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Carter Endorses Gore, Says Former Veep Can Win More Than Oscars

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February 23, 2007 12:17 PM

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos Reports: In an exclusive interview with former President Jimmy Carter set to air on Sunday's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos", Carter lavished praise on "(his) favorite Democrat) former Vice President Al Gore.

Carter told ABC News, "If Al should decide to run -- which I'm afraid he won't -- I would support Al Gore."

The former Democratic President asserted Gore could accomplish much more in the White House than he ever could as a private citizen, saying to Stephanopoulos, "His burning issue now is global warming and preventing it.  He can do infinitely more to accomplish that goal as in the incumbent in the White House, than he can making even movies that get -- you know, that get Oscars."

"An Inconvenient Truth", a documentary based on a global warming lecture Gore has delivered around the world, is nominated for an Academy Award and the former Vice President will walk the red carpet at the Oscars this Sunday.

Despite public pressure from Carter and others, the former President does not believe Gore will make a second bid for the White House saying, "I don't think he will.  I've put so much pressure on Al to run that he's almost gotten aggravated with me."

Carter told Stephanopoulos that he had not called Gore "lately" adding, "He almost told me, the last time I talked, 'Don't call me anymore.'"

Carter joked that Gore had offered to support him in 2008 and referred to Gore as "my favorite" in the interview, concluding, "I really have not expressed any public approval or endorsement or preference for any of the Democratic candidates except (Gore)."

Tune into 'This Week' on Sunday, February 25, to watch George's full interview with former President Carter.  Click here to find out when 'This Week' airs in your town.

February 23, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (108)

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Oh my God, just based on the fact that the "Man" is a global warming activist is frighting. The biggest terroists that we need to face these days are the activist, the Health and Safety freaks, Big Pharma, and those that think that their way of thinking are enough to keep eroding our "Rights." Go back to farming Mr. Carter you've done enough damage to this country already by pardoning "Cowards." The blood of our brothers are still soaking the grounds and I in turn would give my blood so that their Honor can be Blessed.

Posted by: ruben | Feb 23, 2007 1:16:10 PM

TELL CARTER TO SHUT UP; HE WAS THE WORST PRESIDENT,WE EVER HAD.

Posted by: STEVE | Feb 23, 2007 1:23:58 PM

Yes, Carter screwed up when he built military bases in the Middle East and we are still paying for that mistake.

I believe he is now truly a man of peace and thats a legacy he can be proud of. Do you think history will remember our current President with kindness? He's just a shill for Big Business and a poster boy for the military-industrial complex.

Posted by: Laura | Feb 23, 2007 1:52:03 PM

While I do think Carter needs to shut his mouth, Global warming is an issue and if you don't think it is, you need to go in for a round of electroshock. if anything we need to look to undo the mess this current administration has created and which will easily go down as one of the worst administrations in us history. The stuff these guys have pulled is mindblowing to me.

Posted by: Jim | Feb 23, 2007 1:56:09 PM

Carter always was and will remain an idiot. Why anyone wastes time listening to this cowardly little weasel is a mystery.

Posted by: hedley lamar | Feb 23, 2007 2:05:53 PM

I agree with Carter. Al Gore should run for president. He's smart, an environmental activist (can't see how this can be construed as being negative or frightening), he has good family values, he has experience, and he should have been president in 2000! Believe it or not, I think he is waiting for his nobel peace prize award and then he will annouce he is running for president. Go Al!!!

Posted by: Ken | Feb 23, 2007 2:25:12 PM

The worst President we ever had is in office now along with the worst Vice President.

Posted by: Jim | Feb 23, 2007 2:26:51 PM

How in the world does Jimmy Carter come to believe he's now a "kingmaker". I'm a liberal-progressive and a supporter of the Democrat party, save for in 1980 and 1984. Does this abject failure who ushered in Khoumeini and did nothing while his "Theofacsist" replacement for the Shah reigned over 444 days of "America Held Hostage". And he now writes sophomoric tripe about "Our Endangered Values", siezing on the chance to rub in the fact that we finally have a worse president, whose Middle East woes can be traced to Carter's utopian notion that self determination justified precipitating the Shah's fall for the people's will for the Ayatollah.

And, I had to add this: Carter ran on imputing the crimes of Nixon on the most decent of men, Ford. "I can give you a government ... that's filled with LOVE, competence and compassion."

Since his failure on the presidential stage, the president of "LOVE" has been frantically trying to show his competence when relieved of the burdens of the oath of office.

Watching this silly man officiously injecting himself into state matters, making no-brainer pronouncements, and hurt his party by association is aggravating enough. But this hubristic delusion of ascent to kingmaker status goes over the top.

Jimmy Carter, anyone familiar with Al Gore knows he is the most qualified man to stand for the office you had no business holding. Al Gore is a man of deep conscience, with thorough knowledge of the matters comprising the rigors of the presidency. Don't tarnish him by association with your failures and poor judgment

Posted by: Richard | Feb 23, 2007 2:40:49 PM

I've supported liberal-progressive causes and candidates from the Democrat party with the notable exception of Reagan v Carter. I saw the fuzzy, undefined peanut farmer coming when hearing the hypocrite effuse with such trype as "I can give you a government that's honest and that's FILLED WITH LOVE, competence, AND COMPASSION."

