Carter Nixes Debate With Outspoken Prof

The Associated Press ^ | Dec 15

[george76]

Former President Carter turned down a request to debate Alan Dershowitz about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the outspoken Harvard law professor "knows nothing about the situation."

Carter, author of a new book advocating "peace not apartheid" in the region, said he will not visit Brandeis University to discuss the book because the university requested he debate Dershowitz.

"I don't want to have a conversation even indirectly with Dershowitz," Carter said in Friday's Boston Globe. "There is no need ... to debate somebody who, in my opinion, knows nothing about the situation in Palestine."

"President Carter said he wrote the book because he wanted to encourage more debate; then why won't he debate?" said Dershowitz,...

Brandeis was founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian university under the sponsorship of the American Jewish community. Carter said he initially was interested in going there.

"I thought it would be a good idea to go to a campus that had a lot of Jewish students and get a lot questions," he said. But then the initial proposal evolved into a plan for a debate.

[savedbygrace]

Ah, the truth comes out. It wasn't that those colleges with large Jewish enrollments didn't want him to come. They wanted him to debate.

With this rebuttal statement, he's proving himself an anti-semite. He should be laughed to scorn everywhere.

[Chi-townChief]

That is choice!

[maxsand]

"Therefore, the American people have wisely established a custom against allowing any man to hold that office for more than two consecutive terms. But every shred of power which a President exercises while in office vanishes absolutely when he has once left office. An ex-President stands precisely in the position of any other private citizen, and has not one particle more power to secure a nomination or election than if he had never held office at all, indeed, he probably has less because of the very fact that he has held the office."
- Theodore Roosevelt

[fish hawk]

Dershowitz is a total A-hole but he IS a smart one. Carter still hasn't grown any testicles since he was President.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

Carter knows that Dershowitz will hand him his n***s.

[freekitty]

Coward.

[elhombrelibre]

As we both know, the last think Carter really wants is to debate. He wants to posture and pontificate.

[george76]

" Speaking frankly about Israel and Palestine "

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-oe-carter8dec08,0,1544474.story?coll=la-news-a_section

Should say : " Hiding under my desk by Jimmah' "

[george76]

" The ultimate purpose of my book is to present facts about the Middle East that are largely unknown in America, to precipitate discussion ..."

[george76]

Jimmah' :

" Another hope is that Jews and other Americans who share this same goal might be motivated to express their views, even publicly, and perhaps in concert.

I would be glad to help with that effort. "

[george76]

" Palestinian territories... is more oppressive than what blacks lived under in South Africa during apartheid..."

[VOA]

Former President Carter turned down a request to debate Alan Dershowitz
about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the outspoken
Harvard law professor
"knows nothing about the situation."

So Jimmy, it should be easy to score a first-round KO on Dershowitz.
And you'll stop him from spreading more of this ignorance of
the situation.
Right?

(sound of crickets as The Worst President Ever silentl steers wide of
from the marketplace of ideas)

[VOA]

Former President Carter turned down a request to debate Alan Dershowitz
about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the outspoken
Harvard law professor
"knows nothing about the situation."

So Jimmy, it should be easy to score a first-round KO on Dershowitz.
And you'll stop him from spreading more of this ignorance of
the situation.
Right?

(sound of crickets as The Worst President Ever silentl steers wide of
the marketplace of ideas)

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

" The ultimate purpose of my book is to present facts about the Middle East that are largely unknown in America, to precipitate discussion ..."

Oh yes. Jimmy Carter understands the nuances of the Middle East in a way that most of us rubes simply don't, or perhaps even can't. He's extremely intelligent, dontcha know, and a Nobel Laureate, to boot.

[Rocko]

Dershowitz is a total A-hole but he IS a smart one.

At times I have to agree with his choice of targets -- Noam Chomsky and Carter being two.

[fish hawk]

I've noticed a change in Dershowitz in the last few years. Before 911 he was total far left Liberal but now he seems to be getting a little sense. Still a Liberal but starting to "think" before he mouths off.

[george76]

Jimmah can only get away with these lies if he just goes on the Crissy softball type shows.

[george76]

Carter was hoping for friendly liberal students who only ask easy questions.

Jimmah does not want a real debate.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

Jimmah does not want a real debate.

Heh heh. I saw Carter in a real debate once, in 1980. The line "There you go again" stands out in my memory...

[sully777]

Great post--great one-liner