http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspxFrom NBC's Mark MurrayWHO-TV's Dave Price reports that Jimmy Carter -- the first White House candidate to use the Iowa caucuses to jump start his campaign -- came to Iowa yesterday and said Iowans "should no longer get to make the first pick.en-USCommunityServer 2.0 (Build: 60608.1)http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157788Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:08:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157788PeepsFor the first time in my life, I actually agree with this moron on something.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157862Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:32:23 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157862James, downstate IllinoisNice to see Peeps once again elevating the level of discourse on this site and making a substantive contribution to a discussion of the issues of the day.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157867Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:33:15 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157867Thank God I'm not a liberal weenieWho does this moron think he is? He put the American people through one of the worst economic times since the great depression. He did nothing but stand by as Americans were held hostage in Iran, the controversy over the plagiarism, anti Semitism, and lies told in his books caused many key carter center officials to resign. They could not in good faith continue to work there because it would lead some to believe that they support his lies one of the out going stated. And now he's going to Iowa how things should be in his demented mind? LOL!http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157879Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:36:11 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157879PeepsI'll leave "substantive contributions" to enlightened intellectuals such as yourself, James.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157907Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:45:20 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157907Thank God I'm not a Bush repulican weenie-hawk.You know, conservative weenie, it's one thing to proudly support a war criminal, but the way chicken hawks disparage the only honest president for 100 years, and only Christian, ever, really serves to point out just how hopelessyour belief system is. He's been out of office for almost 30 years. Try to find something else to twist your weenie knickers - like creeping fascism. yah Peeps = thanks for sharing. Same to you. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157916Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:48:14 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157916crnick, STL, MOIf we truly want to give every American an equal chance to elect candidates, then we should hold a national primary day and allow the popular vote to decide the candidate. As it stands now the delegates can choose to nominate whoever they want, they don't have to listen to the will of the people anymore than the current administration does. And with the enormous amounts of cash the candidates are raising they can afford to buy national airtime in multiple media markets. Why should we make this easier for the one with the biggest warchest to get nominated.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#157936Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:55:07 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:157936Steve Turner Cedar Falls IowaThey don't let morons become Nuclear Submarine Commanders, but any moron can write into this blog.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158008Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:11:37 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158008The Edge, Macon, GAIt's good to see the level of discourse from the right this morning is in its' usual attack mode and is using this post to sling insults instead of addressing the topic of discussion. JC is and was no moron (graduated 59th/800 cadets at the U.S. Naval Academy), however, he was an ieffective, hand wringing manager with little leadership skill. My opinion is because of his intelligence, he saw 'snakes under every rock' in regards to problem solving and was an overly cautious and indecisive President. This proposal of his for future primarys to be held in 4 regions has merit and may even the playing field a bit for those candidates whom have lessen financial backing. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158108Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:30:57 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158108Flat-earther, GeorgiaThe feds produce morons in Area 51 and send them to all states. Seems the feds have been working overtime.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158119Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:31:51 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158119Amy B Portland, MEI beg to differ in your assessment of our former President. Jimmy Carter warned us about the coming energy crisis back in the 70's but Americans didn't want to conserve and elected Mr. Optimism, Ronald Reagan, instead. Reagan did nothing to develop our energy independence, which absolutely impacts our fundamental security. Carter's views on the Palestinian situation are based on decades of experience and knowledge of the region. I object to the smearing of a man's reputation who has done so much for America and the world. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158163Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:40:12 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158163Carrie, NW Iowacrnick - That's not necessarily true. Whether delegates are bound by the decisions of the voters varies from state to state, just as it does when it comes to the general election. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158189Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:44:31 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158189Ryan, MichiganThe world has gone mad! Yesterday I found myself agreeing with John Kerry about Imus and now Jimmy Carter says something that makes a great deal of sense! What the heck is going on??!!http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158219Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:48:41 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158219Lee inMVSteve - Jimmy never rose above Engineering Officer, but in Hyman Rickover's navy - well, none of them were morons.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158254Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:53:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158254James, downstate IllinoisPeeps - I don't mind having meaningful discussions with well-reasoned people on the other side of the political spectrum. I just don't think name calling or the like adds anything to the conversation. Stating that Carter was an ineffective president gives us somewhere to go with the conversation. Calling him a moron does not. I don't disagree that he was a seriously flawed president, but he may be one of the best ex-presidents we've ever had. His charity work alone, especially with Habitat for Humanity, should preclude any 'moron' status you want to assign to him.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158266Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:55:38 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158266Jim, Santa CruzAlso neo-con morons, GWB will never contribute to humanity on the scale that Jimmy Carter has post-presidency, unless W has a real calling to a higher power.