Remember when Jimmy Carter was easing past Hoover as the 'Worst President Ever' in the GOP bathed 1990's? Well, whatever anyone has/had to say for or against him, one thing is true. He's probably the most important former President this country has ever had. His work in the democratization of developing nations is second to none, and clearly a better route than that taken by others (ahem). I came across this story today:
Can you imagine any of our other presidents being on the ground, in a village in Darfur? let alone at 83 and confronting armed militia. inspiring and amazing.KABKABIYA, Sudan — Former President Carter got in a shouting match Wednesday with Sudanese security services who blocked him from a town in Darfur where he was trying to meet with refugees from the ongoing conflict.
The 83-year-old Carter walked into this highly volatile pro-Sudanese government town to meet refugees too frightened to attend a scheduled meeting at a nearby compound. He was able to make it to a school where he met with one tribal representative and was preparing to go further into the town when Sudanese security officers stopped him.
"You can't go. It's not on the program!" the local security chief, who only gave his first name as Omar, yelled at Carter, who is in Darfur as part of a delegation of respected international figures known as "The Elders."
"We're going to anyway!" an angry Carter retorted as a crowd began to gather. "You don't have the power to stop me."
8 comments:
I'm having trouble imagining Carter yelling at anyone; he's so mild mannered. I got into an argument in the early 90's with someone who claimed that Carter was the worst president ever; I've been down with Carter since way back.
Carter was considered 'worst' for a few reasons:
1. Iran Hostage crisis. it dominated the last year of his presidency and ended on the day Reagan was sworn in. there is a taint there, just don't ask your republican friends if they prefered the Reagan method of selling them weapons while claiming not to 'negotiate with terrorists'. they hate that conversation.
2. Interest rates. they were historically high and, as you know, are under the control of the federal reserve. that being said, you sometimes get judge by the wave you ride as much as the way you ride.
3. The GOP orgy of the 1990s. The Republicans had won amazing victories for 12 years and the white house, THEIR white house, was gone. When they won out in the 1994 mid term elections, there was a perverse orgy of power, hate filled vidication, and the full speed ahead trajectory of the Deify Reagan movement. you don't have Reagan the dragon slayer without Carter as the dead dragon, breathing the last breath of the culture revolution. The Southern Strategy had clicked and the GOP no longer had to worry about brown people anymore.
Anyone saying Carter was the worst of all time should be asked how he was worse than Harding (or Grant for that matter). After they go "who??" say you'll make it easier on them and ask about Hoover. No fair asking about Bush. He is still in office so it CAN get worse and in 2009 he will be my vote as worst of all time.
I have to admit, i often see people with a "W" stickers on their cars, and i want to just ask them: "really? i mean, are you serious, NOW?"
Jimmy Carter: You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him.
there is no such thing as evolution, there's only the creatures of the earth that Jimmy Carter has allowed to live.
--comment stolen with glee.
Go him!! Yeah, he's really come into his own. My best friend was on the same flight as he was recently, and he went around and shook everyone's hand. I can't think of anyone who doesn't like Jimmy.
Cool Stuff. Thanks for bringing this up. I hadn't seen it.
Worst for whom? This and almost everything else make me vote, Best! Good post.
Inquiring readers need to know:
What do you think about the von Spakovsky nomination?
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