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WASHINGTON D.C. - In a televised address before the press corps Saturday, ageing former Democratic president Jimmy Carter accidentally endorsed Mitt Romney for the presidency, insisting: "Romney is a progressive thinker and he's gonna do a whole bunch of good for America."
Appearing to slur his words as he spoke to various members of the press, the 88-year-old left-leaning goodwill ambassador declared that Romney "is the only guy who can get the job done (inaudible)... it's going to be really exciting to see him win."
"He's the real deal," he continued.
Carter's endorsement comes as a bitter blow for incumbent president, Barack Obama, who is believed to consider former President Carter as a relatively close ally in Washington. Speaking at a campaign stop in northern Virginia, the president expressed disappointment at the news.
"I am surprised that President Carter has opted to endorse my opponent, Governor Romney," he said. "I can only hope that he was just having one of his bad days and that he'll retract his statement after the weekend. We'll have to wait and see."
Carter's surprise announcement comes almost 20 years to the day after former president, Ronald Reagan, opted to endorse Thomas Jefferson in the 1992 presidential election.
Appearing to slur his words as he spoke to various members of the press, the 88-year-old left-leaning goodwill ambassador declared that Romney "is the only guy who can get the job done (inaudible)... it's going to be really exciting to see him win."
"He's the real deal," he continued.
Carter's endorsement comes as a bitter blow for incumbent president, Barack Obama, who is believed to consider former President Carter as a relatively close ally in Washington. Speaking at a campaign stop in northern Virginia, the president expressed disappointment at the news.
"I am surprised that President Carter has opted to endorse my opponent, Governor Romney," he said. "I can only hope that he was just having one of his bad days and that he'll retract his statement after the weekend. We'll have to wait and see."
Carter's surprise announcement comes almost 20 years to the day after former president, Ronald Reagan, opted to endorse Thomas Jefferson in the 1992 presidential election.
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