Former President Carter Headlines with Edwards in Georgia

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Carter Headlines With Edwards
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 29, 2007

AMERICUS, Ga. (AP) -- Former President Jimmy Carter welcomed Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards to South Georgia on Wednesday, embracing the fellow Southerner as a kindred spirit on poverty and the environment. Carter and Edwards shared the stage at Carter's alma mater, Georgia Southwestern State University. Carter stopped short of endorsing the former U.S. senator from North Carolina but called him ''a candidate whom I really admire.''

''I can say without equivocation that no one who is running for president has presented anywhere near as comprehensive and accurate a prediction of what our country ought to do in the field of environmental quality, in the field of healthcare for those who are not presently insured, for those who struggle with poverty,'' Carter said. He predicted that Edwards ''has a very good chance to do well'' in the presidential race....

***

Praising Carter for his anti-poverty work after leaving the White House, Edwards hit upon the ''two Americas'' theme that has been a mainstay of his campaign. ''Economic growth has been limited to the richest Americans and multinational corporations. It does not flow to the poorest Americans,'' he said....

Edwards appeared in a rural region of Georgia that represents a challenge for Democrats. Once solidly Democratic, much of South Georgia has swung Republican in recent elections.

Edwards told reporters he has no plans to write off the South and that his message resonates with rural voters. ''I understand the lives that people have here,'' Edwards said. ''I understand the economic troubles that people have in the rural South. It's where I grew up.''...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Edwards-Carter.html

[venable]

1. I don't know how that is short of an endorsement...

''I can say without equivocation that no one who is running for president has presented anywhere near as comprehensive and accurate a prediction of what our country ought to do in the field of environmental quality, in the field of healthcare for those who are not presently insured, for those who struggle with poverty,'' Carter said. He predicted that Edwards ''has a very good chance to do well'' in the presidential race....


I'll take it.


K and R

[Cameron27]

2. It's not an endorsement.

No endorsement for Edwards from the man in Plains


Carter later told AP writer Shannon McCaffrey that it was too soon for endorsements — and that his comments were not meant as a criticism of other Democrats.

“I think he is a very appealing candidate, especially for rural voters here,” Carter said.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2007/08/29/no_endorsement_for_edwards_fro.html

[venable]

3. I understand, but let's be clear that these are very strong words

ie, did Ethel say "I endorse Obama"? No, she praised him. Carter praised Edwards, including the words no one who is running for president has presented anywhere near as comprehensive and accurate a prediction of what our country ought to do in the field of environmental quality, in the field of healthcare for those who are not presently insured, for those who struggle with poverty,'' Carter said. He predicted that Edwards ''has a very good chance to do well'' in the presidential race....',


I'll take it.

[Cameron27]

4. Except of course, Carter went out of his way to explain that

this wasn't an endorsement. It was a very nice compliment nevertheless.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

9. He also went out of his way to say he was not endorsing Dean

He just happened to go to church with Dean the Sunday before the Iowa caucus, if I recall correctly...A former president is not going to formally endorse anyone in the primaries. I don't think this was an endorsement but the breathless need to point out this is not an endorsement is ironic given the numerous threads we had about Brezinsinski's "endorsement" and the hype surrounding it. Where were you then?

[Clark2008]

12. And he called Wes Clark and asked him to run.

It's not an endorsement - and Edwards ain't exactly a rural hero, despite what Carter said.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

17. Who? Cuomo or Carter? The latter eventually tacitly endorsed Dean nt

[CarolNYC]

22. Carter n/t

[draft_mario_cuomo]

25. While he eventually tacitly endorsed Dean, that still is quite a feather in Clark's cap! nt

[CarolNYC]

28. Yep, especially since Clark is on record as having voted for Carter's opponent....

Joe Biden and, of course, Charlie Rangel also called and asked him to run....not sure if there was anyone else...well other than the bunch of us drafters....

[RubyDuby in GA]

14. You recall correctly about Dean being in Plains that Sunday. I was there.

It was a glorious day. Then the world fell about the next day.

[surfermaw]

15. He is very much rural

Edwards father was a supervisor in a Georgia Town, I lived in that town, let me tell you we were country bumpkins, in fact this town was near Georgia Experiment Farm...in Experiment GA...near Griffin GA. Most of the people that worked in those textile mill,were former farmers and still did a little around their homes, matter of fact I think the company his dad worked for had about 4 plants around the county.

When he came to North Carolina, he was in a farming area, even if it was called a town.

