Yesterday was a spa day for me, so I didn't have a chance to weigh in on the Carter-Bush "Who's the Worst President Ever?" spat. Here's what I'd like to say to them:
Gentlemen, I'm aghast. It's beneath you both to fight so publicly over who deserves the coveted second-to-worst-president title. And very un-Christian, I might add. Remember: Pride goeth before a fall. And historians will punish the more arrogant of you with a ranking at the very bottom. (Warren Harding must be pleased as punch, doing a little dance in his Marion, Ohio mausoleum: "I'm the third-to-worst! Movin' on up! Yippeee!")
There are differences, of course, in the terrible jobs you did (and continue to do) as Commander-in-Chief. In essence:
President Carter, you let terrible things happen. You came to Washington as a smug preacher, elected to clean up Washington post-Watergate, and never let up on the act. Your fellow Democrats on the Hill, Speaker Tip O'Neill chief among them, couldn't stand you and your unwillingness to compromise. (Politics is about compromise!) You in your cardigan sweater, priggishly checking the White House tennis court sign-in sheets, always interested in appearing righteous, rather than actually acting, doing. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan what did you do? You ordered a boycott of the Moscow Olympics! That showed them! No wonder we couldn't recover the American hostages held in Iran on your watch. The image of you in a fishing boat in Plains, Georgia, swatting at a "killer rabbit" with your oar, sums up your ineffectiveness.
Now wipe that smirk off your face, President Bush. You're not off the hook - not by a long shot. President Carter let bad things happen. You've actually made bad things happen. You must know the spiritual "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." If you're God's instrument, as you seem to believe, then you'll agree that the American people put the whole world in your hands, if only for these two presidential terms. Well guess what? You dropped it. You got elected, took the world in your two hands, and with the invasion of Iraq, dropped it. (If I were uncharitable, I'd say you spiked it. I don't believe that's the case. I don't think you intended to break the world.) Unlike President Carter, you've been proactive. I'll give you that. It's just that you've made terrible decisions. Maybe history's not on America's side. Maybe we were destined to recede in importance on the world stage. But you've accelerated the process
Right now, President Bush, you are the worst. But be careful, President Carter. You are so smug that we might be tempted to strip you of your second-to-worst-president-in-history title. Now behave!
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Glad youre okay, was a little worried you didnt post yesterday, now I know why. And I think Bush gets the "Worst president ever" hands down. He is continuously sending more and more troops over to Iraq to die in a pointless "war?" and he keeps vetoing the democrats request to pull them out. Is it really necessary to have our troops over there? Why are we so concerned with other countries governments. Whos to say that as soon as we pull out their country wont go back exactly how it was before. We have enough to worry about in this country let alone trying to rule over someone else.
MrsMoRocca at 3:14PM on May 22nd 2007
2. Great article! I've heard way too many people laud Carter as the *best* president ever. It's nice to hear someone evaluate him more realistically.
Becky at 4:49PM on May 22nd 2007
3. Brava Mo. You are so right on.
Eliza at 6:14PM on May 22nd 2007
4. Under Carter wasnt interest rates at 20% ?
" " " unemployment at 15% ?
" " " income taxes raised ?
Didnt Carter refuse to back the Sha of Iran who at that time controled the middel east and let the Aitolla komenia move in from France and set up the road to kill all infidels and implement shirea law
Carter should look in the mirrer and see the man that caused the whole mess not take shots at someone who is trying to clean up the mess that he created
william ritter at 11:16AM on May 24th 2007
5. Smart Carter, he is now second worst
Paul Berger at 11:24AM on May 24th 2007
6. Carters failures were of omission.
Bush, on the other hand has actively instituted many harmful policies and legislation which will have far reaching consequences for our nations future.
It's no contest!
Marty at 1:33PM on May 24th 2007
7. Mo, You're an idiot. You obviously can't remember the Carter Years.
Mike at 1:38PM on May 24th 2007
8. It's interesting to see EVERYONE jumping on the "The Invasion of Iraq Was Wrong" Band Wagon NOW -- but where were you folks when we were marching to Baghdad?
