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Jimmy Carter Snubbed for Pope Funeral

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WoodPeckr

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Carter Snubbed for Pope Funeral
April 6, 2005
Posted by James Joyner at 08:24

The American Spectator reports this morning that former President Jimmy Carter lobbied to be part of the U.S. delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II but was snubbed by the Bush administration.

Jimmy Carter Who?

More details are emerging about the White House's decision -- really President Bush's personal decision -- not to include former President Jimmy Carter in the official U.S. delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

According to White House sources, Carter's representatives, apparently from the former president's Carter Center, reached out to the White House over the weekend and offered to lead the U.S. delegation should the President or other senior Bush administration officials not be able to attend. "There was no misunderstanding. It wasn't Carter who made the actual call, but the message was pure Carter gumption," says a White House source. "We were getting lots of calls from lots of people looking to get on this delegation. I would say over the weekend alone we got more than 100 requests, maybe more."

Carter went public on Tuesday with his dissatisfaction at not being invited, after the White House announced that the official delegation would be made up of the current and two prior sitting Presidents, and Secretary of State Rice.

Carter's schtick as self-appointed good will ambassador has certainly worn thin and there is no doubt that he has been an irritant to President Bush, constantly criticizing him in public, something from which former presidents typically refrain. Still, a papal funeral seems an appropriate time to set aside such things.

Update: The White House denies this account, saying Carter withdrew voluntarily.

CARTER ODD MAN OUT ON TRIP (NY Post)

In a surprise move that raised eyebrows, former President Jimmy Carter yesterday said he had been passed over by President Bush for the official delegation to the pope's funeral. Carter said he asked the White House to go, but "was quite willing to withdraw his request" when told only five could go. The official delegation — limited to five by the Vatican — includes President and Mrs. Bush, former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said, "We reached out to [Carter] to be part of the delegation. It was his decision to make. We would have been more than happy to have him as part of the delegation."

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/9939
 
L

loveasian

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On a chair...
Why this one?

Carter missed the funerals of TWO popes while he was President (Paul VI and John Paul I). Why would he care so much now? It's not like he enjoys publicity!
 
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onthebottom

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While a horrible president I've always thought Carter was a great man. He's slipped into crass partisan politics later in his life that threaten to tarnish a truly great post POTUS record. This isn't a phrase you'll see from me often, but Clinton has shown class in his behavior since his tour of duty as POTUS.

Perhaps Carter only wanted to "lead" the delegation....

OTB
 
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Asterix

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As one of the four remaining elected presidents, Carter should have been there. I can't imagine he wouldn't have accepted any role he was asked. A pointless and classless snub by Bush.
 
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Asterix

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yychobbyist said:
Does any of this really matter?
Click to expand...
You post on terb, yet still need to ask this?
 
Y

yychobbyist

Asterix said:
You post on terb, yet still need to ask this?
Click to expand...
The irony did strike me in the middle of my post. But since I've been away for awhile and haven't posted much I figured I needed to up my post count.
 
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Asterix

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Mission accomplished.
 
T

The Scholar

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yychobbyist said:
Does any of this really matter?
Click to expand...
As long as the United States was represented at the papal funeral, it really does not matter who the representatives are as long as it is in accordance with the expectations of the kind of representation expected at a papal funeral. Having said that, since the President was attending, there was no other representation required and the additional folks that tagged along were in the delegation for simple reasons.

1. The President wants his wife with him.

2. Secretary of State Rice was needed so that diplomatic discussions could take place to soothe relations that are frayed due to the shooting of the Italian intelligence officer by US forces.

3. President Clinton is a valuable ally when it comes to dealing with the Europeans due to his collaborative efforts with Europe. IE. Nato action against Yugoslavia in the late 90's.

4. The President wants his father to come along for this historic moment.


Since only 5 could attend, end of story.

Regards.
 
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papasmerf

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Millions of people traveled to Rome this week. Most used their own money. Is Carter so broke he can not afford the ticket?
 
S

someone

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DonQuixote said:
As a bipartisan, multinational issue, who represented Canada?
Seriously, that info got past me.
Click to expand...
Paul Martin and Stephen Harper lead the delegation. The following are members of the delegation:

"The Canadian delegation to Rome will include Mr. Martin's wife Sheila, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, 10 federal MPs, Liberal Senator Marie-Paule Poulin, and native chief Phil Fontaine.

The MPs — mostly Liberals — include cabinet ministers Joe Volpe, Albina Guarnieri and Ethel Blondin-Andrew."
For more details, see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050406.wleadz0406/BNStory/Front
 
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Asterix

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DonQuixote said:
Why would the US be limited to only five delegates?
What's the source of that comment?
Click to expand...
A joint agreement reached by the White House and the Vatican. Certainly if Bush had requested one or two more delegates, especially for a former president, he could have gotten it.
 
