No Christmas Card for Zell from the Carters This Year

September 14, 2004 3:30 PM

Jimmy Carter's Letter to Zell Miller via Boing Boing via Interesting People
A private correspondence between Jimmy Carter and Zell Miller has surfaced where Jimmy expresses his disappointment with Zell's taking part in the RNC and betraying his constituency.
posted by fenriq (42 comments total)

I should also note that the original letter comes from Talking Points Memo but the reference line was getting out of hand.
posted by fenriq at 3:31 PM on September 14, 2004

sieg zell!
posted by Peter H at 4:01 PM on September 14, 2004

So, did Carter engineer the leak, perhaps? His office has just said that he won't comment any further; there's no denial.

I eagerly await Zell challenging him to a duel.
posted by jokeefe at 4:08 PM on September 14, 2004

Zig..

Zag.
posted by Space Coyote at 4:28 PM on September 14, 2004

jokeefe, that was the funniest thing about his interview with the guy from Hardball!

I actually think Jimmy would meet him for a duel if Zell slapped him in the face with his glove. The final paragraph from the letter is pretty amazingly harsh for a diplomat like Carter - "you have chosen the rich over the poor, unilateral preemptive war over a strong nation united with others for peace, lies and obfuscation over the truth, and the political technique of personal character assassination as a way to win elections or to garner a few moments of applause."

Go Jimmy!
posted by fenriq at 4:29 PM on September 14, 2004

Zell Miller farts in his general direction
posted by WLW at 4:32 PM on September 14, 2004

Somehow Zell in a duel, I'm given image of Mr Burns from the Simpsons struggling just to lift the gun up off the ground!
posted by Peter H at 4:32 PM on September 14, 2004

fenriq, since when did telling the truth become seen as "amazingly harsh"? I'm not trying to offend, but if you'd like to give a glove slap, I should clarify that I prefer sabres to pistols ...

Oh and, Go Jimmy!
posted by Wulfgar! at 4:36 PM on September 14, 2004

Um... why isn't this post just a link to Talking Points Memo? Makes no sense.
posted by reklaw at 4:37 PM on September 14, 2004

Wulfgar! Ayy, sabres it be then! I'm a much better shot than I am a slasher though. How about a thumb war instead? One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war!

And it seemed harsh in the light of the fact that Jimmy Carter's a pretty old, pretty staid and pretty polite guy. Not that he wasn't telling the truth at all, just not what I'd expect from an aging diplomat. That and, when I read between the lines, it looks like Jimmy's trying to make him feel bad for being a lonely old man in need of some attention.

reklaw, sense is for someone else, I'm medicated, baby! Actually, it should have just gone to Talking Points Memo, thanks for making me feel worse than I already did for screwing up yet another FPP!
posted by fenriq at 4:58 PM on September 14, 2004

it looks like Jimmy's trying to make him feel bad for being a lonely old man in need of some attention.


Thats an excellent description of Jimmy Carter, a lonely old diplomat, looking for attention.
posted by WLW at 5:05 PM on September 14, 2004

it looks like Jimmy's trying to make him feel bad for being a lonely old man in need of some attention.

Most lonely old men aren't given a platform at the RNC to conduct their ravings in front of a prime time audience. No making excuses for Zell. The man's a disgrace.
posted by jokeefe at 5:08 PM on September 14, 2004

WLW, you're talking smack about a former President of the United States. Don't you believe in supporting the President? Why do you hate freedom?

And just for the public record, WLW, do you have an argument to back up your statement, or do you just expect that we're supposed to be awed by the terrible power of your ... pronouncement!!!
posted by Wulfgar! at 5:16 PM on September 14, 2004

Thats an excellent description of Jimmy Carter, a lonely old diplomat, looking for attention.

Hmm... a guy who spends his time building homes for the poor, monitoring contested elections and going on peace missions... lonely?

I don't see any other ex-President doing much that compares to that, given that well-paid consultant gigs for Carlyle don't count as doing something "in the public good".
posted by clevershark at 5:26 PM on September 14, 2004

*gasp* I'm...shocked!

This comes from the biggest failure of a president in the last 50 years. Jimmy's just trying to build his legacy since he failed to do it when he was president.
posted by MrAnonymous at 5:41 PM on September 14, 2004

Jimmy Carter is really beloved in Atlanta ... the Carter center is one of the city's biggest philanthropic and social hubs. I very much doubt that he is a lonely and has nothing to do on Saturday nights
posted by rks404 at 5:51 PM on September 14, 2004

MrA, while your claim is obviously over-exagerated bullshit, it is instructive that, as Carter didn't have many things he was able to run on, it resulted in a campaign where they tried to scare voters away from the opposition candidate. Sound familiar? It's the sound of failure.
posted by Space Coyote at 5:53 PM on September 14, 2004

Hey, just 'cause Jimmy wasn't able to buy off terrorists doesn't mean he wasn't strong minded on terror ...

