Jimmy Carter has, on many occasions, taken his shot at President Bush. Recently, he was quoted as saying "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nations around the world, this administration has been the worst in history." He then later said his remarks were "careless or misinterpreted". He also said it was in response to a question comparing the Bush administration's foreign policy to that of Richard Nixon.
Here is my problem with this. I thought former Presidents weren't suppose to (according to Gentlemen's agreement) speak negatively against current Presidents. This isn't the only time. Over the last few years, Carter has been outspoken and at times, uncharactoristically harsh. I was young when he was a President. I remember the Iranian Hostage Crisis and high gas prices, but that's it. I don't think he really scored big in the White House. However, I believe he is a wise man and his long list of published books prove it. He has become a very popular author. Which is why his lack of wisdom in speaking about the President stands out. I expect more from him.
As Dick Carr put it "Jimmy Carter's bashing of George W. Bush's foreign policy is a joke. Carter botched getting our people out of an Iranian hostage situation. I am appalled that a former president of the United States would rag our current president."
And Danny Carter writes "Here's a former president who didn't have the backbone to stand up to a bunch of Tehran who stormed our embassy and held American citizens hostage for more than a year. Carter is the biggest reason we're still having trouble with the radical regimes in Iran today."
I think the pot calling the kettle black is appropriate here. The fact that Carter has an opinion doesn't surprise me. The fact he voices it, and it is against the very office that preserves his freedoms and rights, is close to blasphemy. Especially when he sat is said office and knows the challenges. If he could do a better job, it may be a different story. If his wisdom applied to all things political, he may have a voice.
Instead, Bush may be right. Carter's comments may well be "irrelevent".
