North and Bill Casey made a deal of arms for hostages with the Ayatolla Khomeini to not release American hostages until Ronnie was sworn in, and that the arms arrived immediately thereafter, putting the lie to Republican claims that they don't negotiate with terrorists. In fact, they are the terrorists.

[MetaTrope]

61. And Powell lied in sworn testimony to Congress regarding Iran-Contra

[BrotherBuzz]

123. Oh, but the spin back in those days was....

The American hostages were released because all those foreigners were afraid of Ronnie Baby......People were drinking kool-aid back in those days, too.
:shrug:

[RobertSeattle]

5. The "Tradition" is a Conservative Canard

Someone went back and found many examples where former Presidents criticizes later Presidents.

Conservatives only pull this out when they don't like the criticism by Democratic Presidents.

[Garbo 2004]

26. And this certainly isn't the first time Carter's criticized Bush. The

headline should be Carter breaks "tradition" again.

[Arkansas Granny]

27. The freeper types will still rip Carter a new one. They

were very upset with Clinton when he criticized Bush a few weeks ago. It just isn't done. I wonder if Bush Sr. has said some of the same things about the boy wonder (off the record ,of course).

President Carter has always had my respect as a man who practices what he preaches in the literal sense.

[dwightspencer]

73. Bush on W

That family seems a little estranged. The Bush clan seems to have their issues and I always thought W was kept at arms length by George an Barbara. I'm not just speaking from the references everyone makes to the <i>Bush On the Couch</i> book that Joan Baez referred to in Crawford. George H. W. Bush struck me as the kind of person who did not warm to children or people in general, no even his own. With an underachieving bad boy like W, he would have been especially frigid.

[Benhurst]

60. Thanks, RobertSeattle. Teddy Rosevelt even went so far as

to run against Taft.

No American, not even a former president, should fail to speak out against bad policies and treason.

[fishwax]

101. It's funny how these stories always say "breaking with tradition"

Total BS. Carter's been criticizing bush (rightfully so) for years now. bush i didn't stop grumbling about clinton once the white house keys were passed over, for example.

It's simply a media bias.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Here is a truly honorable

man who speaks from genuine Christian conviction, not the faux fundie spew of the Bush base. Let's hear more of the same, Jimmy! SG

[NYC Liberal]

7. I met him the other day and he does not even come across as a

"politician" like those slimes DeLay, Frist, etc. He's a REAL Christian who actually puts his money where his mouth is. Do you think we'll be seeing Bush building houses for the poor when he's done in office?

(Alright, you can stop laughing now.)

Anyway, good on you, President Carter! He speaks the TRUTH!

[CottonBear]

10. You met him? You are so lucky! I want to meet him someday. n/t

[NYC Liberal]

13. Yup, at a book signing! He was terrific and comes off as your

grandpa rather than a POTUS. What a great man.

[tatertop]

33. better hurry, he won't last forever

Try the Peanut Festival in Plains, Georgia.
He still presides.

[RubyDuby in GA]

96. Hey Cottonbear! It's very easy to meet him

He's so accessible. He teaches Sunday School in Plains usually twice a month when his schedule permits. Check this website for dates (http://www.maranathachurchplains.org/). It's just a short trip and there's the lovely Plains Inn that he and Mrs. Carter restored themselves (http://www.plainsgeorgia.com/Plains_Inn.htm). It's adorable. I stayed in the 1930's room.

It's well worth the trip. Check out Sunday School and then stay for the service (which in my humble opinion was one of the best I've ever heard - the pastor is a very humble, very personable guy). If you go, get there early. The church fills up fast and there is always a very long line. Then after church, everyone in town goes to the only restaurant open on Sunday - this includes the Carters. I went when Gov. Dean came to visit him in Plains and the whole Carter family was there.

And the added bonus of seeing Plains - it's such a quaint little town. The Carter boyhood home is just down the street - it's well worth seeing too.

[CottonBear]

99. That is a great picture! I am impressed and a bit jealous!

Now I must make plans to visit Plains and go to church.

I especially want to visit his boyhood home. The site was featured on the cover of Landscape Architecture magazine. (I'm an LA.) Much thought and good design work resulted in a very special historic site. Architects, Landscape Architects and Historic Preservationists all worked together to preserve and interpret a very important historic site.

Thanks for the links. I'm bookmarking them now.