[JTFrog]

18. Unless that former

president is Bill Clinton.

[rwheeler31]

5. Good on them.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

10. That is similar to what Mario Cuomo said about Edwards offering the most specific agenda...

...to deal with real problems.

[venable]

20. and this is what's so frustrating - Edwards is w/out equal in terms of actual policy

and it is policy that demands and charts true transformational change...and yet Obama is raised as the banner for change.

Taking nothing away from Obama, shouldn't we be most enthused with the person who says "This change specifically" and 'This change specifically', rather than 'change is good'.

And I know that Obama has some specifics, but who would challenge that it is Edwards who has led the way with the actual markings on the path, and the map, and where EXACTLY we are going.

That to me is a leader.

Just sayin'...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

27. I agree. I think this is why Edwards is showing movement in the polls now and Obama is falling

At some point people were going to ask "Where's the beef?" Obama entered the race late so he was cut some slack for being vague and generic but that can only last so long. I think he is making a huge mistake by skipping forums and debates. For instance, he skipped the Lance Armstrong cancer forum in Iowa and has announced he will skip the AARP forum in Iowa later this year. What do you think activists on those issues will think about that? I know he suffers in debates/forums (partly because he does not have many specifics) but that strategy looks increasingly like a bad one.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

8. It is based on the what we have heard here in recent days

Remember Brezinksi's "endorsement" of Obama, Kristol's "endorsement" of Clinton, and Ethel Kennedy's "endorsement" of Obama? Did you enter those threads and point out none of those comments were endorsements?

[Colobo]

6. It's a semi-endorsement.

[Trajan]

7. Good on them .....

Great choice of words .....

[Apollo11]

11. If it walks like an endorsement

and it talks like an endorsement -- then as far as I am concerned, it's an endorsement.

At least as far as the current field is concerned. Carter is saying that he likes Edwards better than the other 7.

Adding a legal disclaimer "PS this does not constitute an endorsement" doesn't cancel out what he already said.

I guess Carter is keeping his options open a little bit - just in case Al Gore changes his mind about running.

Carter has admitted repeatedly asking Gore to consider seeking the nomination for 2008.

Back in May, Al Gore said on CNN that Edwards is "running a strong campaign. Put out a lot of very thoughtful policy statements and positions. I think you can see the strength that he's gained from having been around the track last time."

OK - so that's not an explicit endorsement (yet). But watch this space ...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0705/22/lkl.01.html

:kick:

[NCarolinawoman]

19. Apollo11, I can't imagine that Gore would actually endorse Edwards.

I remember Gore coming out in the 2000 election saying of Bush, "Would you trust this man with a chain-saw in your back yard?" The statement was funny, But I thought to myself, "You tell it like it is, Al!"

Well, Edwards clearcut 50 acres of trees when he built his giant home. He didn't even leave up a single tree to shade that home. He also did this at the height of nesting season. Not to mention the fact that Edwards voted for mountaintop removal in West Virginia. Believe me, he had the Audubon Society on "ignore" the whole time he was Senator. He ignored other environmental groups as well.

I would think that Al would be smart enough to look into records and actual "performance" rather than environmental rhetoric.

[Apollo11]

31. I still think it's possible that Al will enter the race

You are absolutely right: we should look at candidates words AND their actions!

With John Edwards you sometimes get the feeling he is telling us what we want to hear.

He is a master salesman, and in this case the product he is selling is himself.

Based on what he says, I like Edwards better that the others who are running right now.

But if you look at actions, then I guess Obama would be a better bet than Edwards.

Still I think Al Gore (or Wes Clark) would make a better President than anyone in the current field.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

26. He's a former president. He isn't going to explicitly endorse anyone during the primaries

The exceptions to this are Bush Sr. in 2000 and Bill Clinton this time, for obvious reasons.

[w4rma]

13. That looks to be as close to an endorsement that Carter is going to give at this point in time. (nt)

[usregimechange]

16. k/r

[illinoisprogressive]

21. Nice for Edwards. Carter's National Security Advisor endorsed obama. yea! to both

[David Zephyr]

23. "Yea to them both!"

I like that.

[polichick]

24. Jimmy Carter is the real deal...

And his opinion really counts with me ~ I was thrilled when he showed up with Dean, and this too is good news!

[AzDar]

29. John and Jimmy... I LOVE it.

:kick:

[LaPera]

30. President Carter is a truly a good man...Bush is an elitist, a greedy lying slob....

John Edwards will be a great president with great progressive ideas 7 agenda!