Carter Praises Dean's 'Courageous' Stands

It wasn't an official endorsement, but it's hard to see whether there's any difference in the distinction! Carter clearly sees in Dean a fellow traveler:

During Sunday school, Dean sat with Rosalynn Carter at the far end of a pew toward the front. Former President Carter opened the lesson by asking visitors to say which state they were from and when Dean called out Vermont, laughter arose from the packed congregation. Carter introduced Dean and asked him to stand for applause.

Carter's lesson was on integrity and he taught from the book of Job, which Dean recently said was his favorite book of the Bible. Carter told reporters that Job's struggles with those who falsely accused him of being a sinner reminded him of the attacks he suffered during his first presidential campaign.

"After I won in Iowa, I realized what Job was talking about," Carter said. "It seemed like everybody descended on me with all kinds of abuse and accusations, and I felt like I was innocent."

Dean As Matt notes, Dean returned the praise, making explicit mention of Carter's legacy of explicitly linking human rights with foreign policy. In so doing, Carter perfected Neo-Wilsonianism, the commitment to encouraging democratic, free nations. The difference between this and Neo Conservatism is that the latter's commitment to actual democracy falls short when the People of said nation refuse to fall into line with American interests.