Biden mourns the death of his “dear friend” Jimmy Carter, and others pay tribute to the former president

Reactions to the death of former President Jimmy Carter honored his service to the country and his contributions around the world after his time in the White House.

President Joe Biden appeared on television from the White House on Sunday evening to pay tribute to Carter both politically and personally, noting, “Jill and I have lost a dear friend.” But what he found most extraordinary about Carter, he added, be the fact that millions of people around the world shared this feeling – whether they had met him or not.

“Cancer has been a common bond between our two families,” Biden confided, saying they shared the belief that America “has the talent and resources to one day eradicate cancer as we know it, if we have the appropriate resources.” Make investments.”

Biden praised the renowned philanthropist for being a man of words and deeds, saying: “We would all do well to be a little more like Jimmy Carter.”

On behalf of the nation, he told Carter’s family, “We send our deepest condolences and gratitude” for that life of service – both in the Oval Office and in the decades that followed.

Finally, Biden remarked about Carter’s funeral: “I think he’s happy, and he’s happy with Rosie” – referring to Carter’s beloved late wife Rosalynn Carter, who died a year earlier in November 2023.

MORE: Jimmy Carter’s legacy lives on through Habitat for Humanity, volunteers say

He had called Carter earlier in the evening “a man of great character and courage and hope and optimism.”

“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, build peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and always advocate for the most vulnerable among us,” Biden said in a statement . “He saved, uplifted and changed the lives of people around the world.”

Vice President Kamala Harris mourned Carter’s death on Sunday, saying in a statement that the former president “was guided by a deep and abiding faith – in God, in America and in humanity.”

“I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom and deep grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me – and will inspire generations to come. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter,” Harris added.

MORE: Jimmy Carter’s unlikely journey from defeated one-term president to our best ex-president: Analysis

Former President Bill Clinton said he and his wife, Hillary Clinton, “mourn the death of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – to the end.”

President-elect Donald Trump said of Carter: “The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a crucial time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for that.”

Former President Barack Obama praised the former president’s honesty, particularly in the wake of Watergate, when he said in a statement that Carter “promised voters to always tell the truth. And that’s what he did – he stood up for the common good, consequences be damned.” He believed that some things were more important than re-election – things like integrity, respect and compassion, because Jimmy Carter believed that as deeply as anything else we are all created in God’s image.

House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi also acknowledged the times when Carter was elected to the White House:

“His work as president to restore the integrity of the political arena during a difficult chapter in our history was a testament to his firm belief in the sanctity of the common good, which he always placed above his own good,” she said in a statement. “After leaving the White House, he continued his service – leading perhaps the most influential post-presidential term in history.”

Former President George W. Bush called Carter “a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community and his country. President Carter honored the office. And his efforts to leave a better world didn’t end there.” His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center is an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said: “President Carter lived a truly American dream. A religious peanut farmer from small town Georgia volunteered to serve his country in uniform. He was hundreds of meters under the ocean at the helm of state-of-the-art submarines. He returned home and saved the family farm before being drawn to a different kind of public service. And less than 15 years after his first campaign for the state Senate, his fellow Americans elected him leader of the free world.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Carter “one of our most humble and dedicated public servants.”

“President Carter embodied the true meaning of leadership through service, compassion and integrity,” Schumer said in a statement.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a post on X that he was “grateful for the incredible life, legacy and leadership of President Jimmy Carter.”

“He was a great man, a great role model and a great humanitarian.”

MORE: Jimmy Carter’s life in pictures

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Carter “set the standard for post-presidential service through his work with Habitat for Humanity.”

The Clintons’ statement summarized Carter’s impact:

“From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia to his efforts as president to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama and secure peace .” between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; on his post-presidential efforts at the Carter Center to support honest elections, advance peace, fight disease and promote democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s dedication and hard work at Habitat; “Humanity – he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.”

Biden mourns ‘dear friend’ Jimmy Carter, and others pay tribute to former president. Originally appeared on abcnews.go.com