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Former President Jimmy Carter passed away Sunday and President Joe Biden used his death as an occasion to attack his incoming successor.
The outgoing lame-duck president addressed the nation on Sunday and took the opportunity to laud Carter, the 39th President of the United States, while also jabbing at President-elect Donald Trump.
Biden said he “lost a dear friend” as he spoke of the former president who passed away in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100, adding that the Democrat was a model “of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith, and humility.”
“Some look at Jimmy Carter and see a man of a bygone era with honesty and character. Faith and humility mattered, but I don’t believe it’s a bygone era,” Biden said of the man he’d known for more than 50 years. “We’d all do well to try to be more like Jimmy Carter.”
(Video Credit: Fox5)
He recalled when Carter was governor of Georgia in the 1970s and asked Biden for help with his presidential campaign.
“He grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘I need you to help with my campaign,’” Biden remembered. “I said, ‘I’ve only been around a couple of years, Mr. Governor.’ He said, ‘No, it’ll make a difference.’”
“I said, ‘I’m not sure it will,” the president continued. “When I endorsed him for president, I told him why [I] was endorsing him and that it was not only his policies but his character, his decency, the honor he communicated to everyone.”
A reporter asked what Trump could learn from Carter’s legacy and Biden responded, “Decency.”
“Decency, decency, decency. … Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking by someone who needed something and just keep walking? Can you imagine Jimmy Carter referring to someone by the way they look or the way they talk?” Biden asked.
“I can’t. I can’t,” he continued. “You know, I think the end of the deal here is that one of the reasons why we’re looked to by the rest of the world, for the bulk of our nation we’ve laid out what our values are. We said what we believed. It’s not just in the Declaration, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident,’ but there’s a feeling. The rest of the world looks to us, looks to us. And he was worth looking to.”
Social media users were quick to react.
Biden should say that to himself.
— Janis Thereault (@JThereault) December 30, 2024
Biden did this even though Trump put out a completely positive, decent statement about President Carter, of course.
Democrats are insane.
— Kate Johnson (@kaideejay) December 30, 2024
One finger pointing at Trump, four back at himself.
There is nothing decent about Biden.— Lex Watterson (@LexWatterson2) December 30, 2024
President Biden is offering lessons on what presidents could learn from the late President Carter. He is certainly right about setting the standard for civility and decency, but here is one that Biden missed: Carter did not pardon his brother Billy in a corruption scandal…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) December 30, 2024
Trump issued his own statement at Carter’s passing.
“The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.”
Vice President-elect Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) also commented.
Jimmy Carter dedicated his life to serving this country. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones. May he Rest in Peace. https://t.co/2tiQyb8N7K
— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 29, 2024
In a follow-up, Trump acknowledged that he “strongly disagreed” with Carter “philosophically and politically,” but said the former president “truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for.”
“He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect. He was a truly good man and, of course, will be greatly missed. He was also very consequential, far more than most Presidents, after he left the Oval Office,” Trump wrote.
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