President Biden addressed the nation Sunday following the death of former President Jimmy Carter, praising the late politician while slamming the current president-elect during his speech.
In a hoarse voice during his speech, Mr. Biden said Sunday that he had “lost a dear friend,” adding that he had known Mr. Carter for more than 50 years. Carter passed away at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia, after nearly two years of hospice care.
In his speech, Biden said Carter was an example of “what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, of principles, of faith, of humility.”
“Some people look at Jimmy Carter and see a good old-fashioned man of integrity and character. I don't think that's a bygone era where faith and humility were important,” Biden said. spoke. “We would all do well to strive to be more like Jimmy Carter.”
Mr. Biden said his fondest memory with Mr. Carter was in the 1970s, when the then-Georgia governor asked Mr. Biden to help him with his presidential campaign.
“He grabbed my arm and said, 'I want you to help me campaign,'” Biden recalled. “I said, 'Governor, I've only been a few years.' He said, 'No, it's going to make a difference.' ”
“I said, 'I don't know if that's going to happen,'” Biden added. “When I supported him for president, I told him why. [I] supports him not only for his policies, but also for his character, his civility, and the honor he conveys to everyone. ”
When a reporter asked Biden what President-elect Trump should draw from Carter's legacy, Biden replied, “Common sense.”
“Courtesy, courtesy, courtesy. …Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking past someone who needed something and just continuing to walk? Can you imagine pointing?”
Biden's speech came after Trump released his own statement on Carter's death.
“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to serve as president understand that this is a very exclusive club. We are the only ones who can relate to the great responsibility of leading the greatest country in history. ” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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 thank him. I have an obligation.”
Follow updates on the death of President Jimmy Carter
Trump later wrote that although he “strongly” disagreed with Carter philosophically and politically, he recognized that the former president “truly loved and respected” America and everything it stands for.
“He worked hard to make America a better place, and I have the utmost respect for him for that,” Trump said. “He was a really good person, and he will of course be greatly missed. He was also a person who had far more influence after he left the Oval Office than most presidents.”
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
