***

BW: While Jimmy Carter was on one morning show, Al Gore was on another- he was on Good Morning America and Diane said something about Donna Brazile – who is a Democratic advisor- said “When you start to lose weight we’ll know you’re running” so are you starting to lose weight? So “ha, ha, ha” said Al Gore. Everybody is trying and so he didn’t exactly answer but he you know again he didn’t say under no circumstances would I ever
Joy: Well he better get busy and either do it or don’t
BW: No you don’t have to get busy yet. Michael Bloomberg has not gotten busy yet. You can kind of wait a little bit and see who knocks who off

***

People should not rule Gore out as he could be a serious contender for the Presidential race. Gore and his many minions believe the 2000 election was stolen from him. (This despite the fact the every count resulted in Bush winning Florida.) He craved the office then and would love to take it now. Also, he has worked hard to build an identity separate from the Greek-like Clintonian tragedy.

Al Gore has latched on to Global warming- or I think the new name for whatever it is is climate change- and has become a world leader in the efforts to curb the human contribution to this theoretical problem. He may very well win the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in this area. The media will most likely ignore his personal contributions to the global warming – climate change issue as Gore is vocal about his use of Carbon credits to counter his excessive use of fossil fuels.

Gore can wait to throw his hat in the ring as he has a built in following and name recognition. Clinton will continue to have problems with her likeability as she is, simply, not likeable. Obama has no resume. Edwards is, well, Edwards. If the democrats want a tough ticket to beat, they would be wise to be looking at a Gore / Obama ticket.

Joy jumps into the conversation, steering it back to Jimmy Carter and her frustration that people refer to Carter as irrelevant.

***

Joy: When they called Jimmy Carter irrelevant, that’s Spanish for old and I don’t appreciate that
Elisabeth: You think so
Joy: And you know what- if that’s that they are talking about then every republican in that republican primary debate that they had, mentioned Ronald Reagan about a hundred times. Ronald Reagan is gone
Rosie: Right

(They are all talking over each other)

Joy: So the reason they called Jimmy Carter irrelevant is because Jimmy Carter is a Democrat
Elisabeth: Wait a minute. I don’t think they are calling him irrelevant because he is old or because he’s a democrat. I think they are calling him irrelevant because if what he said and in fact he ended up taking back what he said
Joy: It’s because he’s a Democrat and they don’t agree with him
Rosie: Elisabeth- Elisabeth- how can you say the man who won the Nobel Peace Prize who is probably the most Christ –like president we have ever had, in the true teachings of Christ
Elisabeth: He has done a ton of things with Habitat for Humanity
BW: After his term- He was not a great President
Elisabeth: With his Habitat for Humanity work he is a giving man
Rosie: The most Christ-like, Jimmy Carter, the most pious
Elisabeth: I am not saying
BW: Not when he was in office

(They all talk over each other…)

***

Wow! Christ-like is quite a term to use in reference to anyone, let alone one of the most irrelevant Presidents in history.

Why is Carter Christ-like? Because he has built some homes for Habitat for Humanity? That’s neat but thousands and thousands of people contribute to Habitat for Humanity. Are they all Christ-like?

Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to promote peace in many countries around the world including North Korea, Ethiopia, Liberia, The Sudan, Venezuela and Bosnia. I’m sure glad that he was successful in bringing peace to these countries. Oh, wait- I guess it’s a work in progress. He also promotes free elections in countries like China, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Again his success…

Jimmy Carter may be a nice guy. I haven’t met him so I can’t say. I do know that there is nothing nice about promoting policy, either foreign or domestic, that undermines democracy by supporting activities or leaders that lean towards socialism. Carter left office with America in a shambles. He has tried to make contributions to world peace but is misguided in his support of dictators. Carter is naive and he is an embarrassment to the United States. He was not a great President. He was not even an average president.

For Jimmy Carter to criticize Bush on his Middle Eastern policy… Let’s just say he has some nerve.

Carter is not irrelevant because he is old. He is irrelevant because he is irrelevant. He is a joke.

There is no comparison between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. Reagan embodied the American Dream. He loved America. He would never have belittled out country or dealt with policy in a way that demeaned our country. Reagan understood what made America great and he embraced the values that helped create the greatest country on earth. Carter seems to deplore these values. He does not understand that when you take away economic freedom, you lose freedom. He dozen’t understand that dictators can not lead free countries.

Carter’s ineffectiveness was made all the more evident by Reagan’s work ethic and respect of the office. Reagan got in the face of our enemies while lifting the spirits of average Americans. Reagan was the right man at the right time. We should all hope our country finds that person in 2008 because we need that person now more than ever.

The person to lead America into the future must be more Reaganesque than Carter if we are to make progress in the war on terror. All the hand-wringing in the world will not bring about necessary political change around the world.