BTW, how are you feeling? :) :hi:

[RubyDuby in GA]

100. Queasy!

It is well worth it to visit his boyhood home. As a historian, I was beside myself with the historical accuracy.

When you go, be sure to go the the Plains High School(i.e. the NPS visitor center), which is where he went to school. That is what a school is supposed to be like. Huge classrooms, wooden floors, windows to the ceiling.

Good times! Good times!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. Bush hammers like a little girl.

Maybe he'll get the hang of it working the rock pile in prison.

[Sunny_Sunshine]

34. How does a "little girl" hammer?

Is it different from a little boy?

[JoFerret]

47. No need for sexism please

If he is manually ineffective say so. (Not that I think that is a crucial requirement for leadership.) Of course - the contrast between the swaggering macho he likes to project and the real human being is always amusing. But then swaggering macho is ALWAYS a pose - for any person.

[femrap]

63. If you want to insult w, do you think you

could not insult little girls? Isn't this a progressive board?

And Carter is wrong about the Dems overemphasizing pro-choice....it was the asshole pugs who kept 'hammering' on that issue as well as gay marriage.

Don't start that crap about it was pro-choice women who lost the election for Kerry....first of all, he won.

[Justitia]

12. Bush won't even build houses for the poor WHILE IN office (FEMA Katrina)

Rita, Wilma, etc...

But I had a good laugh at your visual anyway :)

And yes, many kudos to Pres Carter for being a man of conviction, honor and truth - IOW, a perfect Dem.

Keep talking Pres Carter!

[ktowntennesseedem]

36. I got to work w/Pres Carter w/Habitat this summer.

Only got to meet him briefly one-to-one, but saw him work all week and heard him speak several times during the week. He is so incredibly down-to-earth and genuine, and that only puts him in stark contrast to our current pResident. He is truly a great man, and great leader, and a great role-model. I'm so glad to hear him speak out as he is doing now (no, not the first time for him, or any other former pres.) A lot of people will listen to him that won't listen to anyone else, and hopefully some of them will listen for the first time to someone they trust rightfully criticizing their president whom they shouldn't trust.

[connecticut yankee]

38. Hey -- he was hammering in nails

at one of the Katrina repair sites.

Photo-op, of course.

[Lisa]

52. oh, and don't forget his Waco photo-op during his August 2001 vacation

He injured himself within 15 minutes of arriving on the job site, and begged off further work, as I recall from the press coverage.

[PinkyisBlue]

75. Working Hard

He had his sleeves rolled up while he was hammering, so you can tell he was working really hard.
Hey, it's hard work to hammer.

[jhain]

8. on Larry King ( barely) Alive last night

President Cater spoke his mind 1000 times over.

Had MUCH to say against 'Pre- emptive" War, separation of church and state... the horror regarding ANWR ...

His book focuses on the poisonous atmosphere this administration has bestowed upon our fine Country.

He is a brilliant man...at 81 years of age he trumps w with every sentence.

[lyonn]

14. Cater laid it all out on Larry King's show

The question I wanted him to answer, which no one asked, what do you believe happened during the 2nd term election against Reagan when the American hostages were still being held yet were released minutes after Reagan took his oath?? That story never hit the MSM.

Carter pulled no punches in analyzing the bush admin. Let's hope enough busy people out there were able to hear him and think about what lies have been told to them.

[JoFerret]

48. That election was stolen

...just as sure as 2000.In fact - even more surely. And poppy bush was in the thick of it. Family traits of lies and deceit and failure.

[nickyt]

9. It's a new world here. Genteel "tradition" must be cast aside to make

way for
THE
TRUTH

and who better than Jimmy Carter (the REAL "Hammer"!) to tell it?!

[Tiggeroshii]

15. CAn Carter run for pres again?

he served won term and didn't get another. Does that mean he can legally run for president if he wanted to again-not that it's at all likely he will anyways?

[tkmorris]

18. Yes he could

He won't, but you deserved an answer at least.

[Tiggeroshii]

20. haha. Thanks

Yeah, he's still an incredibly underrated president and will be for probably the remainder of his life. I was, however, curious.