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158285Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:59:11 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158285Scott in South TexasAmy, ya'll OK up there? Heard you've been having some really gnarly weather.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158319Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:05:46 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158319BillyD; DFW, TXIf the point is to listen to the American people, then the real fix needs to be not only in the nomination process, but in the general election. Abolish the Electoral College so every each vote will actually mean something. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158641Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:56:18 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158641PeepsI'm not going to get into a pis*ing match with you Libs regarding the "merits" of Jimmy Carter. In my opinion, he was a worthless president. I don't care if he commanded a nuclear sub - so what. He screwed up the economy, gutted the military, turned our foreign policy into a joke and sold Israel down the river. I've been waiting for this guy to just "go away" since 1980, but NO. Since then, he has been shooting off his mouth, inserting himself into affairs that don't concern him and generally (again, in my opinion) besmirching the office he once inexplicably held. He is simply an old, bitter, irrelevant, plagiarizing, anti-semitic fool.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158643Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:56:36 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158643Ryan, MichiganBillyD - I somewhat agree with the sentiment of your post. However if you eliminate the electoral college then you eliminate probably 40 of the 50 states as far as campaigning goes. Canadites will spend all their time and money in New York, Pennsylvainia, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Texas, and California. There really isn't much incentive for them to visit recent competitive states like Iowa, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Missouri, Colorado, Nevada and New Hampshire; Thier population is not enough to warrent the time or money since all they need are pure numbers. I would tend to agree that something probably should be done, but I don't have any ideas that I think would work. Good post though, it brings up a good point that should be discussed http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158685Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:03:33 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158685Iowa MomBush's after life will be to serve on the board of directors of corporations he has enriched while in office. Unlike before he was president, Daddy won't have to get the positions for him and they will let him stay this time whether he has anything to contribute or not (NOT)! Expecially Halliburton.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158764Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:15:03 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158764JIrby, Colorado Springscrnick, STL - We, meaning Democrats, do not want to give everyone an equal chance to elect candidates. We want to keep the morons, (working class repubs) from ever voting again because they were responsible for the worst president and biggest crook in American history, and they still don't get it. If Carter did nothing, he would be much better than Bush, because what Bush has done is a hell of a lot worse than nothing. This country would be so much better off if Bush stayed at Crawford and never did a days work as president. The sooner he's out of there the better, no matter by what means.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158782Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:17:43 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158782Richard Fifield, easton, PAThe Electoral College evens out the unevenness of the popular vote, and should be continued. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be modified. The best "reform" would be to eliminate the "winner-take-all" distribution of electoral votes, apportioning them two to the winner of each State and one to the winner in each Congressional District. This way, everybody casts votes for three electors. If you want to abolish the Electoral College, the only fair way to do it would be to require that a winning candidate carry a strong plurality (>45%) of the popular vote in the country, and a majority of the States. Reforming the Electoral College seems a better way to go.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158849Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:26:10 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158849Carrie, Elkridge, MDI don't know if the answer is to eliminate the electoral college, although I have read some very interesting articles on the subject off and on over the last several (seven!) years. I agree with Ryan though, that it would cause candidates to spend all of their time in those top 10 states. As it is, we rarely get candidates here, even though we share land with D.C. because Maryland is seen as such a solid blue state. That has begun to change in recent years, though, as in many other states - what I like to call the "purple-ization of America". Carter's idea has merit, although I would like to see the race start in the West. I think there is already a perception that the East Coast tries to tell the whole country what to do - mostly because D.C. is here - and I think the East Coast should go last.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158869Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:29:39 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158869Mel, IllIf someone from Habitat for Humanity told Bush to grab his hammer and get busy, how much time would he waste looking around for DeLay?http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#158943Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:42:55 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:158943Sierra, San FranciscoSorry, peeps... you're trying t osmear Jimmy Carter, He is not anti semitic. That's an old smear tactic used by Israel's supporters to silence critics and independent voices. Israel does have human rights problems with the treatment of Palestinians in Israel and in the West bank, Gaza and Arab Jerusalem. The Israelis treat Arabs and Jews in different manners. Israelis can build in Jerusalem, Palestinians can't. That's racism. Israelis can move to Jerusalem, Palestinians can't. That's racism. Israelis are building settlements on occupied territory. That's a violation of the Geneva Convention. Jimmy Carter's not a racist. Many Israeli actions and policies are racist.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159293Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:33:46 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159293Carrie, NW IowaI am torn re: the electoral college and the need for electoral reform. On the one hand, living in Iowa, I get to appreciate having the candidates visit here a lot, particularly since we have the first caucus. If the college were abolished, we would never see candidates, and our votes truly would not matter, and our issues would not be heard. On the other hand, as we saw in 2000 and again to some extent in 2004, it too often in recent years comes down to one state...so essentially everyone in the other 49 states is irrelevant. I like the fact that Maine and Nebraska divide their electoral votes so that even the loser in the popular election walks away with at least one electoral vote. It's really hard to say what we should do if we were to try to reform it, because we could very easily end up with a system that is even worse than the present one, and we really would not know that until after we held a presidential election. