The other thing that was wrong with Jay Carney’s comment

Both quotes used come from the Virginia Ratifying Convention:

“The extent of the United States cannot render this government oppressive.  The powers of the general government are only of a general nature, and their object is to protect, defend, and strengthen the United States; but the internal administration of government is left to the state legislatures, who exclusively retain such powers as will give the states the advantages of small republics, without the danger commonly attendant on the weakness of such governments.”

Francis Corbin

“The powers of the general government relate to external objects, and are but few.  But the powers in the states relate to those great objects which immediately concern the prosperity of the people.  Let us observe, also, that the powers in the general government are those which will be exercised mostly in time of war, while those of the state governments will be exercised in time of peace.”

James Madison