[dwightspencer]

72. President Carter

As a citizen of the world, Jimmy Carter has given the example for all public servants. He has given far more than anyone would expect and has used his fame and influence to help those who might not otherwise stand a chance. He has been instrumental in the negotiation for several hostages, and the improvement of many third-world communities. He is a dynamic leader and to this day had lead the way for former Presidents and private citizens. I applaud Jimmy Carter, and am glad he has not impeded the reach of his good works by pursuing another presidential bid.
<p>
what a great American!

[goforit]

16. Whooo hooo Jimmy!! He gave tweety a run for his money!!!

[underpants]

17. Video and transcript of Carter on the Today Show yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2220376

[Strawman]

19. I don't agree with everything Carter says but I will say this

When he was President, he always tried to do what he thought was right. Not what was in his own narrow political interest. I was watching one of those news programs and they had Hamilton Jordan (I think that's his name) and they mentioned how Carter demanded the resignations of all of his cabinet ministers in his malaise speech. I;m not old enough to remember that, and when I heard it my reaction was "wow."

I can't imagine anything like that happening today, no matter who or what party is in office. He was willing to risk his own political life to make hard choices and do what he thought was best. In the end he probably lost that election because he couldn't manage the news. When the hostage negotiations heated up, he didn't keep campaigning. He stopped and went to do his job and try to get them released. He didn't change the news by holding a press conference about some issue he might poll better on (like trying to scare the shit out of everyone about bird flu) to prime the public to evaluate him better while the election was a dead heat. Even back then, it amazes me that someone that decent and honest with that kind of uncompromising committment to principle could actually get elected President. It's not surprising that he didn't survive. Sad, yes. Surprising, no.

It is the cruelest of all ironies and a historical wrong that such a strong individual has been labeled "weak."

[Robert Oak]

21. God Bless Jimmy Carter

I saw him yesterday on Larry King. He was great and if there
is any Democrat that can take this on it's him.

Everyone knows he is from the south, deeply religious, extremely moral
and of course he was President.

I was absolutely thrilled. Go Carter.

[Ignacio Upton]

22. That tradition is bullshit

Former Presidents have made criticism of current Presidents many times. For example, Hoover blasted FDR when he signed various New Deal programs into law. I'm sure that the Presidents of the 19th Cenutry were much worse as well.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ignacio Upton]

28. Carter was one of those Presidents who wasn't suited for the job itself

But was/is a good man at what he was done in other areas. Herbert Hoover and John Quincy Adams were both admirable men who truely cared about helping people (Hoover led World War I relief drives and volunteered to run the government Food Administration. Democrats during 1924 and 1928 also wanted him to run on their ticket. He also was to the left of Harding and Coolidge in monetary policy, but he was wrong in the idea of giving direct help to people. Adams was also Speaker of the House after the Presidency. He was also a sucessful Secretary of State before the Presidency who helped buy Florida from the Spanish Government.), but they were mediocre Presidents.

[Shipwack]

35. Completely, utterly, disagree...

Carter was a great man during his Presidency. You named national situations that might mar his ability as a President, but as a -man- there have been few finer.

Just as an example, people often point out the failed hostage rescue attempt as an example of how he was a poor President. In the aftermath, instead of blaming the men, the helicopter design, bad intel, etc, he stepped up to the plate and claimed full responsibility. It is good thing that Bush II seems to be intrinsically incapable of doing similarly, since Carter's poll numbers went UP after he took responsibility for his mistakes.

As for the rest, we may never know how much his Administration was sabotaged. The hostage crisis lasted -exactly- as long as it did because of the Republican bastards negotiated to keep them in bondage... May they rot in a deep dark hell if for only that...

[chaplainM]

67. Don't forget...

Reagan's henchmen stole the Carter debate book before the televised debates. Reports that Mr. Reagan colored in it were never substantiated.

[MiniMe]

80. I agree he was a great man while President, I'm not sure he was....

a great President. Carter was the first President I voted for. And until Clinton, the only President I voted for that won. He was painfully honest, and took responsibility for errors. I remember when he sent in a helicopter of marines to try to rescue the hostages and the helicopter crashed, he made a speech that night accepting full responsibility for the decision to send them in. Compared to what we have now, it was quite refreshing.

[Enraged_Ape]

51. I would trade ONE Jimmy Carter year for the last FIVE years...

of the most inept presidency this great nation has ever seen. There has never, EVER been a time in this country where we Americans been so internationally demeaned nor banished into a daily state of abject FEAR. This great country of nearly 300 million people has been reduced to approximately 35% SNIVELING WUSSES, because a minority of us somehow think that we are POWERLESS to prevent a terrible "terraist" attack unless the most demonstrably incompetent administration in US history somehow miraculously intervenes. It's just pathetic. I would laugh, if I weren't crying.

