Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush Do Not Heart Jimmy Carter

Apparently one thing that former Democratic prez Bill Clinton and Republican papa Bush have in common (other than some of their aid work) is an intense dislike for former Democratic prez Jimmy Carter.

Their mutual contempt for Carter is addressed in a book entitled “The Presidents Club: Inside the World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity,”  written by Time Magazine writers Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy.

According to Duffy and Gibbs, Carter is the gift that just keeps on giving, referring to many of his post-presidency antics.

“Carter gives the club a great gift, something for all the others to complain about."

“When nothing seemed to unite the members, the club often bonded over what an annoying cuss Carter could be.”

“He just had this habit of going off script that could be very annoying to them,” Gibbs said yesterday on CNN’s “State of the Union."

Supposedly Barack Obama isn't too fond of him either, because of this propensity to "go off script." In fact, Duffy said in a CNN "State Of  The Union" interview that:

‘When President Obama sent Carter to North Korea in 2010 [to secure the release of American Aijalon Mahli Gomes] he was so concerned about Carter going off that script that he made him sign a 12-point contract before he left including one point which was to never talk to the press about the trip, which then he did talk to (the press) about.’

As we all know, Jimmy is notorious for not only going off script but shoving his foot into his mouth.
In the book former staffers are quoted as saying some of his actions could actually be considered “treason."

On the other hand, Gibbs said that George W. Bush has been much more helpful to Obama, even arranging for a 'welcoming ceremony' to initiate Barack into the President's Club, and has made a concerted effort to not cause him any grief.  Unlike Jimmy Carter.

Source: DailyMailUK

Ulterior Motive For Jimmy Carter's Apology To Jews

When I read that Jimmy Carter had actually apologized to the Jews for his often contentious, anti-Semitic diatribes I knew there had to be some ulterior motive. A man who has so vociferously criticized Israel for years doesn't repent overnight. A man who actually called Israel an apartheid state in his book- "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid"- had to have some other reason for apologizing, besides a sudden change of heart. At first I thought- heck maybe he's dying and he wants to make amends before he kicks the bucket. It happens. Wiping one's slate clean, so to speak. After all, he told the Jewish community he was

... offering an Al Het, a prayer said on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. It signifies a plea for forgiveness.

"We must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel," Carter said in the letter, which was first sent to JTA, a wire service for Jewish newspapers, and provided Wednesday to The Associated Press. "As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so ."

I'm all for asking for forgiveness and forgiving others, but the apology has to be sincere. I should have known better when it comes to Jimmah Carter, the two-faced snake. No, he's not dying- his grandson, Jason Carter, is running for office in a predominately Jewish area in Atlanta. The grandson, of course, denies any relationship between his grandpa's apology and his eyeing the state Senate seat that will become available if Obama's political nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, David Adelman, is confirmed. The special election would occur in March.

Jason Carter, who is running in a district with a vocal Jewish population, said in a statement that his grandfather's letter was unrelated to his campaign and hailed the apology as a "great step towards reconciliation."

Apologizing must have been a massively bitter pill to swallow, considering everything he has said about Israel and the Jews, because frankly I don't buy it. Others have been more accepting,

Carter's apology was welcomed by Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League and a vocal critic of Carter's views on Israel.

"When a former president reaches out to the Jewish community and asks for forgiveness, it's incumbent of us to accept it," he said in a telephone interview from Jerusalem. "To what extent this is an epiphany, only time will tell. There certainly was a lot of hurt, a lot of angry words that need to be repaired. But this is a good start."

I'm glad someone believed him. And perhaps I would have been less skeptical had this not coincided with his grandson's political aspirations.

Obama, Carter's Second Term

H/T TheoSpark

CARTER OPENS HIS BIG MOUTH AGAIN!

Well Carter is at it again!

Apparently he criticized Sen. Lieberrman support for the Iraq war, on Larry King Live, claiming, "He was one of the originators of public statements that misled the American people into believing that the Iraqi war was justified," adding, "He's joined in with the Republican spokespersons by saying that Democrats who disagree are really supporting terrorism, so for all these reasons, I've lost my confidence in Joe Lieberman and don't wish to see him re-elected." This, out of the mouth of one of the most truly inept Presidents of all time. And, frankly, who cares what Jimmy Carter thinks! I know I don't. This man needs to stick to building houses and stop opening his big mouth. Even though I'm a Republican, I am praying that Lieberman wins. It's disgraceful that the Democratic Party literally abandoned him because of his support for the war in Iraq. He has voted pretty much party line on everything else, over the years, but the Dems fail to acknowledge that. Thankfully, Lieberman has the sensitivity and intelligence to see the bigger picture, when it comes to the Middle East, and it matters not if he is elected as an Independent.

And while we are on the subject of Carter, I have a confession to make. I used to support Habitat For Humanity (Carter's charitable organization). For years, as I received their donation requests, I would send a check. Not much, because regional actors don't make loads of money, but it was usually $20 to $30.00 a pop. When you are making $250.00 a week (at some Theatres), that's a chunk 'o change. But I have always felt it was important to give what you can to charity and so I have always chosen very carefully the organizations I feel are worthy of my few pennies.

Admittedly, Habitat for Humanity does some wonderful things ... building houses, helping people, etc., but I finally reached a point where I felt I could not support an organization with Carter as its figurehead. So I sent them a letter asking to be removed from their list of donors, explaining the reasons why. It took several mailings before I stopped receiving their solicitations altogether, but I haven't received a thing for several years. Whether the decision was right or wrong, it's done, and I know the paltry amounts I sent are probably not missed, but thanks to Carter's verbal antics, they lost one supporter.