Carter slams Bush administration

In a rousing speech to Democrats, former President Jimmy Carter spoke out against the mistakes and miscalculations of the Bush administration over the past three and a half years.

Carter attacked the record of the Bush administration, saying they had squandered opportunities and made bad choices. He highlighted the need for trust, saying:

Truth is the foundation of our global leadership, but our credibility has been shattered, and we are left increasingly isolated and vulnerable in a hostile world. Without truth, without trust, America cannot flourish. Trust is at the very heart of our democracy, the sacred covenant between a president and the people. When that trust is violated, the bonds that hold our republic together begin to weaken.

He also blasted the administration on issues such as Iraq and the environment, calling for new leadership:

After 9/11, America stood proud, wounded but determined and united. A cowardly attack on innocent civilians brought us an unprecedented level of cooperation and understanding around the world.

But in just 34 months we have watched with deep concern as all this good will has been squandered by a virtually unbroken series of mistakes and miscalculations. Unilateral acts and demands have isolated the United States from the very nations we need to join us in combatting terrorism.

Let us not forget that the Soviets lost the Cold War because the American people combined the exercise of power with the adherence to basic principles based on sustained bipartisan support. We understood the positive link between the defense of our own freedom and the promotion of human rights. But recent policies have cost our nation its reputation as the world's most admired champion of freedom and justice.

What a difference these few months of extremism have made. The United States has alienated its allies, dismayed its friends, and inadvertently gratified its enemies by proclaiming a confused and disturbing strategy of preemptive war.

Carter's speech was one of the most critical speeches of the administration's policy of the entire night, and a great speech that outlined why President Bush must be replaced in November 2004.

Carter's entire remarks will be available from the NPI Elections Center.