(Thank you G.H.W Bush, Mr. Spook head of the CIA, and running mate of Ronald Raygun, thank you for brokering deals with terrorist kidnappers. I'm sure that history will remember your presidency with kindness ...)
posted by Wulfgar! at 6:15 PM on September 14, 2004

Zell is crazy, but not nearly as mentally ill as those living in the the white house.
posted by fleener at 6:30 PM on September 14, 2004

If this is legitimate, my respect for Carter drops a notch or two. Not for the harsh words at the end, but for this bit at the beginning:

Loyal Democrats, including members of my family and me, elected you as lieutenant governor and as governor.

I'd wager loyal Democrats and independent voters and even some people who consider themselves Republican voted for Miller and elected him to office. An elected official should be beholden to the entire electorate, not just "loyal" members of his own party.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:44 PM on September 14, 2004

Oh, right, who supported Miller all that time? Carter's words may have not been an absolute model of precision, but Miller deserves all the flack he gets there. Miller has demonstrated that he is both ungrateful and tacky. It's Bad Character 101. You can be forgiven for a mistake or two in this area, but not when you make your disloyalty obvious on the national stage, in the *kyenote speech* of the rival party. And he *said* he was speaking as a Democrat then, made a point of it, already.
posted by raysmj at 8:00 PM on September 14, 2004

"Other Democrats, because of philosophical differences or the race issue, like Bo Callaway and Strom Thurmond, at least had the decency to become Republicans." - This is lip smackingly delicious.

And, the Carter detractors on this thread don't have balls bigger than peanuts.
posted by troutfishing at 8:59 PM on September 14, 2004

This comes from the biggest failure of a president in the last 50 years.

And we base that assesment on... what?
posted by namespan at 9:10 PM on September 14, 2004

Jimmy's just trying to build his legacy since he failed to do it when he was president.

And what's wrong with that? Should he just travel around the country collecting speaking fees and endorsing a line of sportswear?
He's certainly done more to help the human race than I have over the last 20 years or so.
What have you done lately?
posted by 2sheets at 9:28 PM on September 14, 2004

That letter was awesome.
posted by The God Complex at 10:07 PM on September 14, 2004

Oh snap!
posted by DyRE at 10:33 PM on September 14, 2004

According to the AJC (original article now behind for pay BS), I think the was leaked by someone other than Carter (Zell's camp probably?), which would explain why he doesn't comment on it--it really was private correspondence.
posted by trox at 6:52 AM on September 15, 2004

Jimmy's just trying to build his legacy...

Explain how it is that Carter needs to build a legacy. How is it that any human that possess a Nobel Peace Prize needs to build a legacy?
posted by Pollomacho at 6:53 AM on September 15, 2004

This just in: Zell Miller challenges Hurricane Ivan to a duel.

a lonely old diplomat

Think Carter's as lonely as Miller and his wife must've been the night W. threw them out of his box? Jimmy Carter says "No."
posted by octobersurprise at 7:04 AM on September 15, 2004

And we base that assessment [the failure of Carter's presidency] on... what?

We base that assessment on the fact that after the gas crisis, the Iran hostage debacle, the sweater-wearing and asking Americans to turn their thermostats down to 65 degrees, and giving the general impression that he did not like America as it was, Carter made the American electorate pant after Ronald Reagan as the hart pants for the stream, making liberalism a dirty word, and creating the current generation of neoconservatives who are now so influential in the world of government and ideas. I don't know how many of you remember, but Jimmy Carter's America was depressing.

In the same way the simplistic, forceful Ronald Reagan seemed like a welcome breath of fresh air after Jimmy Carter, simplistic, forceful Zell Miller is a bracing tonic after the ponderous muddleheadedness of John Kerry. Zell has zip, thunder, balls. Why couldn't the democrats keep this guy on their side? They need to get him back by moving more in his direction, not by dissing him and being jealous of his success.
posted by Faze at 7:24 AM on September 15, 2004

What all the Carter haters? Aside from his impeccable character, this is someone who has worked alongside Miller before, who showed him behavior that Miller claims to uphold- loyalty and integrity. Carter's not just talking to hear himself heard, he's got an actual, legitimate bone to pick. We need to hear what he's saying, more often, from more people.
posted by mkultra at 7:35 AM on September 15, 2004

Why couldn't the democrats keep this guy on their side? They need to get him back by moving more in his direction, not by dissing him and being jealous of his success.