Say what you will about 1976-1980, those years were golden compared to the crap we've had to live with since Bush II.

[stubtoe]

59. You took the very words right out of my mouth.

Jimmy for President again! ahhh, if only. Let's hope we can find another of his integrity.

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

70. That was beautifully said.

I agree with you entirely. I would give anything to have Jimmy Carter as President again. He had his flaws but he certainly did not run this country into the ground like the current band of thieves. This is the most inept, corrupt, stupid, evil, vile - (have I missed anything?) - administration in the history of our country. As a history major I cannot for the life of me recall an admininstration or a congress causing as much heartache and pain, nationally and internationally as this vile band of thugs. When I continue to see approval ratings at 32% I can only wonder at the brain dead organism that can give this mental midget an "excellent" in any category. When the head of FEMA is worried about his wardrobe; when the VP and President's Chiefs of Staff are blurting out national secrets; when the U.S. is invading sovereign nations; when the U.S. is torturing POW's; when the U.S. cuts food programs, and other programs for the poorest of Americans while cutting taxes for the richest of Americans I sit in utter amazement and disgust and wonder what is happening to our great nation. I pray that the Patrick Fitzgerald's and the Harry Reid's and the John Conyers' etc will be able to get to the bottom of the corruption that runs so deep in the cesspool that has become our government.

[hunter]

93. Damn Straight.

George W. Bush is a coward and the "approximately 35% SNIVELING WUSSES" who still support him would run away from a three legged toothless Chihuahua if it growled at them.

[onehandle]

65. Newsflash. Those things were beyond his control.

Unlike the current pResident, who was selected to purposely allow the raising of gas prices and inflate our debt, inflation, and the coffers of the rich.

Nice try.

[primative1]

81. Sad How Times Have Changed So ...

I certainly remember those days.
Yeah, there were some hard times but they were still SO much better.
I can recall getting the morning paper bright and early to see what gas station would open when, and then get in line for hours to wait for a fill up along with the rest of the town, and whoa ...were those times different.
People werent whining. We brought food and coffee and it was more of a block party than an inconvenience. We endured and we did it with dignity and respect for eachother and our community and nation.
And in the white House sat this guy that you just knew was doing everything he could for us, the people, and not some cronies or special interests ... people just knew Jimmy Carter was a good man. He was just like us, he was one of us .,... and we were all in it together.
Sad how much the times have changed.

[Pacifist Patriot]

84. I remember that but haven't a clue what presidential policies..

if any, precipitated the crisis or failed to address it properly. Would it have happened regardless who was president or was the Carter administration responsible?

[newspeak]

86. yes, better Carter unlike Bush

did something about it. He knew we were too dependent on ME oil--I remember his incentives to find alternative energy resources and energy conservation. Those programs originated from the Carter era. When Reagan came in, it was gluttony time again. I was there and I'm not going to forget!

[RubyDuby in GA]

98. Hmmm...sounds oddly familiar

Like it's happening right now! Living in GA, gas prices are historically always cheaper here, but I distinctly remember paying 89 cents a gallon for gas when Clinton was president.

And just recently, there have been numerous reports of how inflation is rising and could soar at any given moment.

Jimmy Carter's worst day as president will always be better than this moranic simpleton's best day.

[Not Sure]

24. I have to smile...

despite how bleak the future seems with Bu$h at the helm.

President Carter became my hero when I lived in Atlanta and learned about him. Everything he's done in the years since then has only strengthened my opinion of him. What a great American!

[Chicago Democrat]

25. SAINT JIMMY CARTER!!!

OM!


This man is a national treasure. I can't remember ever feeling love for a politician EVER!

I LOVE JIMMY CARTER! I LOVE HIM!



Jimmy Carter is a hero.

[Stand and Fight]

30. You and me both, Chicago.

However, him and Reid are definitely unique in my view.

[schmuls]

31. He is a true patriot...

For speaking up like this and telling it like it is. I wish he was our president

[choicevoice]

32. The last paragraph above so typifies what is wrong with fundamentalists

"I am right because I am close to God (and) anybody who disagrees with me is inherently wrong, and therefore inferior."