I was screaming at the top of my lungs that this invasion was wrong, and so many were calling me "anti-American" and one person even called me a lamented left winged liberal that didn't deserve US Citizenship.
For those of you who realized invading Iraq was wrong from the beginning, THANK YOU -- and for those of you who are just figuring it out, we wish you could have had this epiphany several years ago!
Jeff at 2:51PM on May 24th 2007
9. Bravo Jeff... I wish people lived consciously. It pays to educate yourself on our government's decisions and policies. I'm so sick of everyone figuring it out AFTER the fact. Dammit, wake up!
Loubell at 3:17PM on May 24th 2007
10. Carter was not a very effective president. He was and is, however, an honest man. Can we say that of Bush? During the time of the Iran hostage incident, Carter sent in a rescue team. Helicopters (always dangerous in the wind) crashed and a few American men were kileed. Carter called off the rescue team. Carter was a man trained in the military. He knew that an invasion of Iran would have resulted in many deaths - deaths of Americans and deaths of Iranians. In the end, all of the hostages were released. They did not have their heads chopped off by people who hate Americans.
Carter, I believe, values all human life - not just Americans - not just Christians. Bush, I believe, has shown that he does not place value on the lives of others. As a governor, he had many inmates put to death. Yes, they were bad guys, but he outdid all of the previous governors of Texas in this regard. I think this carries over into his presidency. He says he is a Christian, but does he really care about the other people in God's world? I guess the better question would be who is the best, most honest, most caring man that has been president of the U.S.A. Carter would win that one - hands down. He is trusted all over the world.
Nancy at 3:30PM on May 24th 2007
11. Carter's windfall profit taxes put thousands of small oil operators and drilling contractors out of buisness and put millions of workers out of jobs.
Thurman Geddie at 5:06PM on May 24th 2007
12. WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU MO!? CARTER STARTED THIS THING AND BUSH DIDNT FUIL IT AT ALL! TALK TO ME MAN,WERE DID YOU GET THAT SHIT!? TRULY I WANT TO KNOW... AS FOR YOU JEFF WHAT WOULD "YOU"HAVE DONE IN BUSHES SHOES AFTER 911,PLEASE IM NOT TRYING TO BE KOCKY,SHARE YOUR WISDOM! "F.C.F.F"
STRIKER at 9:25PM on May 24th 2007
13. YES MRS MOROCCA IF WE LEAVE IRAQ RIGHT NOW,WHICH IS WHAT THE DEMOCRATS WANT US TO DO, THE COUNTRY WILL FALL TO THE ISLAM EXTREMISTS WHO ARE WAITING IN PAKISTAN RIGHT NOW JUST WAITING FOR US TO LEAVE, BECAUSE LEAVING IRAQ WILL ONLY FUIL THE MORAL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT SO BAD TO SLAUGHTER OUR MOTHERS,FATHERS ,CHIDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, BROTHERS,AND SISTERS. MARK MY WORDS IF WE DONT DEAL WITH IT NOW OUR CHILDREN WONT HAVE TO DEAL WITH PLANES BEING USED AS WEAPONS BUT INSTEAD NUCLEAR WEAPONS,THUS WILL BE THE END OF THIS GREAT NATION UNDER GOD,IT WILL BE NOMORE... THINK ABOUT IT.
STRIKER at 9:42PM on May 24th 2007
14. Oh come on now...Bush takes the cake right out of Carters mouth. Carter said what is true and to all you Bush believers out there...wake up! Little George W. had to invade Iraq..at all cost...to get Sadam because Daddy couldn't do it. It did matter that he lied and lied and still continues to lie, how soon you forget!
marsha at 9:49PM on May 24th 2007
15. Carter was a fool... but a benevolent fool. Bush is a sociopath monster. There is no comparison.
Sally at 7:49AM on May 25th 2007