That’s a trick question, of course. There are actually a few differences. Carter was governor of a more important State. Clinton committed adultery in the White House, Carter just in his heart. As President, it took Carter weeks to become a national laughingstock. Clinton managed before even taking office. Carter’s fantasy was a killer rabbit in the wild, Clinton’s was the attentions of Monica under the Oval Office desk.

Carter surrounded himself with a "Georgia Mafia" whose failings were the same as his own. Clinton surrounded himself with a group of sycophants with the morals of . . . well, a Clinton. Jimmy had his energy malaise. Slick Willie had his impeachment depression.

Both had unpopularity that was well deserved. Carter proved that the Office of President really was powerful enough to totally screw up the American economy in three years or less. Clinton proved that, short of murdering someone in front of the TV cameras on the White House lawn, a president can be a crooked as he wants and Congress will do nothing.

With an economy in the toilet, a gas crises, the Iran hostage debacle and his administration the laughing stock of the world, Carter spent his time doing things like figuring out the White House tennis court playing schedule so his staff wouldn’t bicker among themselves so much. Clinton, on the other hand occupied much of his time manipulating the media to keep his scandals off the front pages. Well, that and figuring what little place in the world to bomb next so as to create some front page news that seemed important.

One day, Carter surprised us all by asking: "Is it time for America to relinquish its global leadership role?" Clinton thought so. He wanted a much stronger United Nations.

Today, Clinton is speaking for big fees, touting the blessings of "Third Way" socialism. Carter is visiting a Third World dictator, wondering aloud in public why the United States cannot embrace more communism in its domestic policy.

"Democracy is a framework that permits a people to accommodate changing times and correct past mistakes," Carter told the Cuban people last week "Since our independence, the United States has rid itself of slavery, granted women the right to vote, ended almost a century of legal racial discrimination, and just this year reformed its election laws to correct problems we faced in Florida eighteen months ago."

Nothing gratuitous or America bashing for an ex-president to say in a foreign statement in a communist country there, eh?

Carter left the country with inflation and interest rates in the double digits, high unemployment, a very low consumer confidence, an energy shortage, and a 70 percent tax burden on the highest bracket. These were compounded, of course, by his price, wage and credit controls. Not only did he grow the bureaucracy, Carter facilitated the Department of Energy and the Department of Education, two unnecessary bureaucrat-laden monstrosities. And, many still remember that Carter’s big "fix" on the energy crises was simply that Americans stop using so much energy.

So, what’s this great statesman’s message to the Cuban people?

"Democracy, is based on some simple premises: all citizens are born with the right to choose their own leaders, to define their own destiny, to speak freely, to organize political parties, trade unions and non- governmental groups and to have fair and open trials."

Apparently, Carter forgot something: Cuba is a dictatorship, not a democracy. But, what’s a little dementia between friends. Castro let Carter speak simply because Castro knows damn well the Cuban people will not dare try any of that "democracy" stuff -- not and live very long to tell about it.

"I want us to be friends, and to respect each other," Carter said. Then he called on Congress to allow Americans to travel there unrestricted. Carter also called for "a massive student exchange" between U.S. and Cuban universities.

Swell. What Americans will attend school there? Our passive socialists, maybe? Anyone talking about a republic would soon be imprisoned.

"My nation is hardly perfect in human rights," Carter again gratuitously added. Then he mistakenly said that many U.S. citizens are in prison, "and there is little doubt that the death penalty is imposed most harshly on those who are poor, black or mentally ill."

Clinton and Carter are definitely different personally. The historical similarity is, they are both socialists and both had failed presidencies.