Good Words From An Old Pro

(I need a hit of caffeine to write this next paragraph first…OK, I’m ready now).

I should point out from the start that I think former president Jimmy Carter did a poor job of handling the flap over his latest book about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If you’re going to label it, “Peace, Not Apartheid,” you’d better be prepared to defend your position. And even though I think he has a point when he states that we definitely favor Israel too much in these matters (obligatory disclaimer on this: there is abundant blame on both sides, OK?), I don’t think he should have blown off Alan Dershowitz and his objections; there must have been some means for Carter to reply instead of trying to discount Dershowitz out of hand (granted, Dershowitz is not someone I would want to verbally cross swords with, but again, there must have been a way to work something out).

Sorry to be ultra-verbose here; what I’m saying is that the just-short-of-an endorsement of John Edwards by Carter here is a good thing. Period.

I would like someone to nominate any other individual in this country who has a higher international profile than Carter for his work to combat worldwide hunger and disease and promote peace and the cause of democratic reform throughout the world. And Carter’s praise on Edwards’ behalf is a signal that we have a candidate who truly intends to return this country to a position of moral integrity through respect of international treaties and conventions, participation in democratic reform and adherence to the rule of law.

I know I sound like a press release, but I don’t know any other way to put this.

You can’t imagine how much it aggravates me (and you also, I’m sure) to hear Democrats talk and act like we don’t know where we came from or what we should be about. And that is about supporting working men, women and families (and children, of course) and the institutions and organizations that help them to be justly compensated (talking about financially and regarding health care also) and protected in the event of grievous harm of one type or another.

Jimmy Carter came from that, and he is still one of us in that regard. And you’d better believe that that describes John Edwards also.

I would only ask that you keep that in mind when the inevitable freeper outcry arises against a president considered to be a failure (sadly humorous to think of that in light of Dubya’s ongoing nightmare of an administration, though I’ll admit that Carter was hardly perfect), to say nothing of Repug lies about Edwards receiving funds from companies that foreclosed on Katrina victims, as noted in the story (and refuted here).

And by the way, speaking of returning this country to a position of moral integrity through respect of international treaties and conventions, I give you this New York Times editorial today decrying this administration's attempt to distance itself from the Abu Ghraib controversy.

Sounds to me, then, like it's time for a little "Back Talk" (#2 below)...