Clearly. I'm still steamed that the Dems didn't do enough to win back Strom Thurmond...
posted by mkultra at 7:39 AM on September 15, 2004

octobersurprise, you just made my day! That is damned funny! The only thing it needed was a little slagfest about what a despicable storm Ivan is and how it would attack the country with spitballs (though I'd bet a spitball propelled by a hurricane wouldn't be a laughing matter, or is tornadoes that propel straws through manhole covers?).

And I am pretty amazed that there are so many people ready to try and tarnish Jimmy Carter's name. Lonely? In need of attention? Um, okay. If it makes you feel good to try and knock down a guy who's been pretty publicly tireless in working for others since he "retired". Sure, he's lonely. And probably mean when you get up close. Or maybe not.
posted by fenriq at 8:16 AM on September 15, 2004

Why couldn't the democrats keep this guy on their side? They need to get him back by moving more in his direction, not by dissing him and being jealous of his success.

Dear Republicans,

Thanks for the campaign advice, but, well, no thanks.
posted by Space Coyote at 8:50 AM on September 15, 2004

Jimmy Carter is the only living American president I would let babysit my child.
posted by Eamon at 10:21 AM on September 15, 2004

Jimmy Carter is the only living American president I would let babysit my child.

He's the Mister Rogers of ex-Presidents.
posted by Faze at 11:07 AM on September 15, 2004

but Jimmy Carter's America was depressing.

By that standard Bush should be out on his ass in November. But I can't really blame anyone for wanting to keep Bush as Entertainer-In-Chief. He is the biggest clown in the world.
posted by octobersurprise at 11:28 AM on September 15, 2004

How is it that any human that possess a Nobel Peace Prize needs to build a legacy?

Yes, a "peace prize" given to Yasser Arafat is one that I hold in high regard.
posted by MrAnonymous at 12:17 PM on September 15, 2004

Faze: "Zell has zip, thunder, balls."

Oh yeah. So you elect your presidents like you pick your NASCAR faves and pro wrestling heros - by who's the most "exciting" and "dynamic." Do you take how tall and "cute" they are into account too?

You're just a starstruck little fan-girl, aren't you? How charming. Did you wait outside to get his autograph, or to just catch a glimpse, grab a touch of his sleeve, too?

Personally I choose people to run things by how capable they are of running them. I seem to be in the minority, there.

Carter was and is a realist, a deeply conscientious man, and attacked problems with a quiet and determined honesty, and actually was effective at it. (The debacle of the attempted hostage rescue was not his fault.) Someone above complained about Carter asking people to turn our thermostats down to 65... excuse me, that was a rational approach to conserving heating oil and energy. Oh WAAAH, you're a little chilly! WAAAH! Hello, it's for the good of the nation, dipshit! It's called sacrifice for the good of everyone! A distinctly American value that seems to have completely evaporated since the late 1960s. Did everyone forget the sacrifices everyone made during World War 2 so quickly - for the good of not only America, but the world?

(rant)
What the hell has happened to us? "Carter's America was depressing." Are we such pussies that a little bit of inconvenience in the name of helping the entire country is too much? I guess so.

I swear to God, the longer I spend on this planet, the more it appears to me that most people act like part of a famine-stressed bonobo chimp tribe in every way you can measure. Stupid hairless apes. Seems we've just barely risen above flinging our own shit at each other... or maybe not, since we fling things like lead and steel and depleted uranium at each other all the time.

"We're sending a big hello out to all intelligent life forms out there, and for the rest of you, the secret is to bang the rocks together, guys!"

I'm doggedly awaiting the day that most people use their cerebral cortices to actually run their lives as opposed to their gonads and R-complexes... but that's a fairly forlorn hope.
(/rant)
posted by zoogleplex at 1:32 PM on September 15, 2004

I'm just pissed I voted for Zell, back when he was, y'know, sane.
posted by Vidiot at 1:36 PM on September 15, 2004

All that talk of "loyalty to the party" is creepy.
posted by rushmc at 12:50 AM on September 16, 2004

"talk" of loyalty to anything is pretty much creepy, rushmc
does loyalty to anything exist anymore?
posted by kamylyon at 1:30 AM on September 16, 2004