Jimmy Carter, the 100-year-old former US president and Nobel peace laureate who rose from humble beginnings in rural Georgia to lead the nation from 1977 to 1981, has died, his nonprofit foundation said December 29. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff James Meyers
7:24 AM – Monday, December 30, 2024
President Joe Biden on Sunday called Jimmy Carter “an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” as he joined the chorus of condolences following the 39th president’s death.
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“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,” Biden wrote. “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. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together.”
“The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism,” the president said.
Carter passed away at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where he was in hospice care for almost two years.
Meanwhile, Biden said that he will order a state funeral for Carter to be held for the former president and U.S. Navy veteran in Washington D.C.
“To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world,” the president wrote. “To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.”
The president said during a press conference Sunday evening that mourners across the globe felt like they lost a “friend as well even though they never met him.”
“And that’s because Jimmy Carter lived a life measured not by words but by his deeds,” said Biden, who knew Carter for 50 years.
Biden also cited how cancer, which Carter was diagnosed with in 2015, was a common bond the two families shared.
The president then recalled how Carter comforted him and his wife Jill when their son died in 2015 of cancer.
“The one thing I admired most about him, he thought and believed – and he really did believe this – and I do as well, everybody deserved an even shot. No guarantees, just a shot. Everybody deserves a shot.”
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