Jimmy Carter on Bernie: 'Y'all see why I voted for him?'

[kpete]

Count Jimmy Carter among the Democrats with a political crush on Bernie Sanders. So much so that the former president suggests he voted for Sanders over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primary.

Carter and Sanders appeared together Monday at The Carter Center in Atlanta.

At one point, the Vermont senator launched into a version of his populist campaign pitch.

When Sanders finished railing against a growing American oligarchy, Carter smiled and said, "Y'all see why I voted for him?" — ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/jimmy-carter-bernie-yall-voted-47287918

[DURHAM D]

1. I see that Ossoff was not on Bernie's schedule.

hhhmmmmmmm

[JTFrog]

10. No surprise.

So much for that awesome outreach effort.

Funny how people demand a woman take responsibility for losing (being cheated out of) the Presidency, while the guy who lost to her is being looked at as some divine leader. But she is supposed to shut up and disappear.

But hey, sexism has never been the problem and certainly not from those who shun identity politics.

So over that dude and his fan club.

[leftofcool]

15. Ditto!

[loyalsister]

19. He's still an elected official

She's not. He's not some devine leader, but he does have a relevant voice when he can sponsor and vote on federal legislation.

[karynnj]

22. It's not sexism, but that she was the nominee

Consider that Kerry was blamed in 2004, where Edwards was considered to be one of the contenders for 2008. Gore, not Bradley, was blamed in 2000 -- even though he actually won - just think of all the he should have used Bill Clinton more CW. Dukakis was completely trashed - even though he lost to an extremely nasty Republican campaign.

The fact is that the American media always has the tendency to rewrite campaigns through the lens of who won. If you win, they emphasize things that led to greater support. If you lose, the focus is on any misstep. In Clinton's case, this is aggravated by who Trump is - making the focus totally on where she failed. Compare to 2008, where McCain, who had some really weak moments, was seen as losing to a very very charismatic wunderkind.

Ask yourself who would have been blamed had Bernie managed to defy the odds to win the nomination and then lost to Trump. We would now be seeing thousands of posts arguing that the non Democrat Bernie should never have been allowed to run in the primaries and that he hijacked the party and crashed it. Many would be moaning that had we only stuck with a candidate with the golden resume and years of high level experience we would not have Trump.

In fact, just as a MA poster in DU JK, Tay Tay, pointed out to our group, Kerry was actually treated much better than Dukakis, I think that Hillary is being treated better by elements of the Democratic party than Kerry, Gore, Dukakis, McGovern and Carter were treated. While there are few who see her as THE leader of the Democratic party, almost all see her as A leader, with an important message and constituency. This may not seem much, but in 2005 and 2006, there were efforts to deny Kerry the status of one of the Democratic leaders. However, any losing nominee will suddenly lose the status in their party of being "the next president" For Clinton, it is aggravated by the fact that from at least 2000 she was seen as the likely first woman President.

Part of what we may be seeing now is a fight for the future of the party, where Clinton and Bernie might almost be seen as proxies. On both sides, many would like to eliminate Clinton or Bernie as an important voice of the party. I seriously doubt either will run - and if they did, my prediction would be that neither would be as successful as they were in 2016. However, they do represent different wings of the party that will likely both want to have a nominee from their side.

I suspect that now that he is back from his break, Obama will be seen as the head of the party and its strongest voice until the 2020 primaries start. I also think that both Sanders and both Clintons will speak out on issues that matter to them. As Clinton said a million times, we are stronger together.

[JTFrog]

24. Lol, ok. nt

[Jim Lane]

39. Thank you! Very insightful post!

Of course, it won't please the diehard refight-the-primary crowd on either side.

[George II]

60. Just miles from Ossoff's HQ and the 6th District.

[Javaman]

2. throwing Carter under the bus in 3...2...1...nt

[malaise]

23. They did that two days ago

No surprise

[demmiblue]

27. Glad I missed that.

[QC]

37. Yep. n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Oh, man.

I guess Jimmy Carter is on the naughty list, now. Along with Elizabeth Warren.

[LanternWaste]

12. No more and no less than Carter and Warren are now baptized by a sacred cow.

No more and no less than Carter and Warren are now baptized by a sacred cow.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other... each as petulant and without merit as the other.

