George F. Will delivers a combined history lesson and rhetorical spanking to public nuisance Jimmy Carter, who apparently clings to the baseless notion that he lost the 1980 presidential campaign because Will purloined a debate briefing book.
The role of ex-president requires a grace and restraint notably absent from Carter. See, for example, his criticism of America when he is abroad, as in England two weeks ago. Having made such disappointing history as president, Carter as ex-president should at least refrain from disseminating a historical falsehood.Posted by Alan at August 13, 2005 11:56 AMSo strong, however, is the human impulse to believe comforting myths, Carter probably will continue to promulgate the fiction that I gave Reagan the utterly unimportant briefing book, thereby catalyzing the 1980 landslide. But to be fair: As a candidate, Carter promised only that as president he would never tell a lie, thereby leaving himself a loophole for his post-presidential career as a fabulist.