President Biden Honors Longtime Friend and Former President Jimmy Carter
On Thursday, President Joe Biden delivered a heartfelt eulogy for former President Jimmy Carter, marking the end of a political friendship that spanned nearly five decades.
“Throughout his life, [Carter] showed us what it means to be a practitioner of good works and a good and faithful servant of God,” Biden remarked. “Today, many think he was from a bygone era. In reality, he saw well into the future.”
Carter’s Political Journey
Jimmy Carter began his political career as the governor of Georgia before launching his presidential campaign in December 1974. Initially seen as an underdog, Carter was relatively unknown beyond Georgia, and the Democratic primary field was crowded with 16 other candidates.
In a pivotal moment in August 1975, Joe Biden, then the youngest U.S. senator and a rising Democratic star, became the first senator to endorse Carter. This support was crucial in helping Carter secure the Democratic nomination.
Biden actively campaigned for Carter, expressing confidence in Carter’s ability to win the presidency. In a September 1976 interview with KFMB in San Diego, Biden stated, “I think the biggest thing the debates will do is firm up which way the undecided voters are going to go, and I’m convinced they’ll go with Gov. Carter.”
Presidential Legacy
Both Carter and Biden served a single term in the White House. Carter’s presidency is remembered for significant achievements such as the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt and the establishment of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. However, his term faced challenges like high inflation and international tensions.
In 1980, Carter faced a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy at the Democratic convention. Biden was among the senators who opposed Kennedy, helping Carter retain the party’s nomination. Biden’s speech at the convention criticized Republican candidate Ronald Reagan while delegates from Delaware displayed a “Biden in ’84” banner.
Post-Presidency Contributions
After losing the 1980 election to Reagan, Carter dedicated his post-presidency to humanitarian efforts, including volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and combating the Guinea worm disease in Africa. When Carter began this work in 1986, there were 3.5 million cases of the disease. By 2023, as he entered hospice care, only 14 cases remained.
Biden commended Carter’s post-presidential work during his eulogy. “Jimmy Carter also established a model post-presidency by making a powerful difference as a private citizen in America and around the world,” he said. “Through it all he showed us how character and faith starts with ourselves and then flows to others.”
Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and passed away on December 29 at the age of 100.
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