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159300Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:34:41 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159300BluestatekenYeah...holy hell, peeps. The guy may have been ineffective as president, and the country indeed went throught some difficult times then, but Carter is hardly a moron. You have in the oval office now, perhaps the biggest baffoon of them all, and a person so stupid he cannot form a complete sentence any better than a 6th grader...and yet you call a Nobel Prize nominee a "moron". Damn...you're tough.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159358Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:45:45 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159358Randolph Carter, Valdosta, GAAh, yes, the second coming of J.C. only this time in the corpus of the grinning, self-centered, fool of an a** otherwise known as Jimmy Carter. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159380Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:49:34 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159380Lee HolmesYeah,Sierra,and many of your Frisco pals are little more than jackbooted thugs,who would not have been out of place in 1933 Berlin.The 'smear tactics' used by geniune left-coast anti-Semitics have been to walk around with ''Palestinians-In-A-Can''at USF and force them on Jewish students,while waving placards asserting that 'Hitler Didn't Finish The Job'[San Francisco Chronicle,Apr.22,2002].Over across the bay,In Berkeley,at their UC,it was worse.Pro-Palestinian student mobs beat Jews and smashed windows at the universities Hillal House Jewish studies center,blocked highway traffic with marchers wielding PLO flags and attacked the rectory of a Lutheran minister who pleaded for the[plainly anti-Semitic] violence to stop.These anti-Jewish riots took place only a few months after the university,inside its Sproul Plaza,held,unsurprisingly,a book-burning of conservative books and works critical of Middle East terrorism.[Oakland Tribune,San Francisco Chronicle,[also see:Op-Ed Page letters for this date penned by the Chancellors of USF and UC Berkeley deploring the anti-Semitic violence and terrorizing], Associated Press May 05,2002].Sierra is one of a vast populance which peoples this region of the nation that turns a blind eye to all except what the 'Jews'are up to,shielding and excusing patent anti-Semitic behaviors by using a twisted form of reverse psychology that asserts that the mere accuasation of anti-Jewish bias is leveled merely to 'silence criticism'which is patent bull on its face.The Jews and Israel are criticized every day,ALL the time.'Dark 'Zionist'conspricies abound.'AIPAC'is at the bottom of it all,a sort of Jewish Illuminati seeking world domination.The pro-terrorist bloc of the UN whiffles out anti-Israel Resolutions by the bucketload[silent,of course,on Sudanese,Arab,Islamic Indonesian/Phillipine/Javan/Sri Lankan/,Algerian,Somalian,Tibetan,or Nepalese depredations including genocide],while the 'poor'Palestinians are being killed by both sides in a FATAH-HAMAS blood feud,hundreds of millions of international aid was ripped off by Arafat and stashed in Swiss banks,Mein Kamph by Adolf Hitler and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are brisk best-sellers,declarations that even the PRE 1967 borders of Israel that are legitimately enshrined by the UN will not be recognized by the Palestinian government[at the moment,HAMAS],and that the Geneva Conventions ALSO explicitly forbid killing civilians seen as 'legitimate military targets'by HAMAS/FATAH,using child soldiers,conducting military operations without colour of uniform,kidnapping,[as we speak the Palis have a BBC reporter who they may have killed]rape of civilians,and torture[against their OWN people].Jimmy Carter is not a racist.He is a dupe.Many anti-Israel-policy critics are not dupes.They are racists.They are also dullwitted.Anyone dumb enough to walk around with Che plastered on their t-shirts is probably bovine enough to buy into HAMAS as a 'freedom movement'rather than the rank murderers that they actually are.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159391Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:51:51 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159391bobf Ryan and BillyD , I agree with your assesments. I do beleive the electoral college needs to be changed or abolished. It just gives to much power to the smaller states. Also, excellant point about the candidates just campaigning in the high populace states. I like Ryan , wish I had a compromise that could work, but I like the idea of having regional primaries. I also beleive that raising money for elections should be fedrally controlled. The only reason I bring this up is to level the playing field. Honestly, do you think you can tell your child that some day they can be president. The only problem is you have to become a millionaire first before you can run for any federal elections. If the federal government caps and controls the amount of spending, this will open up the elections to more than millionaires. This is probobly not the right answer, but I really would like to see the average american have the ability to become president without raisng millions of dollars and being millionaires themselves.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159392Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:51:52 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159392Thank God I'm not a liberal weenie Amy B you said---. "I beg to differ in your assessment of our former President. Jimmy Carter warned us about the coming energy crisis back in the 70's but Americans didn't want to conserve and elected Mr. Optimism, Ronald Reagan, instead. Reagan did nothing to develop our energy independence, which absolutely impacts our fundamental security." WOW!!! Guess what Amy you’re right Reagan didn’t use his position as “The Great Communicator” to preach to us about conserving energy. No Reagan only helped to defeat the single greatest threat (at the time) our world has ever known the Soviet Union without firing a single shot. While he was busy ending the Soviet Empire, he also lowered our taxes from 70%...let me write that again 70%!, to 28%, and working to get lower oil prices and decrease our huge poplulation of the unemployed (I know cause I was one thanks to Carter), maybe just maybe he should have been the “Great Communicator” on conserving energy as well I mean he sure had the time with all of the other unimportant things he was doing right Amy? You want to talk security? I got news for you Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Bill Clinton and everybody’s favorite idiot 'W' were all not aware of how severe the threat of islamo terrorists really was to our way of life until 9-11. But it seems that no matter how great Reagan was and what he accomplished, and how history plainly shows this you are simply too partisan to recognize this. I don’t like Carter never did, I don’t like 'W' and I didn’t like his too rich wow I’ve never been to a supermarket before I pay people do that for me Bush Sr. But when I read an attack on someone like Reagan that makes it look like this war was his fault or Clinton’s fault for that matter I have to draw the line. This war and not just in Iraq which I think was a total mistake, after mistake, not to mention a bad idea, is the fault of the terrorists who attacked us Amy don’t you