Well, Reagan's domestic program's hurt many of our most vulnerable. But ideology be damned, he lead and deregulation and tax cuts unleashed our economic engine while monetary policy under Volker completed a tour de force in removing Jimmy's "crisis of confidence" pep talk from memory.

Now this failed President, having penned a few sophormoric books, having a photo-op as part of Habitat for Humanity, and receiving a Nobel Prize that Anwar Sadat took a bullet for, seems to think he has risen to the heights of King-maker.

Anyone familiar with Al Gore's personal qualities, background, depth of understanding of the gammut of matters attendant on the rigors presidency (No, not just global warming) should know he is the most qualified person ever to have sought that office and the most qualified person available to fill it now.

We do not need a failed president who I, with support from Joshua Maravchik in Feb. 2007 "Commentary" deem also our worst ex-president, tarnishing Al Gore by association. Jimmy Carter, I and others find you hurtful to the Democrat Party . Please don't insert yourself into the election and especially, I beg you not to speak at the convention.

Posted by: Ric Demian | Feb 23, 2007 2:42:26 PM

Carter may have been a so-so President at best by many people's estimations - but he is easily our greatest living President and greatest ex-President for his work with stewarship of the earth and the promotion of fair and democratic elections around the globe.

If Carter endorsed Gore - Gore has my vote, should he choose to run, although he probably would have it regardless.

The world needs more Carters and Gores and fewer Bushs and Reagens.

Posted by: Michael Richter | Feb 23, 2007 3:05:34 PM

Have you considered talking to his wife? Gore needs a diet and support from his family. As Dan Marino might say "hey look at me, I'm back to my campaining weight." Seriously, the Clinton's and Gore's would need to summit and do it again the same as before. Oh, the nostalgia. Carter, Clinton, Gore, Obama, Richardson and Edwards should band together after the primaries to ensure the Republicans do not steal another election. They could all take key positions within our government and share in its success. Clinton, Gore or Obama = Pres & VP, Richardson = Secretary of State, Edwards = Attorney General, Carter = Mentor, Coach and Cheer Leader, America = return to leadership and respect worldwide.

Posted by: RHJ | Feb 23, 2007 3:23:46 PM

It makes me sad to think how different things would be now, if Gore had been allowed to serve. The Supreme Court robbed America of a glorious beginning to the 21st century. Instead they will be responsible for bombing us back into the Stone Age. Tragic.

Posted by: jeanruss | Feb 23, 2007 3:24:52 PM

Keep bugging him, Jimmy!

I truly hope that Al Gore changes his mind. He is the only person who can fix the broken nation that is America.

The whole world needs Al Gore back in the White House!

Posted by: STOP George | Feb 23, 2007 3:27:43 PM

Run Al Run!

Posted by: Robert Garcia | Feb 23, 2007 3:54:06 PM

I think Gore has my vote!

Posted by: Obama Fan | Feb 23, 2007 4:08:41 PM

So many of you guys (who are posting here) are so utterly rude and dislikable. You don't deserve a good leader. You deserve the rotten scoundrels you've been getting (Clinton, Bush 1, Bush 2) Telling any former president to "shut his mouth" is simply disgusting. Yep, go ahead. Elect McCain or Guiliani or Clinton or Obama. They will not stop global warming. They will not get us out of the Middle East. They will not fix the healthcare system. They will not abolish our unfair trade agreements. And they are exactly who you, the American people, deserve.

Posted by: clara | Feb 23, 2007 4:20:28 PM

TELL CARTER TO SHUT UP; HE WAS THE WORST PRESIDENT,WE EVER HAD.

Carter, the worst president we ever had ?? Are you kidding or are you just indulging heavily in the hallucinogenics. You mean to tell me that in these wretched times in which we're being dragged through the sewer internationally by this arrogant incompetent simian posing as president (who's about as popular as Satan), that you have the audacity to pin that worst ever distinction on Carter. My advice to you buddy is to either get a brain, stop drinking the kool aid or do some genuine honest research and while you're at it, keep an discreet eye open to the disaster being perpetrated on our country and the world by a coward who shouldn't have being elected dogcatcher much less president.

Posted by: Rialb58 | Feb 23, 2007 4:31:53 PM

It is sad that Gore does not want to run. He is much better than that Clinton lady and much better than Obama. Gore can win, he would just have to promote how different i could be (should have) under him. Gore has my vote! PLEASE RUN!

Posted by: Hector Arteaga | Feb 23, 2007 4:32:32 PM

Carter was no idiot nor was he the worst prez. The fact is he was trying to do good things for this country for the long run. Doing that caused some "suffering" in the short term. God knows we americans can't handle THAT. If you think otherwise just look where all these so called "great" presidents have gotten us. They gave the people what they wanted. Gratification for the short term with disregard for the future.

Starting with Regan who ripped the solar panels off the White House roof and got us deep in bed with the OPEC and turned this country into a debtor nation. Good JOB!

Gore has my vote.

Posted by: Right | Feb 23, 2007 4:40:59 PM

I hope those who bandy about the label for Carter of worst president ever remember the likes of "W" first. At least Carter was building bridges in the Middle East between Israel and Egypt and with the Soviet Union, instead of what we currently have. Carter had to clean up after Watergate/Nixon/Ford, remember??? The next president will have to clean up after an even bigger mess.

Posted by: NeoLiberal | Feb 23, 2007 4:45:06 PM

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