Former President Carter Has No Favorite Yet In 2020 Race, Urges Diplomacy With Iran
Former President Jimmy Carter, shown last year, said Tuesday at the Carter Center that he is still optimistic about the future of the United States.
John Amis / Associated Press file
Former President Jimmy Carter says he and his wife Rosalynn were both Bernie Sanders supporters in 2016.
At an event Tuesday night at the Carter Center, the former president says he’s still undecided for 2020.
“I’d like for them to pledge to promote and be the world champion of peace, the world champion of human rights and the world champion of environmental quality and the world champion of equality of treatment among people,” Carter said, as he reiterated his vision for the Carter Center.
“If they would do those three or four things, I would probably vote for them,” he noted, adding that he would eventually vote for one of the Democratic candidates.
Carter says another four years with President Donald Trump would be “a disaster.”
He did credit Trump for his reluctance to go to war, particularly with Iran.
The U.S suspects Iran as being responsible for drone strikes on a critical Saudi oil facility last weekend.
Carter, whose time in office was marked by a hostage standoff with Iran, says he hopes the current tensions won’t lead to war.
“I would say resolve the issue diplomatically, and I believe that’s what the president is inclined to do,” Carter said. “And as far as being friendly with Iran, I think we ought to try to find some way to directly talk to them with a mutual respect.”
The former president also said he appreciated Saudi Arabia always being supportive of his Mideast peace efforts in the late 1970s.
Asked by an audience member if he was still optimistic about the future of the country, Carter said he was.
“I think the United States still has that innate strength that comes from having such a diverse population,” Carter said. “So I’m very optimistic about the future of the United States.”
Rosalynn Carter, meanwhile, continues to spearhead the Carter Center’s effort around the globe to remove the stigma from mental health.
“We have a long way to go still, but I think it’s beginning to lift a little bit,” she said.
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