get that? For the record I think we should stay the course in Iraq but I have never supported the decision by Republicans and Democrats alike to go there. If we do leave does anyone honestly believe these terrorists will actually leave us alone? http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159419Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:58:10 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159419Thank God I know the difference!Gotta laugh at these repugnants who think they are all going to heaven - after all they have quite a history of supporting folks who have more than one living spouse - not to mention one who was engaged and married at the same time. Take religious advice from a repugnant - I think not, the ones I know only pretend to be religious, could not tell you anything accurate from the Bible if they were trying to actually read it. It just kills the repugnants because not one single repugnant president has ever done anything good for the working class or working poor while in office or after they are finally out of office. Sorry, folks in my opinion (and yes this is an opinion page) we allowed a whoremonger to replace a Sunday School teacher - now how religious is that as a nation? Not very, not very at all. I was a single working female under the Carter administration, did better than I ever have until Clinton became president, nearly lost everything under Reagan (by that time I was and still am married - to the same one and only husband), that pesky little S & L banking thing. I vote in every election and I never, ever vote r - even on a local basis.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159439Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:04:53 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159439Meade EspositoThe best solution would be to keep the Electoral College but on a congressional district level. Each CD a candidate wins counts for one Electoral vote and the state winner gets the extra two for the Senators. This way each congressional district counts the same, so it would discourage candidates from only focusing on coastal population centers. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159484Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:15:06 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159484Al, KSThe Electoral College leads to voter apathy, low turnout, and wasted votes. Here in this very Red state, a democratic vote for president has been useless. Lately, we have elected a democratic govenor, and a democratic congressman, so there is hope. However, the last three presidential elections have been so lopsided in this state, that all democratic votes were just lost. Because I am so into finding a viable 3rd party candidate, I actually voted for Nader. I knew that any vote for Gore or Kerry would be swallowed up by the huge republican majority in the state. Now tell me why I should believe that the Electoral College actually helps my vote count. That same republican majority virtually guaranteed that neither candidate would visit here. If everyote was counted in a nationwide ballot, more people would vote and some presidential candidate might actually make a stop here.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159529Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:24:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159529Thank God I know the difference!Have a national primary day, do away with national conventions as a pretense to nominate a candidate (let them meet, greet, and drink as that is the true purpose of them anyway), then let the games begin!http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159572Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:31:24 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159572The Edge, Macon GAThank God I'm not..weenie ... Be careful, your showing your income class....my taxes were NEVER taxed at the 70% bracket and my FEDERAL taxes have basically remained the same (adjusted for inflation) since Reagan right on through the 'Contract on America' Repubs took over and has carried right on through to the current elitist regime. What has increased are my state, local, property and sales taxes. I would appreciate you and all the well-to-do to take assessment of the majority Americans and their point of view. Afterall, you are the minority. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159630Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:42:39 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159630Conservative weenie and PROUD OF ITMentioning Carter sure brings out the zieg heils.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159639Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:45:04 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159639I'm just sayin'...How come you old fascists can't shut up about presidents who served 3 or 6 terms ago, but you refuse to discuss the biggest disgrace to ever hold the office? (GWB for those of you playing at home.)http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159713Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:06:42 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159713Flat-earther, GeorgiaPOTUS Reagan is the major cause of most of our problems today. History will show him as one of the worest. He and his profiteers armed the Contras, Saddam and bin Laden. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159786Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:30:38 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159786Sierra, San FranciscoSorry peeps, Lee: Jimmy Carter was the first President to address human rights and to make it part of our discussion of foreign policy. After 8 years of Nixon/Ford/Kissinger realpolitic, this was a breath of fresh air. Jimmy Carter brokered the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab nation. For this, he received a Nobel Peace Prize. How many Nobel Prizes have either of you received? Jimmy Carter is nobody's dupe. He wasn't my favorite President. But, he's the best ex-President this country has ever produced. Grow up, boyshttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#159906Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:58:36 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:159906jtbYeah, if we all listened to Jimmy, we'd all still be wearing sweaters,driving Yugo's, Russia would still be in existence, and home mortgage rates would still be at 18%, 30 year fix. What a capitalist paradise, 1976-1980 was.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160015Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:30:42 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160015Scott in South TexasThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is gone, but Russia still exists. You'd think an expert on history and geopolitics would know that.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160215Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:33:36 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160215Lee in MV"Sorry peeps, Lee: " You mean Lee Holmes. I have a picture of me with Jimmy Carter, and I think he was a great president, and if not great, at least moral.