Jimmy Carter is sick of taking shit for the last 30 years, so guess what? He's just going to brag now. In an interview today he said he's the best post-president ever. Don't like that? Deal with it.

Carter is promoting his new book, White House Diary, a compilation of entries he made into a private diary during his difficult term in the White House. It sounds interesting, on paper! And Carter, who has taken years and years of crap as the model of a failed president, is clearly hoping the book will spark a reassessment of his presidency. And he's not afraid of speaking his mind. Last week, he got into a brouhaha for blaming his universal health care failures on Ted Kennedy. On 60 Minutes last night, he said his presidency was more successful and productive than others since. And now, in an interview with Brian Williams, he's saying that his post-presidency has been "superior to that of other presidents."

BRIAN WILLIAMS: The last photo of you with your— fellow former presidents, you were well off to the side on the right. And I thought to myself, well, there's— there's a possible metaphor. What is it— about you, you think, the way you've— decided to conduct your life and post-presidency? Do you feel listened to? Do you feel— that you receive your due? Or do you feel, in fact, apart from the crowd?

JIMMY CARTER: No. I— I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents. Primarily because of the activism and the— and the injection of working at the Carter Center and in international affairs, and to some degree, domestic affairs, on energy conservation, on— on environment, and things of that kind. We're right in the midst of the— of the constant daily debate.

And— and— and the Carter Center has decided, under my leadership, to fill the vacuums in the world. When— when the United States won't deal with troubled areas, we go there and we meet their leaders who can bring an end to a conflict, or an end to human rights abuse, and so forth. So I— I feel that have an advantage over many other former presidents in being involved in daily affairs that have shaped the policies of our nation and the world.

Easy there, President Smiles. The George W. Bush Institute is hot on the Carter Center's heels.

[Image via AP]