Former President Jimmy Carter told CNN host Piers Morgan that he would like to develop a closer relationship with President Obama. Though the two have met before, Carter said that their association has been almost non-existent.
“We don’t have any relationship much. I met with him early in his administration. We don’t really have any relationship,” Carter told Morgan, adding “I wish it was a closer one.”
Carter commented on the difficult political issues Obama faces with the current Congress, which he called the least cooperative in history.
“I never had that. I had very good support from Democrats and Republicans all throughout my administration,” Carter said of his one term in office. “I had a very high batting average.”
Earlier in the day, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer spoke with Carter’s grandson, James Carter IV, who recently met President Obama at an Atlanta event. The former president’s grandson was attending the event with his cousin, U.S. Sen. Jason Carter (D-Ga.), who told the president that the Carter IV was responsible sending the now infamous Mitt Romney 47 percent video to Mother Jones.
Carter IV described his encounter with Obama, who thanked him for his support several times.
“He talked to both of us and thanked us for our support. And said, you know, ‘Now that I have a second term, we can make sure these kids get what they need.’” Carter said of President Obama. “The event was … about pre-K, and so, you know, he was definitely on message with the policy piece. And that’s the reason that I do what I do. So I was gratified by that”
The video, in which former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney characterized 47 percent of Americans as entitled, irresponsible tax dodgers, was a part of a 68-minute recording of a speech delivered to campaign supporters. Carter IV came across the tape while researching online videos, and introduced the individual who recorded it to journalist David Korn of Mother Jones.
The elder Carter also had warm words for Argo, a drama set during Carter’s presidency. He praised the film for its dramatic content, but questioned some historical accuracy. Argo dramatizes the efforts of CIA Agent Tony Mendez to rescue a group of hostages during the Iran hostage crisis.
“I hope it gets the Academy Award for best film because I think it deserves it,” the former president said on CNN. “The other thing that I would say was that 90 percent of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian. And the movie gives almost full credit to the American CIA. And with that exception, the movie is very good.”