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160230Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:37:46 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160230Lee HolmesBeating Jews and terrorzing these in the hearts of large American cities is not a 'grown up'behavior.It is thuggery.Carter is non-complicant in these actions that have been carried out by the leftwing exclusively.'Grown up'behavior does not engage in the illogical reasoning that allows individuals who purport to champion human rights to support murderers,racists,child-abusers,women-as-chattel,religious-based homophobia that allows gays to be put to death,'honour-killings',female genital mutiliation,and xenophobia.Who really needs to 'grow up'here?http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160535Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:41:14 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160535Russell in MarylandI am going to join the name calling. Jimmy Carter is the closest thing to a living saint in this country. George Bush is the closest thing to the anti-Christ in this country.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160641Fri, 20 Apr 2007 01:34:42 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160641Lee in MVLee Holmes - we can probably all "grow up" a little here.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160678Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:00:09 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160678Russell in MarylandI am going to join the name calling. Jimmy Carter is the closest thing to a living saint in this country. George Bush is the closest thing to the anti-Christ in this country.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160692Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:09:56 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160692Amy B Portland, MEWell Mr. Thank God, you and I will just have to agree to disagree. I always thought Reagan lived in a fantasy world of his own making and, like the actor he was, he convinced a great many Republicans to go along with his delusions. Do you really think an American President can cause communism to dissolve just by standing at a podium and saying "tear down this wall" ? Jimmy Carter may not have had the magical thinking thing down, but he certainly has accomplished a great many good things in the real world in his lifetime.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160812Fri, 20 Apr 2007 03:45:40 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160812Jane, Southern MississippiI think Presiden Carter's idea is a good one. I also wish we would do away with the electoral college. Do you realize that our Constitution says that the census counts all the residents, not just citizen residents. The House of Representatives is based on census numbers. Some states have had increased representation as a result of a high illegal alien population. The number of electors is based on each individual state's number of representatives plus its two senators. So illegal aliens, who do not have the right to vote because they are not citizens, may still influence the presidential elections. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#160947Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:17:47 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:160947PeepsAmy B from Portland - and others on this blog who have bashed Reagan - indulge me for a moment. I was a child of the 60's - I grew up in Madison, WI. My dad was a medical school professor at the University of WI - my mom was a "homemaker". My dad was a "Barry Goldwater republican" - my mom, a Roosevelt democrat. Actually, she was a hippie. I had an interesting childhood. I grew up with elementary school drills where we had to hide under our desks in preparation of an atomic attack. As a kid, I was terrified of nuclear war. Obsessed with it, actually. The first president I could vote for was Reagan - when I was in college. I spent my high school years hearing my dad bash Carter - for good reason. After all, I was old enough to really see where the country was at that time. America was weak - our economy was in shambles, we seemed adrift, and a country I never heard of - Iran - had captured some of our people in the US embassy. Everything changed in January of 1980 - my junior year of high school. Reagan was president - the hostages were released (I wonder why), and the country feeled alive again. For the next 8 years, I actually felt "safe" for the first time in my life. If you're old enough to remember, nobody - and I mean nobody - messed with America. If they did, they would pay the price. Not only that, this country experienced the greatest period of economic growth in history (despite the revisionist historians portrayal). My point is, Ronald Reagan did more for America than any president save for Abraham Lincoln. When I compare his legacy to Carter, Bush the First, Clinton or GW, I just laugh. When I look at the times now that we live in - in many ways more dangerous than my childhood - I wish to God (or whatever God you worship), someone, anyone, with the backbone, fortitude, insight and "protector-like" qualities of Ronald Reagan would come forward and enter the 2008 race. Sadly - tragically - that won't happen. I am more afraid now for the security and survival of this country than I have ever been. I just wish more people out there felt the same way that I do. So shame on all you people that ridicule the name of Ronald Reagan. God knows where any of us would be now if not for him.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161087Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:47:15 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161087OliviaAnd to add to what Scott in South Texas just said, Putin's Russia seems to be bringing back the Cold War and Soviet-style foreign policy while we're busy in Iraq and other places involved in the "War on Terror."http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161100Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:04:31 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161100W.D.RussellPres. Carter was probably the nicest person to sit in the whitehouse. Unfortunately, being nice does not translate into being a good leader. His term was mediocre at best. After reading some posts here, it is easy to see why the latest poll showed Fox news viewers were only 2 degrees above incompetent. Ronnie lowered our taxes from 70% to 28%? You folks must make a lot more than I ever did, because I never paid 70%.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161105Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:07:05 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161105Florida FoxIMHO We as gas guzzelers will never reform until it is financially necessary so bring on the high prices. That is the only way to make the average fuel consumer get out of his gas guzzeling SUV. No amount of Presidential or Congressional influence will do it. Although, the 55mph law did help. Hmmm! Now I wonder who did that 55mph thing.