Three months ago Commentary Magazine called Jimmy Carter "our worst ex-president" (because of his position on Israel, of course). Now Carter is calling Bush "our worst president ever," and the press is attacking him for violating some unspoken ethic of the presidency (as Brian Williams and Chris Matthews said last night): Presidents shalt not criticize the president. This is ridiculous. The country is in a crisis, despised by the world, and Carter is supposed to be polite? The press should seriously consider the question Carter has posed.
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Phil – I think that Carter's original quote that started the flap was:
"I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation{s} around the world, this administration has been the worst in history."
I added the "s" to nation because I think that is what he said, or at least what he meant. And I think he was referring to the unprecedented low approval (or lack of respect, or however you want to put it) of our country and the adverse impacts of many of our policies on other nations. In that context, his statement is backed up by some pretty strong evidence. I'm almost as disappointed at the press for misquoting him as I am at Carter himself for back-pedaling on it. He was close to the mark in the first place, and his original message has now been largely missed in my opinion.
Good points by Mr. Forbes, especially on the MSM's failure to portray the message accurately. He is also right in that President Carter has no reason to backpedal on something he did not say.
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