[Warren DeMontague]

57. How does a cow perform a baptism, with no fingers?

See, this is why religion is tough to take seriously.

[ZM90]

4. I love Jimmy Carter he's such a good person.

I would have said that regardless of who he voted for by the way. He really has had a amazing post presidency. The fact that he voted for Bernie is just icing on the cake.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. The man's life can be summed up in one word, I think:

Integrity.

[ZM90]

9. Another word that sums up his life...

Honesty.

He was honest with the American people about the difficult choices we had to make regarding our climate and he was mocked for it. A lot of people say that Jimmy was too honest for the office.

[Demsrule86]

18. And Reagan was the result...sorry if I don't get the point of going to Georgia and ignoring a...

a candidate that could make a real difference in Congress, I admire President Carter for his good works after he was president.. but we had 12 years of GOP rule after he left office...not good times in my opinion.

[loyalsister]

20. I've heard it said the he's one of the most honorable men to have served as president

I think that's true. His moral compass has always been intact.

[Nanjeanne]

5. Two wonderful men who want the US to be the very best it can.

[ZM90]

6. Indeed. n/t.

[Demsrule86]

17. And who should be helping elect a Democrat in Georgia 6 which would give us a

another seat...as the healthcare vote demonstrated, this is very important.

[Nanjeanne]

26. Good grief.

[seaglass]

8. I'm sure as a loyal Dem he voted for Hillary for Pres so it's all good. n/t

[Jim Lane]

42. Yes, he did, although he tries to tone down his partisanship.

From an August 2016 news report:

Carter, a worldwide ambassador for Habitat for Humanity, said he doesn't like to propagate particular political issues since he works with Republicans, Democrats and people of many religious beliefs in his role with the home building charity.

&quot But) everybody knows that I'm a Democrat, and I'll be voting Democratic," he clarified.

[still_one]

11. There shouldn't be any issue with that. It was during the primary, and people had different

preferences.

What will be interesting though, call me cynical, is to see if the media tries to plays things like this up in the next few days, or instead focus on how millions could lose their healthcare, the destruction of EPA, the widespread ramifications of yesterday's testimony by Sally Yates and Clapper, or a 100 other issues that will directly have a negative impact on the well being of people.

[LexVegas]

13. Not surprised. Carter is part of Bernie's core voter demographic. nt

[QC]

38. Liberals? Social justice advocates? n/t

[LexVegas]

40. White males. nt

[retrowire]

43. ... :/

I can feel the unity.

[sammythecat]

49. Cozy, isn't it?

This kind of shit is driving me away from this place. I really don't get this relentless, fanatical, and downright stupid hatred of anything at all Bernie Sanders. It got tiresome many months ago. I recently got my first ever hide for responding to one that didn't even read the post, just saw "Bernie" in the headline and immediately posted a completely irrelevant disparaging accusation. I wish the admins would make an effort to at least tone down this never ending vendetta.

[retrowire]

50. Bernie's even in the ToS of politicians to not flame on this site.

I also feel driven away at times.

But I'm against the Republicans. And so are these Democrats.

I consider myself a democrat even if they don't want me.

I'm not here for acceptance or comraderie anymore. I'm here for those who need it. Others can choose to butt heads with me if they want when we share the same goals but that's what the ignore list is for.

If I probably wouldnt get along with you in real life then why should I suffer fool's digitally? Know what I mean?

I don't have to be friends to be an ally.

[LostOne4Ever]

55. Totally agree with you! No matter what some people say we got to unite against the rethugs! nt

[Warren DeMontague]

59. this site has gone off the rails.

exactly.

[LostOne4Ever]

54. Right there with Symone Sanders and Sarah Silverman. Oh wait... nt

[KTM]

58. Can we get past that false impression yet ?

Its just not true, as has been reported:

Among registered voters, fifty-eight percent of women view Sanders favorably, as do 55 percent of men. He is most popular among people aged 18 to 34, who give him a 62 percent approval rating. Sanders also has majority support among those over the age of 50.

While Sanders struggled during his Democratic primary challenge against Clinton in states with large African-American voting populations, he is viewed favorably by 73 percent of black registered voters.

