Carter: Miller's Senate appointment was 'mistake'

Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | December 11,2003 | The Associated Press

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Former President Jimmy Carter says the appointment of Georgia's Zell Miller to the Senate was a mistake because his fellow ex-governor "betrayed all the basic principles that I thought he and I and others shared."

The comments, which Carter made Wednesday on the radio program FOX News Live with Alan Colmes, are the latest in a string of attacks prominent Democrats have made lately concerning the maverick senator who has endorsed President Bush's re-election and penned a new book arguing his party is out of touch with the South.

When Colmes asked Carter about Miller, the former president first said, "I would rather not even comment about Zell Miller on the radio," then proceeded to call the appointment "one of the worst mistakes" then-Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes made in his final four years in office.

Barnes tapped Miller in 2000 to fill the vacancy left by the death of Republican Sen. Paul Coverdell. He then went on to win a special election to complete Coverdell's term, which ends in January 2005. Miller has announced he won't seek re-election, and Republicans are viewed as the favorites to capture the seat.

Miller dismissed Carter's comments Thursday, calling the former president a friend of more than 40 years.

"And over those 40-plus years, I bet I've received about two dozen personal notes from Jimmy Carter," Miller said. "Half of them are giving me hell, and the other half are bragging on me. So, I figure I'm doing OK batting .500 with Jimmy Carter."

Barnes declined to comment Thursday on the squabble between the two other former governors.

In Miller's book, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat," he devotes a chapter to analyzing why Carter won the presidential race in 1976 and lost in 1980.

"This Georgian, who had generated so much regional pride, saw his Southern base decimated," Miller wrote of the latter contest. "... Some Southerners would say he forgot where he came from. Others would say it was the magic of Ronald Reagan. I say it was because after campaigning as a new kind of Democrat, he governed too much like an old one."

[Saundra Duffy]

Interesting.

[Howlin]

Where on EARTH is "far left" of Jimmy Carter?????

[Howlin]

I watched him on Hardball last night; that man STILL has not gotten over losing. These are the most vengeful (is that a word?) people I have EVER seen!

[Rummyfan]

Carter's remarks are petty and mean-spirited. Miller's response once again shows he is a gentleman.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

jimmy carter is a senile, old coot. Dry up and blow away jimmy, your term as president was a screwed up mess and got it in some of the trouble we're in today.

Carter's mishandling of the Iran Hostage Crisis enabled fanatic Islam to take root and grow..

If Carter had bombed them into the stone age, our 9-11 troubles would not have happened..

See how quick the bums released the hostages when Reagan was sworn in!!

[piasa]

Former President Jimmy Carter says the appointment of Georgia's Zell Miller to the Senate was a mistake because his fellow ex-governor "betrayed all the basic principles that I thought he and I and others shared."

Should read:

Former President Jimmy Carter says the appointment of Georgia's Zell Miller to the Senate was a mistake because his fellow ex-governor "betrayed all the basic principles that I thought Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi and I and the Communist Party shared."

[Miss Marple]

I am glad to know that my judgement about Carter back in the 70's has been confirmed in spades. I had forgotten what a creep he was and had been lured into thinking of him as a nice old guy who was just sort of incompetent as president.

Nope. He is a leftist creep who doesn't like this country one bit.

[DLfromthedesert]

Mr. Carter,

With all due respect, SHUT UP and build houses.

[Arrowhead1952]

They will never recover from Miller's endorsement of Bush in 2004. :)

Carter, Clintoon, Dean, well all the RATs think Miller is a traitor DINO. We have McCain, they have Miller. Peanuts Carter is NUTS.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I'd take that Zell Miller "mistake" over giving away the Panama Canal. Chairman Mao says, "Thanks for the ride lady."

[LADY J]

The Goober grower turned out to be a real nut case!

[Lucky2]

See how quick the bums released the hostages when Reagan was sworn in!!


You're absolutly correct. Might makes right as far as I'm concerned. I think these terrorists thought they were dealing with a clintoon or a carter on 9/11. We sure fooled them!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Iran was his greatest failure, that he refuses to own up to. May God have mercy on his soul.

[Peach]

Carter and most Democrats have moved far left.

Where are the Democrats of the JFK era who famously said: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".

[miloklancy]

Let us all remember the former President's remarks, the next time he is being praised for his great work, when he is really just one of the most inept Presidents in history and a two-bit partisan hack. Carter is in denial about not only his party's dismal failure, but also his own failings as President and niavite' regarding the Castro regime in Cuba.

[Howlin]

Absolutely!

[bigfootbob]

"And over those 40-plus years, I bet I've received about two dozen personal notes from Jimmy Carter," Miller said. "Half of them are giving me hell, and the other half are bragging on me. So, I figure I'm doing OK batting .500 with Jimmy Carter."

Senator Miller is a true Southern Gentleman. He has more class in his fingernail trimmings than Carter has in his whole family.

[rj45mis]

Carter is a self-righteous pig. He blew his credibility when he declared his position on abortion. He stated that he was personally opposed to abortion but that he would support his party's stand (paraphrased). He has no character and he knows it. He's just trying to come across as the go-to guy for wisdom and counsel in the affairs of mankind. He's a loser and this country would be better off if he would stick to peanut farming and his "Habitat For Humanity" endeavor.

[piasa]

Where on EARTH is "far left" of Jimmy Carter?????

Ah, that explains it. You're looking way too close to home for the answer.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

He's just trying to come across as the go-to guy for wisdom and counsel in the affairs of mankind.

That's Rosalyn's doing. She never got over Nixon's redemption as a statesman. She pushes Jimmy on, even when he is the most inept diplomat around. I sometimes wonder if Jesse Jackson is better at diplomacy than Carter is.