This is the attitude that I have found so prevalent in their mindset. There is no way to reach them because of it. There is no truth TRUE enough to get beyond this thinking. It is what has led them think that their religious beliefs should rule all of our lives and our government.

[Historic NY]

39. We miss you Jimmy...........

a common sense man, for uncommon times. I identify myself as a Carter Democrat. One comment he stressed over & over on LK last night is that government should build a wall between religion.....and he quoted Thomas Jefferson's views on that subject. Religion should not effect how a secular government is run. So if the Republicans claim that Deomcrats hi-jacked the government, we should claim the Republicans have hijacked religion. They do not have the moral ground.

[Zenlitened]

41. Totally agree. These are people so drunk on their religion...

... that they cannot be reasoned with. Because reasoning involves considering -- if just for a moment -- that one's opinion/conclusions/data/etc. might be wrong. And they just can't or won't do that. Scary.

[mcscajun]

57. Great FSM logo...is it a magnet? or just a wish for one?

Hmmmm?

[Zenlitened]

66. Sold at a site called Ring of Fire

http://www.rof.com/

:)

[mcscajun]

71. Coolness...

:)

[PinkyisBlue]

76. Fundamentalists

They are able to justify any and all bad behaviors because they are on the side of God. The end justifies the means. It's okay to steal elections, lie under oath, launder money, even kill your opponents if it means bringing more of their religion and their God into our lives.

Wasn't one of the reasons given for invading Iraq to fight religious fundamentalists? (Oops, Saddam was a secular leader). It's not okay for those in the Middle East to fight and kill for their God, but it's okay for us to do it for our God. They believe in the wrong God. Our God is the only "right" God. Maybe that's part of the reason why we're hated?

[kurth]

37. He represents a lot of good things about this country

Jimmy Carter is a great American. And the whole world knows it, and has acknowledged it.

The only people who dislike Carter are the traitorous morons in the Bush cult.

[dwp6577]

42. I saw Jimmy on LKL last night also

It was wonderful to listen to him sack up and speak the truth about bush head. Now we need Clinton, and Daddy Bush to grow some bigger balls and tell it like it is...OK Clinton at least. GW would probably even smear his Daddy if Daddy spoke his mind. To be scared of your own insane son...that would be a trip!

IMPEACH the idiot boy king!

[Selteri]

43. From now on we need to draw allusions between Bush and republicans

Just like they did with drawing how democrats were 'compliant' with Carter who they vilified as the worst President ever.

[TrogL]

44. Hurray, somebody finally gets it

Religious fundamentalism may well be the #1 problem today.

[emald]

45. Mr. Carter has my vote

were he to run again. I remember him in office (yep, it was a while back) and although I was a kid I realized then that this was a fellow with conviction and honesty. Now I wonder just how he managed to get as far as the presidency when today it's required to be a sleez it seems just to run.
Jimmy Carter was a great president, a great man and a spiritual leader. May he speak the truth for the rest of his life.:applause: :applause:

[bigbrother05]

46. I/m going to go buy his book

I need some inspiration, everything is so {evil} right now, I need to hear some positive thinking.

[dddem]

68. After we saw him on Larry King last night,

my husband went out and bought the book for me today. I can't wait to read it.

[frylock]

49. our greatest living president..

I became a huge fan of President Carter after reading Hunter S. Thompson's "The Great Shark Hunt."

[PurityOfEssence]

50. possibly the most decent person to ever be president

He was rather effective, too, but he was dealt almost the worst hand ever.

[MiniMe]

79. I agree, but his family was a liability. Mostly his brother. n/t

[Bridget Burke]

82. Aside from his brother, how was his family a liability?

Was Billy worse than Neil?

Neil Bush is the latest manifestation of a long tradition in American life -- the president's embarrassing relative....

...Billy Carter, who drank prodigious quantities of beer, authored a book called "Redneck Power" and took $200,000 from the government of Libya....

But Neil Bush has surpassed them all. Bush has done something that no other American has ever accomplished: He has become the embarrassing relative of not one but two presidents.

In the late '80s and early '90s, Bush embarrassed his father, George H.W. Bush, with his shady dealings as a board member of the infamous Silverado Savings and Loan, whose collapse cost taxpayers $1 billion.

www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35297-2003Dec27?language=printer

"President" Bush's election-stealing brother JEB is no prize, either. Bush the Smarter played the inarticulate clueless aristocrat but was involved in some really dirty deals. And how does Ma Bush stack up against Lillian Carter, who volunteered for the Peace Corps at 70?

