From the department of unhelpful praise, former President Jimmy Carter tells Rachel Maddow he's a-ok with the idea of Mitt Romney as the GOP presidential nominee.

"I'm not taking a position, but I would be very pleased to see him win the Republican nomination," Carter told the MSNBC host, according to advance interview excerpts.

I'd be willing to bet that the Party power brokers at Walbridge, Alticor and certain capitolcritters are none too smiley faced right about now.