by Mark Silva
Jimmy Carter admits that he'd like to sell some copies of the book he has written about his mother, in time for Mother's Day.
Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, commended the former president for his new book, A Remarkable Mother, in a Comedy Central appearance last night. "I want to thank you, Mr. President,'' Stewart said. "I, for Mother's Day, was going to get my mother ,maybe a card, maybe some flowers. Thank you for making my gesture look incredibly pitiful.''
"I hope everybody in America will buy it for Mother's Day,'' Carter said. "That's why I wrote it, to help people like you with your decision.'' He also offered a serious homage to his mother, the unstoppable Miss Lillian. "My mother... was innovative. She was spirited. She was indomitable. She was very courageous.
"She implanted in me a decision not to let public opinion deter me from what is right,'' Carter said. "She always thought Billy was the most brilliant child in the family,'' he added of his brother with the gas station in Plains, Ga. "And I can't dispute that.''
Could he have won the presidency in today's media environment, Stewart asked the 39th president, a one-termer from Georgia.
"No, I don't think so... I didn't have any money, and I was a very poor campaigner,'' he said. "The way I won was sneaky.... Every Monday morning, I and my wife and my three sons and my mother would go out on the campaign trail,'' crediting his mother for the best campaigning. "I had won Iowa and New Hampshire and Florida before the other candidates woke up to the fact that I had a remarkable mother... I won by that much, and if it hadn't been for my mother, I wouldn't be president.''
Carter's work isn't sitting too well with the sitting president -- who suggested today that the terrorist-political organization, Hamas, likes to say one thing about peace but act in another way when it comes to Israel, in response to Carter's recent trip to Israel in which he met with leaders of Hamas. "How do you get a meeting with Hamas?'' Stewart asked. "Do you call and say, 'Hey what's up?''
"Well, I didn't call the White House,'' Carter said.
Can he understand why the White House might be upset -- how would he like it if, during the Iranian hostage crisis, Richard Nixon had gone to talk with the Iranians?
"I would have thanked him,'' Carter said -- See the Hamas part:
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Comments
If we would have listen to, then, President Carter, we wouldn't be in this predicament concerning the Oil problem. He was smart enough to create the Department of Energy, unfortunately, it hasn't been utilized as well as it could have been!!!
The same reasoning can apply to his initiative with Hamas, after all, 64% of the Israelis favor such a move, talk to Hamas!! The only problem is, the conservatives do not want to talk to Hamas, which only prolongs the bloodbath occurring in Palestine!! Listen to former President Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, as we should have listened to him when it came to the energy crisis. We wouldn't be witnessing Oil Corporation Profits of last year, 123 BILLION DOLLARS!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 29, 2008 4:30 PM
Hamas won their seats in their Paliament through a thoroughly vetted democractic process. Too bad Israel and the U.S. couldn't give their "puppets" the win. That's what irks this President and Israel - that the Palestinians have a voice and it is not shackled by the power of Israel and the U.S. Hamas is not a terrorist organization; it is a political organization that represents the aspirations of an occupied people whose land has been illegally confiscated by a terrorist state, Israel. Good for Pres. Carter. Now, I wonder if any of the current candidates for president have the backbone to stand up to Israel and the Zionists groups that control many of our Congressmen. Moreover, why is it that the "star of David" is used on our American passport cover and American five-pointed stars shape it? Interesting, eh?
Posted by: the truth | April 29, 2008 4:55 PM
Hamas is not a terrorist organization; it is a political organization that represents the aspirations of an occupied people whose land has been illegally confiscated by a terrorist state, Israel.
Posted by: the truth | April 29, 2008 4:55 PM
Posted by: the truth | April 29, 2008 4:55 PM
I'm inclined to agree with you. I just watched an interveiw with President Carter and he said Hamas was willing to suspend military action but Israel would not take them up on it useing the usual excuse that Hamas would use the lull to rearm etc... For every one Israeli kid that is killed eight Palestinian children are killed. I believe both Israel and Hamas are engaged in acts of terror. Our tacit approval is sad at the very least. I must add that the leaders of Hamas are very well educated men. Not to be underestimated and capable of being negociated with. Something to think about and something for John D to make a dumb remark about. Fire away dead end kids!!!
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | April 29, 2008 6:48 PM
I saw the wreath ceremony for Jimmy Carter's good buddy Yasser Arafat, but other than burning off highly refined hydrocarbons and adding to the global warming crisis, what other bit of good came out of this masterful diplomatic effort? What is / was the success metric for this global peace initiative?
Could he not get Israel to agree to give up some land or maybe withdraw to the Mediterranean, or something? Are the folks that operate Hamas now our new Middle East best friends forever? You go half way around the world, you oughta come back with somethin', a deck of cards, a box of matches, a styrofoam cup holder, fiat money, somethin'.
Where is the 'Peace for Our Time' pronouncement that we were so being primed for, at the outset of this great diplomatic effort that only Jimmy Carter can pull off?
Well, this is a little disappointing, but he tried, and that's what really, really counts with the Jimmy Carter fan base. The whole junket was just priceless, a rousing success in Carter-ville.
Posted by: Scott - Houston, Tx | April 29, 2008 8:10 PM
J Carter actually did more to win the cold war and bring peace to the Middle East than any other modern era prez.
Anybody know how?
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He also made two big economic mistakes of historic consequence.
Anybody know what they are?
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Answers to come...
Posted by: C.Morris | April 29, 2008 8:19 PM
Successes;
1. JC helped create our nuclear nave strike force, which was the most feared and stealthy component of the Cold War nuclear triad.
2. He brokered the peace deal between Egypt, the biggest most important Arab nation, and Israel.
Mistakes;
1. He deregulated the Airlines
2. He privatized the medical system
Posted by: C.Morris | April 29, 2008 9:00 PM
I, of course, meant 'navy'.
Posted by: C.Morris | April 29, 2008 9:59 PM
HIllary said NOTHING wrong in that debate---nothing Obama himself didn't say in less explicit terms.
The problem---AIPAC!
Get them out of the country!
And--if you hold a dual passport to Israel and wanna tellAmericans to send more money---than just move to Israel and enjoy yourself.
Posted by: screw israel--let them go it alone if they're gonna be warmongers | April 30, 2008 6:11 AM
How about some more mistakes:
Iran: The policy to throw a key ally, Shah of Iran, under the bus in favor of the mullahs was a tremendous blunder felt to this day.
Central America: Abandonment of allies in favor of communist leaning goverments in our backyard.
Asia: policies ignored strategic partners that resulted in trade routes being under threat.
This guy was a mistake to ever be President. He can thank the Watergate scandal for making it to the Whitehouse.
Posted by: Craig | April 30, 2008 7:31 PM