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161122Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:13:44 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161122Thank God I'm not a liberal weenie Amy if you honestly think all Reagan did was stand by a podium and ask that the wall be torn down then quite honestly you are the one living in a fantasy world. If you are unable to comprehend what history has recorded then that's something else all together. Unlike you I can accept what's real and what's not despite my political affiliation. I never said Carter was a bad person or didn't accomplish anything good. Carter has accomplished a lot of good namely Habitat for Humanity I've had the privilege of working on several Habitat homes and Carter's heart I believe for the most part is in the right place even though the end results don't often correlate with what he was trying to do. I just think that he was a terrible President and in his book (which I’ve read) I feel that he distorted some of the facts history has already recorded and there was to me an underlying state of anti-Semitism. The difference between people like you and me is very simple, you see only what you want in people because you have a hate for the other side, doesn't matter how great the accomplishment you already have a pre-determined mindset which is obvious by your take on Reagan. I on the other hand am willing to give the majority of people a chance regardless of their political beliefs unlike liberals who ask that we do as they say not as they do, hence the moniker Thank God I'm not a liberal weenie. That being said there are liberals I that I like even though we disagree on a great many things. I have many liberal friends who I refer to as liberal weenies and they respond in kind conservative weenie. We have great debates but I think the biggest difference I’ve noticed is that if one of our leaders has accomplished something good we don’t try to water it down and dilute it we both recognize the good (and defiantly the bad) that can come from both sides. The point is we have history that clearly defines what has already happened we can choose to ignore it (and be ignorant to what’s actually happened in our world) or we can choose to acknowledge it (and have a greater understanding of what’s actually going on in our world). I form my opinions based on what we already know what history has shown as actual events or happenings and the outcome it produced. I don’t look at what I want to believe or wish was true just because I don’t always agree with the other side or think I'm right when history says I'm not. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161128Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:21:15 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161128Florida FoxJimmy Carter may not have been the greatest president this country has ever seen but he surely has made up for any presidential shortcomings after he left office. Just wish he would quit coming up with his off the wall statements though.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161155Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:37:02 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161155Dave M., Miamisburg, OHJimmy Carter is not a moron. Did you see his speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004? Wow, very biting and very accurate critique of the bone-headedness of the Geo. W. Bush Presidency. Carter may not have been a good, effective President, but he's certainly not a moron. I think his proposal on breaking the country up into regions that get to "take turn" going first makes a lot of sense. Why should we feel obligated to have the primaries fall the same way forever? Just because that's the way we've always done it? Well, that reason is not good enough. Kudos to Carter for having the guts to say it in Iowa. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161158Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:38:50 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161158dogbreth, BRF, WICarter probably has a lot to thank in regards to Iowa being the first state to hold a primary as it helped launch the southern farmer/politician/nuclear submarine captain/govenor on his way to the Presidency. Left with an economy that was demolished by the Vietnam War, Carter rapidly "earned" a bad name - which he furthered by making some weak foriegn policy decisions (that were moral above practicle, as opposed to the current amoral and impracticle). I don't generally comment on these forums as I see lots of people bad-mouthing others instead of trying to make any kind of valid point. The 'ease' of negativity is alive and well. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161164Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:42:09 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161164dogbreth, BRF, WIPeeps, you give WI a bad name.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161169Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:45:27 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161169Dave M., Miamisburg, OHHey Peeps, lighten up. Your praise of Reagan is a little exaggerated and over the top. Reagan was a good President. No doubt. But, so was Bill Clinton; so was John Kennedy and so was Lyndon Johnson. Reagan deserves a lot of credit for what he did, but be careful. Looking back with nostalgia has a way of allowing our minds to recall things as being more grand and wonderful than they actually were.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161174Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:47:43 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161174Amy B Portland, MEMr.Thank God, and what did Reagan specifically do that caused the Soviet Union to crumble? I mean, besides coexisting in the same time period as Gorbechav.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161218Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:13:23 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161218PeepsDogbreth - glad to be out of that liberal hell-hole.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161225Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:20:18 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161225jerry/corpus christi texasI remember Jimmy Carter. All the people out of work, brought to his knees by Iran. Me sitting in a gas line at 6 in the morning once a week to fill up my gas tank based on the last number of my license plate.Not exactly the brightest star on the planet. To bring him back reminds me of the days when it took a man like Ronald Wilson Reagan to save the country from idiots like Jimmy peanut. Bill Conton taught me a lot about how to use your power to seduce a woman in the oval office. Also, what kind of cigar to use and the definition of the word "is".http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161230Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:22:38 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161230Florida FoxPeeps, we have a similar background. My father was with the Corp of Engineers and my grandfather was a railroad engineer. The arguments were very entertaining. Dad thought we should all work for a living, save our money, have no debt and be personally responsible (Republican). Granddad thought we should give it all away to the needy and worshipped Roosevelt, the union and WPA (Democrat). I will add that Granddad worked for the railroad in its heyday and was living large. I thought Dad had the better argument hence my political leanings. Mom voted for Democrats because she wanted to cancel Dad's vote and that was also not a good argument. Through the years I have watched the conventions closely and can honestly say that Democrats are a mostly vindictive backbiting sort and Republicans try to keep it clean. I see no reason to change since the parties have not changed. This venue is a reinforcement of that opinion since most of the name-calling and vicious insults are done by the left leaning contributors. When that changes I may reconsider.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161302Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:00:07 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161302Amy B Portland, MEWell Peeps, the way you describe feeling while Reagan was President is how I felt when Clinton was in the White House. Interesting, isn't it? My father was a Rockefeller type Republican. My mother perpetually mourned the defeat of Wendel Wilkie and later nursed an inexplicable hatred of JFK. I grew up during the corrupt Nixon years and consequently identified with Democrats from that time forward. The first President I voted for, however, was Ford, because I liked him and I didn't trust Carter's big smile. I grew to love Jimmy Carter, though, because I agreed with his values: primarily, he resisted starting a war with Iran over the hostages against the wishes of stupider Americans. Then came the Reagan years. He seemed to believe that his job was to enrich the top 1% while perfecting a smug chuckle. I didn't like him. Then I supported Tsongas in the Democratic primary that Clinton, another big smile Southerner I didn't trust, won. Suddenly, bada bing! we had a President who had Carter's values and Roosevelt's smarts. The economy boomed, opportunities grew, I had a President who worked for all the people, not just the rich, and who was tough without being stupid. Sadly...you know the rest....eight years of the worst President in American history and I have no idea who to support next, but I'm leaning towards Edwards or Obama. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161349Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:20:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161349Thank God for Ronald Wilson ReaganAmy Here's a statement from Gorbachev during a session of the Politburo in October 1986, days before he traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland to offer Reagan a groundbreaking disarmament plan, including a 50 percent reduction in nuclear arsenals. "[W]e will be pulled into an arms race that is beyond our capabilities, and we will lose it because we are at the limit of our capabilities. … If the new round [of an arms race] begins, the pressures on our economy will be unbelievable". How did we get there you ask? Simple Reagan's strategy was to start an arms race he knew that a capitalist society (like the US) had the power to overwhelm a socialist communist regime. At the end of the day the USSR just couldn't compete with American ingenuity and the fact that we had more to spend because of the capitalist society we lived in. Reagan simply put bankrupted the Soviet Union effectively ending the Cold War with out firing a shot. But Amy that’s just the tip of the ice-burg there is so much more to what Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and Margaret Thatcher did as a unified front to help bring down this regime. I don’t know if you were old enough to remember any of this but the USSR was a real threat to not only the US but the world. Their goal was world domination in the form of communist rule. I really don’t have much more time for a history lesson I would say if you’re really interested in learning the truth go to the library or look it up online. Make sure you look at the documented facts not a journalist’s opinion they will usually state that it’s an opinion before they try to discredit Reagan. The truth is out there but you need to ask yourself if you’re willing to accept it. I don’t expect nor do I wish to change your political affiliation I would just hope that you are willing to accept Reagan for what he was…one of the greatest American Presidents (and there is a list of others Lincoln, Washington, Kennedy, Roosevelt no name a few) that we’ve ever had. Try to understand without partisanship some of his remarkable accomplishments. Not sure if you were aware of this but after Reagan won the Presidency for the first time in 1980 he didn’t want to leave California and Rancho Del Cielo, he was very aware of the gravity of holding the office of President he knew how difficult the journey was going to be. He had enough money that he could have stayed away and led a comfortable life away from politics at his ranch but he knew America needed change at the time we were a lost nation. Nancy had to get the Secret Service get him to leave, I don’t know about you but with all of the power hungry politicians we have in our country that spoke volumes to me about what a great man he truly was any one of our leaders today would have (and have been) in the White House while the chair in the Oval Office was still warm. We were lucky to have him lead our nation and he couldn’t have come at a better time in our history. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161361Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:27:16 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161361Mark FloridaAmy the best thing Clinton did was leave Reagan's economic policies in place Clinton inhereted a great economy from the Reagan years. BTW I supported getting our fellow citizens out of Iran while Carter stood by and did nothing as soon as Reagan took office they handed us back our people...well most of them just not the ones they killed on Carter's watch. If that makes me a 'stupider' American for wanting my fellow citizens to be safe then I'll gladly take on that title. FYI I'm not in the top 1% never was not even close but he made a difference in my life after Carter was out and about 2 years into Reagans Presidency I had a better job my interest rate on my home went down when we refinanced oh and I didn't have to wait in line for gas. Amazing what 'stupider' Americans can do when they vote in the right guy.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161402Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:47:32 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161402PeepsAmy - It's amazing how two people can view the same person so differently. Guess we're all just products of our environment. Hell, I had no choice. My 5th grade class picture shows me wearing a "Nixon '72" button (election day that year coincided with picture day). My dad stuck the button on my shirt that morning before school and told me NOT to take it off.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161474Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:27:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161474Lee in MV"This venue is a reinforcement of that opinion since most of the name-calling and vicious insults are done by the left leaning contributors." You need to start reading ALL the postings, because what you say is simply not true. May I point out the "Thank God I'm not a liberal weenie" clown? or "Liberal hell-hole"?http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161512Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:52:25 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161512Florida FoxLee, I qualified that remark. I did not say all. Now I will really date myself by saying the decisive moment in my political sway came during the Stevenson-Kefauver vs Eisenhower-Nixon election run in 1956. I was just a pup then and probably listened to every word. There was a very distinct difference in how those campaigns were conducted. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161519Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:55:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161519Amy B Portland, MEWell Mark, I agreed with Carter's decision not to take military action against Iran, which would have resulted in the deaths of those hostages and a whole lot of Iranians. If one's objective is to save the hostages, then wouldn't you agree that an action that would result in getting them killed would be "stupid?" Khomeni waited till after the election to release the hostages to spite Carter, and because there was no longer a point to holding them. Nothing Reagan did resulted in that outcome.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161555Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:17:50 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161555Florida FoxWe might be on to something. Seems like one of the major political influences come from an admired family member.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161571Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:28:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161571PeepsMaybe releasing the hostages - in part - was to spite Carter, but more likely the reason was they knew Reagan would bomb them back into the stone age.