That’s better than Hispanics, at 68 percent favorable, Asian-Americans, at 62 percent favorable, and whites, at 52 percent favorable.

Sanders is viewed favorably by 80 percent of registered Democrats, even though he has steadfastly refused to join the party whose presidential nominee he campaigned for.

[nikibatts]

14. I love Jimmy Carter. He is for real. I don't agree with him all the time but I admire him greatly.

[Demsrule86]

16. He didn't even see Ossoff...

Honestly.

[JTFrog]

21. I know right? And if Bernie is, as claimed, the most popular politician in the country, why spin it

as Bernie would be bad for him? I think that Bernie is just the wrong person for the job they gave him. Seems his pattern is not being there for anyone he perceives as not backing him in the primaries. That's just fucked up. How do you give someone who has been the biggest divisive factor in our party in years the position of outreach leader?

I used to love Bernie, but now I'm still steaming over this pillorying of Hillary while watching this self absorbed dude get propped up on a pedestal and treated like he gives two fucks about the Democratic Party that he won't join. It's as insane as everything else going on in this country right now.

[Demsrule86]

30. I would like to see Sen. Sanders in a more helpful role in electing Democrats...isn't he outreach?

[pnwmom]

35. His leaving the party after the primaries were over was it for me. He can't encourage other people

to join the party while holding himself special and above it all.

[delisen]

51. Sanders refusal to join the party doesn't set much of an example.

I think the argument of some is that independents are a growing segment of the electorate and the best we can aim for is to convince them that they are better off not joining the party and just pick up some sticks and poke at the Democratic Party pinada and try to make it a lesser "lesser evil," or just shout at it to get it to do what you want.

I don't know there something weird about it to me. It like having a cheerleading squad that rushes out at halftime when their team is trailing, with big megaphones and shouts to the team what a lousy job their doing and how they better shape up or else.

It seems to me that method of operation would just encourage and embolden the opposing team and discourage the team you are trying to help win.

[pnwmom]

52. Good analogy. Yes, that's what some of them are like. n/t

[Jim Lane]

41. Most popular in the country doesn't equate to being most popular in GA-06

Ossoff has chosen to run as a fiscal conservative. Handel has plenty of money for attack ads, and I'm sure she and her handlers would love to paint Ossoff as a Bernie clone.

There is, at an absolute minimum, a strong case to be made that Bernie helps Ossoff by staying away.

[QC]

48. Are you trying to suggest that sending a self-identified socialist

into Newt Gingrich's old district might not be a good idea?

[JI7]

25. he probably would not be much help. the carter thing is different since carter

isn't running for anything.

[Demsrule86]

29. The visit with Carter should have been postponed...bad timing.

[JI7]

31. nobody really cares. its all a non issue

[Demsrule86]

45. Really, and what evidence do you have in support of this statement?

[MGKrebs]

36. Ossof's opponent is running ads

trying to connect him to Pelosi and Sanders and Warren... because they think it will hurt him.

Unless you have different info, I am going to assume that Ossof hasn't invited Bernie to help and perhaps even asked him to keep at arms length. That is a fragile district and I am sure they are doing what they think they need to do to win.

[Demsrule86]

44. And do think the press with Sen. Sanders being there helps? I don't.

[MGKrebs]

46. Do you mean do I think iit is unhelpful for Bernie to come to GA and not

go to the 6th district? No I don't see a problem. Do you? If so, what?

[Snackshack]

28. Seriously?

This is not normal.

[demmiblue]

32. I don't get it. What is not normal?

[Snackshack]

56. The...

Zealous and extreme Bernie hatred displayed daily here.

[NCTraveler]

33. Love me some Carter.

He has done great work and continues to do so. It's really too bad that things are so polarized that the headline is what it has to be. In thread after thread I keep hearing how Carter is now under the bus. Seems pretty foolish to me. Each response should simply be how little difference there is in that and holding people up as deities. We are losing so much of our message because of this.

Keep preaching on Carter.

[pnwmom]

34. Did Carter help Ossoff out? Is he helping him now? n/t

[Jakes Progress]

53. I love Jimmy, but no one is right all the time.