H

Hockey_MLnut

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What About Ford?????

I wonder if Former Pres Ford wanted to go as well????????? the snub that Bush gave Carter isnt right. of course bush got Clinton who will be the laughs of the group and Bush also got his daddy to come too so now someone can wipe the drool from his face. and another point should Jimmy Carter be there his initials are JC hmmmm interesting.................
 
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Asterix

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Hockey_MLnut said:
I wonder if Former Pres Ford wanted to go as well?????????
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Ford was never elected president, or even vice-president. Doesn't count. ;)
 
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papasmerf

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DonQuixote said:
Boy, did you miss the point of a presidential delegation. :cool:
It would've been bipartisan - not one of GWBs strong points.

As for OTB's point of Carter tarnishing his reputation -
what was that all about? I keep forgetting OTB and GWB
are at about the same level of bipartisanship.

Why would the US be limited to only five delegates?
What's the source of that comment?

As a bipartisan, multinational issue, who represented Canada?
Seriously, that info got past me.
Click to expand...



I got the point.......Carter wanted a free ride.

Oh well sometimes even the inept must pay full fare.
 
A

Asterix

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papasmerf said:
I got the point.......Carter wanted a free ride.

Oh well sometimes even the inept must pay full fare.
Click to expand...
Spoken by someone who no doubt knows first hand.
 
G

galt

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Pete Graves said:
What a slight that Canada didn't include Mulroney.
Click to expand...
Mulroney is actually very sick right now and in the hospital. I think that this is really getting over complicated. Let's think about this for a moment.

Hmmmmm GWB has been president for 4 years and changeI before him was clinton for 8 years, oh...and before that was Bush Sr. for 4 years (noticing a pattern here, before that was Reagen for 8. Carter was only Carter was only President for two years during John Paul II's time as pope. Prior to that he had the chance to go to the funerals of two popes during his actual presidency and chose not to.

Laura B has to go as the first lady and Condolesa Rice has to go as the Sec. State (in charge of foriegn affairs). Remember the Vatican is not just a big church, it's a country ergo protocol demands that she go. You simply pick the three most recent presidents and go with it.

Historically, Canada has strong roots in Catholicism and many of the delegates from Canada are indeed Catholics (Plus they're Liberals and tend to never pass up a chance on a free trip at taxpayers' exspense).

On the other hand, from a governmental protocol perspective, the US, being a primarily Protestant nation would more likely be treating this more as a state funeral than one of the religious significance that it is to many. So to use up more seats when nations like Spain, France and the countries of Latin America have much tighter links to the Church of Rome (not the country of the Vatican) would have been poor form.

Inviting Jimmy Carter would have been the equivalent of inviting Joe Clarke
 
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BiggieE

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Jimmy Carter wanted to go because the funeral would be a huge media event, unlike Paul IV and John Paul I....sad what he'll dor for exposure now.....
 
W

WoodPeckr

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onthebottom said:
While a horrible president I've always thought Carter was a great man.OTB
Click to expand...
Guess that it just depends on how you 'define' horrible.

In reality Carter was the last honest POTUS since who knows when? That honest trait of his, did him in as the MICC (Military Industrial Corporate Complex, Ike warned us about) just rode 'roughshod' over him from the start and never let up. Carter, a true Christian, had that simple Christian belief that if you treated people honestly they would do the same. Well we all know the Big Money Boys had a field day on him for that as they took him and the country to the cleaners.

Fact:
When Jimmy Carter's term was over the national deficit was $1 Trillion, due to his fiscal conservative policies!
What followed was fiscal mayhem as Reagan/Bush Sr, ended their terms taking the national deficit to $6.5 Trillion,with their peculiar version of
fiscal
conservative policy (which I remember Bush Sr calling more than a few times VOODOO ECONOMICS). Back then those in the GOP said, "Don't worry about that $6.5 Trillion debt! Our economy is soooo big we will grow out of it!".....Guess what? It never happened. We never did grow out of it....and now we have GWB taking debt even deeper as we are told the same GOP fairy-tale...."Don't worry about that $7 Trillion debt! Our economy is soooo big we will grow out of it!.......:p

The real reason Jimmy Carter was snubbed was because of his outspoken opposition to GWB's immoral war in Iraq. GWB only surrounds himself with loyal yes-men and has no use for anybody that raises questions on his highy suspect policies.

Gerald Ford, our first unelected POTUS, is in very frail health and his doctors warned against any travel.
 
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