Jimmy Carter to spend 2nd night in Ohio hospital

Former President Jimmy Carter during the promotion of his book... — Former President Jimmy Carter during the promotion of his book "Palestine: Peace, Not Apartheid" in New York in 2006. Credit: MCT

By The Associated PressSeptember 29, 2010

Former President Jimmy Carter will spend a second night in an Ohio hospital for additional medical observation after being whisked from an airplane to an emergency room with an upset stomach.

“President Carter is in very good spirits, appreciates all the good wishes being sent his way, and looks forward to getting back to his busy schedule,” hospital officials said in a statement released Wednesday by MetroHealth Medical Center.

Hospital spokeswoman Susan Christopher declined to say whether Carter’s condition had worsened since he was admitted for stomach problems on Tuesday morning. The 85-year-old ex-president became ill during a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Cleveland, causing rescue crews to rush him to the hospital after the plane landed.

Carter’s medical team recommended that he stay a second night for additional monitoring, Christopher said. Earlier Wednesday, hospital officials said Carter was feeling normal and continued to be observed by doctors.

On Tuesday, Carter’s grandson, Georgia state Sen. Jason Carter, said his grandfather was doing fine.

“He’s definitely resting comfortably and expected to continue his book tour this week,” Jason Carter said. “I haven’t talked to him, but nobody in the family is concerned.” Mary Atkins, who had taken her daughter to the hospital for medical treatment on Tuesday, saw Carter from a nearby room and said he was up, walking around and saying he was ready to leave.

The hospital stay has interrupted Carter’s tour to promote his new book, “White House Diary.” Planned book-signings in Ohio and North Carolina were called off Tuesday. His publisher also canceled scheduled events in Washington on Wednesday, including one at the Smithsonian Institution. The status of an event planned at a Columbia, S.C., bookstore Thursday was unclear.

Carter, a former peanut farmer elected to the White House in 1976, has spent his recent years pursuing peace and human rights, efforts that won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

In the new book, Carter said he pursued an overly aggressive agenda as president that may have confused voters and alienated lawmakers. But he said the tipping points that cost him the 1980 election were the Iran hostage crisis and the Democratic primary challenge by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.

He is the author of more than 20 books, including the 2006 “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid,” about his experiences in the Middle East, and the 2005 “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis.”

Former President Jimmy Carter, feeling normal and hoping to resume a book publicity tour soon, remained in an Ohio hospital Wednesday after doctors recommended additional observation following an overnight stay for an upset stomach.

“Carter is feeling normal this morning,” Christina Karas, spokeswoman at MetroHealth Medical Center said Wednesday.

“His doctors at MetroHealth Medical Center recommended additional observation during the day. He looks forward to resuming his schedule as soon as possible.” It was not immediately clear if Carter would attend two scheduled events in Washington later Wednesday, including one at the Smithsonian Institution, to promote his book “White House Diary.” A message left for the publicity manager at Carter’s publisher was not immediately returned.

Book signings in a Cleveland suburb and Durham, N.C., were canceled Tuesday when the 85-year-old Carter fell ill on a flight to Cleveland.

Carter’s grandson, Georgia state Sen. Jason Carter, said Tuesday his grandfather was doing fine.

“He’s definitely resting comfortably and expected to continue his book tour this week,” Jason Carter said. “I haven’t talked to him, but nobody in the family is concerned.” On Tuesday, Karas said Carter was fully alert and participating in all decision-making related to his care, and that the decision to admit him overnight was purely precautionary.

Carter was a passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Cleveland when he became ill. After the plane landed, he was taken off by rescue crews, said Jackie Mayo, a spokeswoman at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

He was wheeled into an emergency room at MetroHealth on a stretcher and later was up and walking around, said Mary Atkins, who had taken her daughter to the hospital for medical treatment and saw Carter from a nearby room.

“He walked by the room and he was saying he was ready to go,” she said. “They had Secret Service everywhere.”

President Barack Obama called Carter from Air Force One as he traveled from New Mexico to Wisconsin, White House spokesman Bill Burton said. Carter was feeling great, Burton said.

About 500 people had waited in line Tuesday afternoon at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in suburban Lyndhurst, where Carter was scheduled to sign copies of his book. The event was later canceled, as was a Tuesday night appearance at the Regulator Bookshop in Durham, N.C.

“It’s crazy for an 85-year-old guy to fly ... just to sign some books,” Regulator Bookshop co-owner John Valentine said. “He’s a brave guy. His health is most important.” In the book, Carter said he pursued an overly aggressive agenda as president that may have confused voters and alienated lawmakers.

But he said the tipping points that cost him the 1980 election were the Iran hostage crisis and the Democratic primary challenge by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Carter, a former peanut farmer elected to the White House in 1976, has spent his recent years pursuing peace and human rights, efforts that won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

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