President Biden spoke to the nation on Sunday following the death of former President Jimmy Carter. He praised Carter's legacy and took a subtle jab at the current president-elect during his remarks.
Biden, sounding hoarse, said he had "lost a dear friend." He had known Carter for over 50 years. Carter passed away in Plains, Georgia, at 100, after nearly two years in hospice care.
Biden described Carter as a model of "a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith and humility." He added that some might see Carter as a man from a "bygone era," but he disagreed.
"We'd all do well to try to be more like Jimmy Carter," Biden said. His words echoed his belief in the values Carter lived by: honesty, character, faith, and humility.
Biden shared a memory from the 1970s. He recalled how Carter, then Georgia’s governor, asked him to help with his presidential campaign. Biden was hesitant, but Carter insisted.
"He grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘I need you to help with my campaign,'" Biden remembered. "I said, 'I'm not sure it will.'"
When asked about President-elect Trump, Biden said Carter’s legacy should teach "decency." "Decency, decency, decency," he repeated. "Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking by someone who needed something and just keep walking?"
Biden’s speech followed Trump’s own statement on Carter’s death. Trump acknowledged the responsibility of being president and praised Carter's efforts during a tough time in American history.
Trump wrote that although they disagreed politically, he respected Carter's love for the country. "He worked hard to make America a better place," Trump said. "He was truly a good man and will be greatly missed."