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161597Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:43:55 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161597Florida FoxDoesn't anyone remember the failed attempt under the Carter administration at rescuing the hostages? It was a miserable failure with helicopter crashes in the desert and participants dead and Iran still uses our left behind helicopters in their navy. Nobody every dreamed that there would be a sand storm in the desert - daa! This was one of the primary reasons Carter was not reelected.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161604Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:47:31 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161604Russell in MarylandPeeps finally I understand -- Daddy stuck a Bush button on your shirt and told you not to take it off -- just joking, not trying to be mean. By the way here is what Wikipedia says about the Iranian hostage release; no mention of Ronald Reagan. "The Algiers Accords of January 19, 1981, were brokered by the Algerian government between the USA and Iran to resolve the situation that arose by the capture of American citizens in the American embassy in Tehran. By this accord the American citizens were set free. The US chief negotiator was then Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher."http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161639Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:11:34 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161639Scott in South TexasGood point, Peeps. Then Reagan, et al paid Saddam Hussein to use chemical weapons on the Iranians for the next eight years.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161641Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:12:00 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161641Thank God for RRWell said Peeps that is all those people understand and luckily unlike Carter and apparently Amy it's what Reagan knew as well. The Iranian's knew Carter was weak and they took advantage of him. Amy's trying to rationalize hatred...I guess we're trying to do the same with her hatred for the right can't be done she'll never agree that Reagan was a great President because she and others on the left are too blinded by hatred. So even though I know they don't wish America ill will they do empathize with our enemy because they all have something in common they all have a blind hate despite what history tells us. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161662Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:22:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161662Mark FloridaI agree with Peeps Amy you can justify it any way you want but it's obvious Carter was never going to figure it out Iran knew that and Reagan knew that. Especially because before Reagan even got into the Wwhite House he said he wouldn't stand for them holding our citizens hostage. Iran knew they were screwed once Reagan took oath. Do you really think they gave a d--n about Carter? If they did why didn't they release the hostages to him in the first place. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161730Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:25:10 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161730Scott in South TexasFlorida Fox, I remember that the military planned the rescue attempt, executed it according the their plan, and then experienced disastrous results (what Clauswitz called "friction"). Carter was blamed, but I don't recall hearing or reading anywhere that he specified the details of the plan.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161735Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:29:40 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161735Lee in MVThanks, FlA Fox. As it happens, I was in strong agreement with a lot of what you posted here, except the comment I commented on, and the notion that Jimmy Carter controls the weather in Iran. That was simply a tragedy.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161737Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:30:47 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161737jtbScott: O.K., you're right: I was using the generic term "Russia", when the more accutate label I should have used was USSR(CCCP): didn't think anyone would notice. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161753Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:42:25 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161753Florida FoxWell, just as today we blame the President for all military errors, they blamed Carter for the failure of that mission. History is bound to repeat itself.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161776Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:54:57 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161776Florida FoxLee, Carter didn't control the weather. The planners failed to include that possible event in their planning. What I said was Carter got blamed for the failure of the mission. Much like our current administration is blamed for mission failures.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#161869Fri, 20 Apr 2007 21:13:01 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:161869Amy B Portland, MENot so fast Florida Fox. Presidents ought to be held accountable for policy decisions but its ridiculous to blame them for one single mission failure. Bush's policies have caused the lose of many helicopters, and pilots, and service people and made us look weak in the eyes of our enemies. Carter resisted the pressure to bomb Iran, thus saving the lives of an untold number of people. Reagan bolstered Saddam Hussein, in a policy that he should be judged by.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#162466Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:29:43 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:162466Jane, Southern MississippiYou know what I remember? The gas lines were before 1976, the year Carter was elected. I know this because I was in college when we had the gas lines, and it was before 1976. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#162947Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:34:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:162947Thank God for RRYeah Amy we should judge Reagan for helping to fund Iraq & Afgan to help them in their fight against the former Soviet Union. As I've said before no one knew how much of a threat we faced until 9-11. What Reagan did was stop the single greatest threat (of that time) to America and the world and as such he is judged by that. Carter well even the Democrats know he was a lousy President so nuff said. Amy if you think any different you are simply dillusional. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/19/157766.aspx#163318Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:08:27 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:163318Amy B Portland, MEReagan was a fantasist, playing President and riding the winds of his time. Jimmy Carter was too awake for the American people. Many people prefer fantasy over reality. Carter tried to get Americans to grapple with reality but they preferred to believe in Rambo, Dynasty and Donald Trump. Carter has spent his career monitoring elections in fledgling democracies, grabbling with issues regarding the middleeast, and spearheading the eradication of diseases in Africa. He has engaged in life rather than floating above the world like a Macy's Day balloon. If you prefer your Reagan fantasy, fine for you, I admire people who make an effort in the real world.