[me b zola]

118. LOL

So, President Carter's family was a liability? Do you mean because his brother is an alcoholic? Hmmmm. How can that be more of a liability than the current pResident who is a coke-snorting alcoholic AWOL insider trader who by most accounts is emotionally imbalanced?

DUer Octafish has done a great series of informational threads on the bush* family called, "Know Your BFEE...". Here is one that arms us with enough info that we should never again let any rethug talk about any Dem's family skeletons. IMO, the bush* family evil empire is the mob on steroids, maybe you will agree:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4401300&mesg_id=4401300

I highly recommend all of Octafish's threads on the BFEE. There is always a lot of great info also in the responses to his OPs, so I also recommend reading through all of it.

[jaded_at_best]

53. I was in awe of him last night

on Larry King, what a class-act, honestly the last great man to occupy the White House, and I like Clinton.

In fact, he and JFK are the greatest presidents after FDR.

[spanone]

56. I saw him on Hardball & Larry King. He's a breath of fresh air.

He couldn't believe that Cheney would go to Congress to lobby AGAINST Sen. McCains' 'no toture' bill. I can't either.

[pinniped]

58. Didn't President Clinton also rip into this asshole a few months ago?

?

[Greylyn58]

62. Jimmy Carter is a fine and honorable man

who has done so much since leaving office. He has every right to speak his mind on the crap the current pResident has inflicted on this country.

He truly walks the walk. I have nothing but admiration and respect for Jimmy Carter and also for his wife, Roslyn.

[kcass1954]

83. He's a better man than junior could ever hope to be. n/t

[riverdan1900]

106. carter

first person ever voted for. still regret it. he energizes christian wing-nuts, we need to demoralize and neuter them, there the most powerful element we face.

[onehandle]

64. A Great American before A Former President.

My fellow Georgian. My former Governor.

The President in my first Election.

[prescole]

69. The silence of ex-presidents doesn't apply

when the current administration tortures prisoners in an American gulag archipelago.
To paraphrase Don McLean, "This office was never meant for one as honest as you," President Carter.

[cornermouse]

78. Carter's right.

Bush is neither a prophet nor a disciple. He isn't even a very good christian. If he was, he wouldn't have done all the things that he did in the last 5 years.

In some respects, he's a lot like his pal Brownie... In over his head and drowning in problems that he simply doesn't have the education or intelligence to allow him to correct.

[zann725]

85. Carter's one of my favorite Prez; but his comments this week re: Abortion

and pro-life, made me change the channel, and tune him out. Whatever he criticizes Shrub's "fundamentalist" policies about, Carter's statements re: a Woman's Right to Choose on "Larry King" the other night were entirely too "funadmentalist" for me.

[Iris]

111. that's wigging me out a bit, too.

I still admire Carter and have to admit I'm not completely surprised that he is against abortion; I believe he genuinely sees value in every human life, but I hated to hear him say the Democrats need to move away from that issue.

[Polemonium]

119. Too bad we can't all be clones

We're a diverse party, and Carter has earned our respect.

[Postmanx]

87. Carter condemns abortion culture

WashTimes - sqeemish are warned

Former President Jimmy Carter yesterday condemned all abortions and chastised his party for its intolerance of candidates and nominees who oppose abortion.
"I never have felt that any abortion should be committed -- I think each abortion is the result of a series of errors," he told reporters over breakfast at the Ritz-CarltonHotel, while across town Senate Democrats deliberated whether to filibuster the nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. because he may share President Bush and Mr. Carter's abhorrence of abortion.

Mr. Carter said his party's congressional leadership only hurts Democrats by making a rigid pro-abortion rights stand the criterion for assessing judicial nominees.
"I have always thought it was not in the mainstream of the American public to be extremely liberal on many issues," Mr. Carter said. "I think our party's leaders -- some of them -- are overemphasizing the abortion issue."

[ret5hd]

88. the mainstream american public is pro-choice...liberal or not. (nt)

[okieinpain]

89. Carter condemns abortion culture

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051103-111740-7148r.htm

let the flaming begin

[Caoimhe]

91. Glad he never has to have one!

Is all I can say. The day a man dies in childbirth is the day I will care about how they feel about the decisions I make concerning my womb.

