Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Carter's Humility Also Superior

More Carter!

Promoting his latest book (honest question: who buys these books?), blessedly ex-President Jimmy Carter is quoted as saying the following:

I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents. Primarily because of the activism and the injection of working at the Carter Center and in international affairs, and to some degree, domestic affairs, on energy conservation, on environment and things of that kind.


Is this how Miss Lillian raised her boy to talk?

Can we imagine a more blatant way that Carter could confirm the miserable impression that most people presently have of him?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nothing beats Jimmy's letter of apology to his sister for killing her cat:

5/13/90
To Sybil,

Lamentably, I killed your cat while trying just to sting it. It was crouched, as usual, under one of our bird feeders & I fired from some distance with bird shot.

It may ease your grief somewhat to know that the cat was buried properly with a prayer & that I’ll be glad to get you another of your choice.

I called & came by your house several times. We will be in the Dominican Republic until Thursday.

I’ll see you then.
Love, Jimmy

Anonymous said...

You really hate Carter, don't you. It seems you two both outdo each other on lack of humility.

Jon A. Alfred E. Michael J. Wile E. SWNID said...

Anon, why should we limit our ridicule of the arrogant to self-ridicule?

JB in CA said...

The letter mcarswell quoted is priceless. Along with the passage that SWNID cited, I've been amusing myself imagining how Carter might have broken the news of the cat to his sister, had he done so in person:

Sybil: Jimmy, what brings you here? Is someone important in town?

Jimmy: (Changing the subject) Lamentably, I killed your cat while trying just to sting it.

Sybil: (Tears welling up) Sting it! Why were you trying to sting it?

Jimmy: It was crouched, as usual, under one of our bird feeders.

Sybil: That's what cats do!

Jimmy: Not if they get stung just right. Anyway, I fired from some distance with bird shot.

Sybil: (Mortified, pointing behind Jimmy) What's that lump of dirt in my front yard? Please, say it's not ... Fluffy!

Jimmy: (Glancing over his shoulder) It may ease your grief somewhat to know that the cat was buried properly with a prayer.

Sybil: (Sobbing) No, not Fluffy! How can I ever go on without Fluffy?

Jimmy: I’ll be glad to get you another cat of your choice ... as long as you can wait 'til the end of the week, that is. We will be in the Dominican Republic until Thursday.

Sybil: The Dominican Republic!? Why would you abandon me in my hour of need?

Jimmy: Primarily because of activism and international affairs, and to some degree, energy conservation, the environment and things of that kind.

Sybil: But can't you find someone else to take care of all that? I need you here. Maybe Clinton or one of the Bushes could do it.

Jimmy: I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents. And besides, Rosalynn hasn't won a Nobel Prize yet, so I've arranged for her to speak to a group of activists down there about helping others.

Sybil: What about helping me?

Jimmy: With what?

Anonymous said...

"Jimmy!"
"Yes, Ms. Lilian."
"Shhhh. You're doing it again..."
"Sorry, I just want someone to like me."
"I like you, Jimmy. Just keep your mouth shut! People think you are being follish again."
"Yes, Ms. Lilian."

Anonymous said...

JB, you've really outdone yourself. The only tweak I would make is this:

Jimmy: Not if they get stung just right. Anyway, I fired from some distance with bird shot.

Sybil: (Sound of record scratching) Birdshot?!

(The Bennie Hill theme song begins, Sybil grabs a 20 gauge and chases Jimmy, firing over his head)

JB in CA said...

mcarswell: Yes, exactly! But the Benny Hill motif requires one more edit:

(The Bennie Hill theme song begins, Sybil grabs a 20 gauge and chases Jimmy, firing over his head, at which time, Jimmy's pants fall down.)

Unknown said...

but hasn't he done more as an ex-president than most other ex-presidents? It is not always prideful to state the truth as truth because it is the truth.

SWNID, do you have a link or source to the quote that provides more context to what Mr. Carter is saying?

Jon A. Alfred E. Michael J. Wile E. SWNID said...

Hensel, sorry, we neglected the link. We saw this via a Google News link to Fox News, but it was widely quoted by various news sources.

As to how much Carter has done relative to other ex-Prezzies, we don't know what units of measure Mr. Carter was applying, nor whether he considered the maxim that less can be more. But even if there's some objective measure of post-presidential activity, it is unseemly of the man himself to draw attention to it. Mr. Carter promised us in 1976 that he would never lie. We wish now that he had promised that he would never boast.

Anonymous said...

Well, it looks like Carter has taken ill. At 85 he'll be dead soon and that should make you quite happy.