President Joe Biden and others in American politics paid tribute to President Jimmy Carter following his death on Dec. 29.
Carter, the longest-lived American president in history, turned 100 years old in October, though he was already in hospice care at the time. He was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015, and the cancer metastasized to his liver and brain and he long outlived the prognosis.
In a statement, the Carter family said that the Navy veteran, former Georgia governor, and former president “died peacefully … surrounded by his family.”
Reactions from lawmakers and U.S. officials quickly came in following the news.
“Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian,” Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement.
“Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend,” the Bidens wrote. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.”
“He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism,” the First Couple said, confirming that Biden had ordered a state funeral for Carter.
President-elect Donald Trump, who had well-known political disagreements with Carter, also paid tribute to the former president.
“I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
“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.”
Trump said he and his wife, Melania, were “thinking warmly” of Carter’s family and urged others to keep the Carters “in their hearts and prayers.”
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who led House Democrats for 20 years, also weighed in.
“Today, our nation and our world has lost a leader who embodied dignity and decency, grace and goodness,” Pelosi said in a post on X.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was also laudatory of the former president.
“President Carter’s story was one of humble beginnings, and his life is a testament to the boundless opportunities available in this great nation,” Johnson said in a statement.
“Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home,” Johnson said. “No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country. May he rest in peace.”
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) called Carter “a dedicated public servant and a man of faith.”
“President Carter dedicated his life to serving the people of Georgia and our great country—as a naval officer, a governor, and as the 39th President of the United States,” Thune said in a statement.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who will lead Democrats in the incoming Congress, said Carter “personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion, and through integrity.”
“May his memory be a blessing and an enduring reminder of what it means to truly serve,” Schumer said in an official statement.
Carter, as both the former governor of the Peach State and the former president, will be honored by public observances both in Washington, D.C. and Georgia, the Carter Center said.
That will likely include a state funeral in Washington, which could see Carter’s body taken in a procession down Pennsylvania Avenue before being laid in state at the Capitol Rotunda. Historically, former presidents’ funerals have been held at the National Cathedral in the capital.
Biden has said in the past that Carter asked him to deliver his eulogy when the time came.
According to the Carter Center, Carter’s body will ultimately be interred in Plains, Georgia.
From The Epoch Times