PRESS RELEASE

---

Jimmy Carter Defends Trump; Offers To Mediate with North Korea

Oct. 23, 2017 (EIRNS)—In an interview in the New York Times Sunday Review section yesterday, former President Jimmy Carter defended the embattled Donald Trump to a rather perplexed Maureen Dowd. Speaking as one who knows, Carter surprised her, saying,

"I think the media have been harder on Trump than any other President certainly that I’ve known about. I think they feel free to claim that Trump is mentally deranged and everything else without hesitation."

Specifically, on the Russia-gate charges, Carter said, "I don’t think there’s any evidence that what the Russians did changed enough votes, or any votes."

Carter’s main point throughout the interview, was that he was ready to make a mission to North Korea, should Trump want him to. Having talked to Trump National Security Advisor McMaster already, Carter said, "I told him I was available if they need me." When Dowd tried to imply that it was Trump who had escalated the crisis, he cut her short, saying, "I’m afraid, too, of a situation—I don’t know what they’ll do. Because they want to save their regime." Elaborating, Carter continued,

"We greatly overestimate China’s influence on North Korea. Particularly to Kim Jong-un. He’s never, so far as I know, been to China. And they have no relationship. Kim Jong-il [Kim Jong-un’s grandfather, whom Carter met with as President] did go to China and was very close to them."

What probably got Dowd the most, however, was that, "Carter was harder on Obama during the interview than he was on Trump." Further,

"[he] complained that Obama had ’refused’ to talk to North Korea more, and then Carter lamented the fact that Obama joined in the bombing of Yemen, which Carter says is the most interesting place he’s ever been."