Has he ever said the same thing about Chicago? San Francisco?

Or is he saying this just because Florida has a Republican administration?

Posted by: gus3 at September 27, 2004 10:21 AM

Ditto - Don’t forget New Mexico, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Posted by: Jim at September 27, 2004 11:01 AM

Who cares what this incompetent old fool has to say about anything? Aside from Habitat for Humanity, is there anything this guy has done right since he won the election in 1976?

Being a former President only gets you so far, and he’s such a boob, and an arrogant boob at that, the lustre is long gone.

Posted by: TL at September 27, 2004 01:30 PM

(I am not a lawyer, correct me if I am wrong.)

Traditionally, it is the job of local clerks to run elections. Even with the 14th amendment, the federal government doesn’t run local elections, they just bully localities into running their elections well.

So if West Palm Beach has another cluster freak of an election, it is the fault of local, West Palm Beach clerks, not Federal or even (as I understand Florida law) Florida state officials.

The advantage to having local clerks run elections is that neighbors can best assess who is honest and who is not. It is not so easy to tell with out of towners. The ultimate problem is that West Palm Beach voters have not been electing competent clerks. It is disappointing, though not surprising, that these key facts were omitted.

Posted by: Tomorrowist at September 27, 2004 02:41 PM

…it is the fault of local, West Palm Beach clerks, not Federal or even (as I understand Florida law) Florida state officials

‘Tis true.
Unfortunately though, the locals are doing clean-up work (like actually verifying voter rolls) for sloppy state officials.

Statement from Ion Sancho (supervisor of elections for Leon County, Florida):
We’re faced with an impossible dilemma. And the only way we can solve this dilemma is to do what we did in 2000 which is to verify all of the information on the list. I don’t believe that, for example, in Leon County we can complete the investigation on our 850 person list. Were not legal researchers. We’re not private investigators. We’re election administrators. But if you don’t do this full investigation, the experience of 2000 has basically shown us that we’ll end up disenfranchising Florida voters.
(source: Now! with Bill Moyers, July 2004)

ok, ep

Posted by: elvispresley2k at September 27, 2004 04:10 PM

..another “Blathergate”; to give this man the time of day is a complete waste of time and effort..
..2000 will be “seared” into the minds of the lib`s..now where have I heard that before..
go back to the farm Jimmy you know you cant trust Billy with the still alone ..hell he`ll probably drink up the profits..sheesh give me a break..

Posted by: Rob_NC at September 27, 2004 05:27 PM

Elvis, I agree with your contention that broader (state, federal, even world) government should help maintain clean voter rolls. That is not what President Carter was discussing above.

Judging by the excerpt, President Carter was saying that the problems of 2000 (poor voting procedures, poorly understood voting procedures, contentious recount procedures) would likely be repeated in 2004. He blamed an alledgedly partisan election commission and non uniform voting procedures.

Your observation, though valid, is distinct from President Carter’s observations. I stand by my (implied) claim that local clerks and local voters are to blame for the “hanging chad” problems.

Posted by: Tomorrowist at September 27, 2004 07:25 PM

Most significant, he said, were requirements that a nonpartisan electoral commission or official organize and conduct the electoral process and that voting procedures be uniform for all citizens

Uhh… Has President Carter ever looked at the other 49 states, including Georgia? None of them are organized according to any of these “standards;” they’re organized according to the law as ratified by state legislatures. You know, like the Constitution says they should be.

And exactly what about Katherine Harris’ actions in 2000 made her “highly partisan”? Because she didn’t throw out Florida election law and proclaim Al Gore the winner?

More important to democracy than any of Carter’s “basic international requirements” is the willingness of parties that lose elections to, well, lose. Looks like Carter himself may be one of those Democrats who needs to not only re-imagine the world with conservatives in it, but also a world where conservatives have a right to occasionally win elections.

:jackson

Posted by: jackson zed at September 27, 2004 08:19 PM

Poor Jimmy,

Perhaps he could have observed the vote fraud when Janet Reno was running for office. This was a Democratic Primary so the Republican Party “wasn’t involved.”

The counties have jurisdiction over elections. The Secretary of State merely tallies the totals. Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward are Democrat Party controlled.

But, at least Jimmy can look at his Legacy: 1. Fair elections in Venezuela. 2. Jean Bertrand Aristide in Haiti. 3. Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran. 4. Sandinistas in Nicaragua. 5. US Embassy held hostage by the grateful Iranians. and his proudest moment, 6. North Korean nukes.

Posted by: JoeS at September 27, 2004 11:36 PM