Posted on 09/07/2004 2:05:44 PM PDT by VMI70
The text of a letter former President Carter sent to Zell Miller over the weekend ...
You seem to have forgotten that loyal Democrats elected you as mayor and as state senator. Loyal Democrats, including members of my family and me, elected you as lieutenant governor and as governor. It was a loyal Democrat, Lester Maddox, who assigned you to high positions in the state government when you were out of office. It was a loyal Democrat, Roy Barnes, who appointed you as U.S. Senator when you were out of office. By your historically unprecedented disloyalty, you have betrayed our trust. Great Georgia Democrats who served in the past, including Walter George, Richard Russell, Herman Talmadge, and Sam Nunn disagreed strongly with the policies of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and me, but they remained loyal to the party in which they gained their public office. Other Democrats, because of philosophical differences or the race issue, like Bo Callaway and Strom Thurmond, at least had the decency to become Republicans.
Everyone knows that you were chosen to speak at the Republican Convention because of your being a “Democrat,” and it’s quite possible that your rabid and mean-spirited speech damaged our party and paid the Republicans some transient dividends.
Perhaps more troublesome of all is seeing you adopt an established and very effective Republican campaign technique of destroying the character of opponents by wild and false allegations. The Bush campaign’s personal attacks on the character of John McCain in South Carolina in 2000 was a vivid example. The claim that war hero Max Cleland was a disloyal American and an ally of Osama bin Laden should have given you pause, but you have joined in this ploy by your bizarre claims that another war hero, John Kerry, would not defend the security of our nation except with spitballs. (This is the same man whom you described previously as “one of this nation's authentic heroes, one of this party's best-known and greatest leaders -- and a good friend.")
I, myself, never claimed to have been a war hero, but I served in the navy from 1942 to 1953, and, as president, greatly strengthened our military forces and protected our nation and its interests in every way. I don’t believe this warrants your referring to me as a pacificist.
Zell, I have known you for forty-two years and have, in the past, respected you as a trustworthy political leader and a personal friend. But now, there are many of us loyal Democrats who feel uncomfortable in seeing that you have chosen the rich over the poor, unilateral preemptive war over a strong nation united with others for peace, lies and obfuscation over the truth, and the political technique of personal character assassination as a way to win elections or to garner a few moments of applause. These are not the characteristics of great Democrats whose legacy you and I have inherited.
I contacted President Carter's office for comment and his press spokesperson Deanna Congileo told me that the letter was a private communication and that President Carter would not be issuing further comment.
-- Josh Marshall http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
"This letter is a good distilled essence of Jimmy Carter. It's self-righteous, preachy, sanctimonious, mean, selfish, vindictive, vainglorious, self-delusional, myopic, foolish, and completely full of sh*t."
I wish I had said that! LOL--Great post!
What you said. LOL!
It IS about loyalty. But the 'Rats have long put loyalty to party ahead of loyalty to the country and the people who elected them in search of raw power.
"and, as president, greatly strengthened our military forces and protected our nation and its interests in every way."
Ummmmmmmmm, like when you GAVE AWAY OUR Panama Canal, which the Red Chinese now control.
The two worst Presidents in history: Bubba & Jimmah
Surprised when I read it, but the Reagan military buildup began under Carter in 1979, when military spending rose dramatically.
Let's not forget hostages in Iran, runaway interest rates, stagflation, and other disasters courtesy of the man from Plains. With his defense of America both in and out of office, we should all be speaking Farsi or owning prayer rugs by now.
How thoughtful - new the Chinese are in full charge - both entrances and in the middle! And, mostly Chinese businesses and personnel.
The hostages in Iran. Is detail on this required?
Remember interest rates? People were carrying 12 to 15% mortgages and seconds and credit cards were over 20%. Wasn't that fun - especially if you wanted to start a business or buy a home!
Should I go on?
I would say appointing a self proclaimed pacifist, Stansfield Turner, as CIA director; a man who recalled all foreign operatives, even those under deepest cover; I would say that man deserves the title pacifist.
Years ago I respected Carter even though I didn't agree with his policies. Now I just think he is an bitter old shill for his party who has bought into his "stature" even though it is constantly wrong and misguided.
Go give your thoughts and letters to the French and the North Koreans Jimmy...they are the only ones who take your sorry ass seriously.
I didn't think my opinion of Jimmy Carter could go any lower...how silly was that!?
Stow it Carter. There's only one party that engages in this tactic and it's the democRATS.
It was the whole point of Miller's speech, you braying jackass.
Who are you calling an idiot?
I am assuming it was Carter....
Carter is an idiot who undermined this country's sovereignty and interests.
Sounds like you have your Dimocrat presidents confused. Clinton's the one with heart problems. Carter's the one with brain problems.
For DemocRATS it's all about PARTY, not about country. His letters says it all.
And I suppose Josh Marshall is simpering over this Carter crap.
Jimmy Carter. By far the worst President during my lifetime.
I was in the Navy while Carter was president. Carter did nothing for the military. In those 4 years, we had no cost-of-living raises (despite having record breaking inflation), no money for spare parts, no money for training. I don't know whose military he is referring to but it wasn't ours (good ol' US of A).
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