Jimmy Carter: Idiotus Extremis

It's bad enough that Jimmy Carter ruined his years in the Presidency; does he have to ruin his post-Presidential years as well?

(CNN) -- Former President Carter very politely denied Wednesday that the secretary of state or anyone else in her department had warned him against meeting with Hamas leaders during his recent trip to the Middle East.

Right, Jimmy; I'm sure the administration was all for it. Idiot.

"President Carter has the greatest respect for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and believes her to be a truthful person," his spokeswoman, Deanna Congileo, said Wednesday in a statement.

Keep reading. Here comes the slam . . .

"However, perhaps inadvertently, she is continuing to make a statement that is not true. No one in the State Department or any other department of the U.S. government ever asked him to refrain from his recent visit to the Middle East or even suggested that he not meet with Syrian President Assad or leaders of Hamas."

Oh boy, Carter must be enjoying some peanut butter and crack sammiches again. The administration always requests that American dignitaries not meet with Hamas! Any prudent administration would warn against it. And, if by some insane set of circumstances that an administration did not, wouldn't common sense dictate that former U. S. Presidents avoid meeting with a known terrorist organization? Use your head, Jimmy!

Before departing on the April 13 through 22 trip to Nepal, Israel, the West Bank, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, "President Carter placed a telephone call to Ms. Rice to describe his itinerary and to inform her of his intended conversations. She was in Europe, and her deputy returned his call," the statement said.

"They had a very pleasant discussion for about 15 minutes, during which he never made any of the negative or cautionary comments described above. He never talked to anyone else."

I don't want to call the former President a liar . . . but I don't know how to finish this sentence.

Carter was responding to an assertion made Tuesday in Kuwait City by Rice, who told reporters in response to a question, "I want to be very clear. We counseled President Carter against coming to -- against going to the region, and particularly against having contacts with Hamas." (H/T - CNN)

Of course you did, Ms. Rice. You would be derelict in your duties if you didn't.

I can understand Carter trying to solidify his place in history as something other than a terribly mediocre President, but he is going about it in the worst way possible. Personally, I do not think history will look too kindly on his recent exploits.

Jimmy Carter should go back to building shelters for the homeless.