the Note: Carter appearance 'tantamount to an endorsement'

[CMT]

ABC News's Dan Harris reports on the Carter non-endorsement appearance: "They've known about the Carter thing for about a week," he says. "The ex-Gov and the ex-Pres have been trying to set up a meeting for some time. Carter offered the 18th, according to senior campaign aides. An aide noted that there's an unwritten rule that former presidents don't endorse, so this is 'tantamount to an endorsement.' The senior aide sid he believes Carter understands the significance of what he's doing and that he thinks Carter is a supporter of the campaign."

I will say this, Carter still has supporters who remember him from '76 in the state of Iowa and hopefully this will help with them and with other people who appreciate the opinion of this great man of peace.

http://abcnews.go.com/sectons/politics/TheNote/TheNote.html
found under heading ABC News Vote 2004: the Democratic nomination fight.

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. Carter says he will be glad to have visits with any of the candidates

Apparently Carter's office felt concerned enough about the "endorsement" rumors to issue a statement clarifying the matter.

[TrueAmerican]

2. Carter said it wasn't an endorsement

And made it clear that he previously met with General Clark.

I think Jimmy got a sense he was being used by the Dean campaign.

[KaraokeKarlton]

4. hogwash...Carter's son works for Dean's campaign

n/t

[TrueAmerican]

5. Nope, seen him make his statement on CNN

He made it clear it was not an endorsement, the Dean campaign contacted him repeatily for this meeting and he was open to meeting all the candidates. He also made it clear that he had previously met with General Wesley Clark.

[blm]

9. Saw on CNN - Carter wanted to clarify he'd meet with ALL candidates.

And repeated it was NOT an endorsement.

[Snivi Yllom]

3. So it is an endorsement

All the political hedging and double speak makes me ill sometimes.

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. Sure! It's an endorsement, just not an exclusive one to Dean

He says he will be happy to do the same for any of the candidates.

:)

[deminflorida]

6. Trippi, should keep in mind....

Whatever Carter does in Iowa, Clinton can do in N.H. and South Carolina.

[CMT]

8. we don't even know if Clark is Clinton's candidate

This has just been mere speculation on the part of Clark supporters.

[sandnsea]

10. No, it's a NOT endorsement

This is so silly. Howard Dean is going to fly all the way to Georgia to attend church, when everybody knows he isn't particularly religious, to NOT get an endorsement from Carter. Just plain goofy.