It's about more than abortion, it's about respect for a person's autonomy and privacy concerning their own body.

[Mushroom]

102. political morals & women's reality

The day he has to be carried in a man's arms to a doctor's office because he's bleeding into a roll of paper towel, he won't condemn women for their non-male comprehensive health care. How long can women endure this character bashing for vanity and politics? Damn!

[alphadog]

108. Don't Understand your post

Your logic doesn't follow...if we followed Carter's rationale, there would be no need to be bleeding into a roll of paper towel because there wouldn't have been an abortion.

[Iris]

112. There have always been abortions and there will always be abortions.

The question is whether women will be allowed to have them safely and legally.

[kath]

113. uh, hello - there can be heavy, life-threatening bleeding from pregnancy

(placental abruption), or post-partum (retained portion of placenta) not just from abortion.

[Pirate Smile]

92. I like the point he made on Larry King. He said he learned that 2/3 of

abortions were because women said they couldn't afford to have the child SO he started the WIC program (Women - Infants - Children) to provide food for needy women and children. He said he eased adoption regulations and increased education - i.e. birth control.

It follows along with Clinton's "Safe, Legal and Rare" mantra.

[savemefromdumbya]

90. Carter can say what he likes (as Bush was never elected)

No he's not breaking tradition for someone who stole 2 elections!

[Barkley]

94. Silence of ex-Presidents?!?!?!?!

I vividly recall Gerald Ford aggressively campaigning for Reagan in 1980.

I remember in one ad Ford held up a dollar and said:

'see how Carter has reduced the value of the $"
-paraphrased.

Inflation in 1979-80n was higher than under Ford.

But the Fed is really in charge of managing the money supply
and inflation -- Monetary Policy-- not the President.

Carter appointed Paul Volker as Chair of the Fed. The ensuing recession
sometimes called the "Volker recession" eventually got inflation under control but the result was a very long and nasty recession.

[Tight_rope]

95. Viva President Carter....n/t

[Orsino]

97. Best ex-Prez EVAR

I wish I could vote for someone even half as honest and principled as he is.

[Up2Late]

103. Clinton did the same thing

I get the feeling both President Carter and President Clinton might birth be, non-verbally, be expressing their feeling that * is not a legitimate, Elected President.

[Kurovski]

104. I think President Carter might KNOW better than most

just how true that is.

He has stated that his organization that oversees elections throughout the world could not have certified vote 2000.

I don't recall hearing any word on 2004, so I can't verify what was said about that mish-mash of funny business and technical intrigue they called an election for that dismal farking year.

[Up2Late]

105. I remember him saying the same thing in 2004

He said that U.S. Elections do NOT meet The Carter Center's standard for Free and Fair elections.

[Kurovski]

120. Thanks for the information.

I couldn't see how 2004 would have been any different than 2000, I just couldn't remember with certainty what was said in '04. :thumbsup:

[Ksec]

107. You go boy

Jimmy should run again. Hes got my vote.

[Peter Frank]

114. Which of These is the True Sates-man, & Moral Leader???...

[Lochloosa]

115. Jimmy Carter...our last truly Christian President! N/T none needed

[Fire Walk With Me]

116. OT- Who are the people in your sig photo, and why do I think "mobsters"

when I look at it?

[robbedvoter]

117. So, Jimmy, when's the next butt kissing on the Wh lawn?

Sorry, but he did it in 2000 too - on the election, then he kissed W and attacked Clinton on the faux "pardongate"

[YvonneCa]

121. I just finished reading President Carter's new book...

...Our Endangered Values, America's Moral Crisis. While I don't agree with everything he says in the book (I DO agree with most of it, however), I think he is exactly right with his view of how we came to this point in our history. His understanding of how Bush policies are seen around the world, what message our country sends with policies of preemptive war, torture, and the ignoring of international law, the Geneva Convention, and Kyoto Treaty. I also think he tells this in a way that the average American...even in a so-called red state...will get it, and maybe President Carter the Sunday School Teacher will get through to conservative Christians in a way no one else could. I am grateful to him for speaking out and writing this book. I plan to share it with as many people as possible. Thank you, President Carter!:patriot:

[Peter Frank]

122. Oh, for the good old days of gridlock...

...when there were Constitutional checks and balances in D.C.