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Carter Backs Obama, Almost

Ex-president won't endorse, but calls senator 'extraordinary and titillating'

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 30, 2008 11:07 AM CST
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(Newser) – Jimmy Carter came tantalizingly close to endorsing Barack Obama in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, calling the Illinois senator's campaign "extraordinary and titillating for me and my family." While he's officially neutral, the former president and Nobel Prize winner heaped praise on Obama, predicting that he could win southern states that Democrats have written off in the past.

Since leaving the White House in 1981, Carter has avoided party politics, making his lavish praise for the candidate the more surprising. "I think that Obama will be almost automatically a healing factor in the animosity now that exists," Carter said. He also reported a call from Bill Clinton, who Carter said defended himself against criticism that he had injected race into the Democratic contest. Clinton "has said a few things that I think he wishes he hadn't said," Carter noted.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter pose for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter pose for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)   (Associated Press)
Former President Jimmy Carter speaks to reporters after his meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at U.N. Headquarters, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/David Karp)
Former President Jimmy Carter speaks to reporters after his meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at U.N. Headquarters, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/David Karp)   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks to supporters at a town hall meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Dick Whipple)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks to supporters at a "town hall meeting", Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Dick Whipple)   (Associated Press)
Former US President Jimmy Carter, speaks to journalists after meeting with Nepal's chief election commissioner in Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Nov, 22, 2007.
Former US President Jimmy Carter, speaks to journalists after meeting with Nepal's chief election commissioner in Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Nov, 22, 2007.   (Associated Press)
Former president Jimmy Carter works on building a house Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, in Los Angeles. Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined Carter for Habitat For Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project. It's a build event that takes place in a different location around the world each year. Los Angeles was...
Former president Jimmy Carter works on building a house Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, in Los Angeles. Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined Carter for Habitat For Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project....   (Associated Press)
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Carter, Clinton, Gore celebrate 'New Baptist Covenant'
Associated Press

 
Barack Obama • Jimmy Carter • Bill Clinton • Democratic presidential primaries • endorsement • Election 2008

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