Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama would be making what Mr. Carter calls "the worst mistake" if the senator chooses Hillary Clinton as his running mate.
Mr. Carter told Britain's The Guardian newspaper in an interview published Wednesday that putting Senator Clinton on the Democratic ticket as the vice presidential nominee would just accumulate the negative aspects of both candidates.
Mr. Carter also said he would have been against Obama being the vice presidential nominee had Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination.
Mr. Carter, who endorsed Obama for president on Tuesday, said the ticket should include someone who can compensate for Obama's youthfulness and lack of long experience in military and international affairs.
Carter said he favors the former chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Sam Nunn of Georgia, for the vice presidential slot on the Democratic ticket. But Carter says other senior Democrats also have credentials similar to Nunn's.
Clinton has yet to officially drop out of the presidential race, although she has told supporters that she would be open to serving as Obama's vice presidential running mate. A three-person team that includes Caroline Kennedy will help screen potential candidates for the number two spot on the Democratic ticket. Kennedy is the daughter of the late president, John F. Kennedy.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.