In an interview scheduled to air Sunday, Jimmy Carter told George Stephanopoulos he wants Al Gore to run in 2008, but that he's worried Gore won't do it.
ABC's Political Radar blog quotes President Carter:
. . . . "If Al should decide to run -- which I'm afraid he won't -- I would support Al Gore."
The former Democratic President asserted Gore could accomplish much more in the White House than he ever could as a private citizen, saying to Stephanopoulos, "His burning issue now is global warming and preventing it. He can do infinitely more to accomplish that goal as in the incumbent in the White House, than he can making even movies that get -- you know, that get Oscars."
Interestingly, Carter told Stephanolpoulos that he was afraid he pestered Gore too much:
Despite public pressure from Carter and others, the former President does not believe Gore will make a second bid for the White House saying, "I don't think he will. I've put so much pressure on Al to run that he's almost gotten aggravated with me."
Carter told Stephanopoulos that he had not called Gore "lately" adding, "He almost told me, the last time I talked, 'Don't call me anymore.'"
I hope he's joking. It's kinda wierd to think of Jimmy Carter as Al Gore's borderline stalker. And if Jimmy Carter is bugging Gore, phoning him up all "Please, Al, please please run," I have to wonder how Gore is reacting to the netroots' Draft Gore movements.