Washington Pays Respects to Jimmy Carter, Uniting Political Rivals Amidst Transition
A day of national mourning will be observed in Washington on Thursday as the nation pauses to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away in December at the age of 100, Bloomberg reports.
The state funeral at the Washington National Cathedral will bring together a rare gathering of political figures, including current and incoming presidents, just weeks before a contentious White House transition.
The solemn occasion will see President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, political rivals still reeling from a volatile election, sharing space with other members of the exclusive presidential club: former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also be in attendance.
In a deeply polarized political climate, the funeral offers an opportunity to celebrate a man whose presidency was often debated, but whose post-presidency was marked by remarkable dedication to human rights, election integrity, and humanitarian work. Carter’s humble beginnings, growing up in rural Georgia without modern amenities before rising through the ranks of the Navy, as Governor, and finally as President, have resonated in an age where political opponents are often dismissed as detached from the everyday lives of Americans.
The state funeral will also be a reminder of Washington’s formal traditions. It’s the first such ceremony since the passing of George H.W. Bush in 2018, which also brought together the living members of the presidential fraternity.
Carter himself held a respect for these traditions, despite not shying away from expressing his own political opinions – sometimes much to the chagrin of his successors. He was the first former president to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, while also vocally criticizing Trump as dishonest and expressing a desire to live long enough to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, which he ultimately did.
While Trump has recently reiterated his past criticisms of Carter’s presidency, particularly regarding the Panama Canal treaty, he also said that he “liked him as a man” at a recent press conference. Trump also expressed frustration with the 30-day flag lowering period following the death of a president, which extends through his upcoming inauguration, claiming Democrats were pleased by the timing.
Trump is not scheduled to speak at the funeral service, but President Biden will deliver remarks.
Despite a presidency that faced challenges including a major oil shortage, high inflation, and the Iran hostage crisis, which ultimately led to his defeat by Ronald Reagan, Carter is remembered for successes such as the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and the establishment of formal relations with China.
These challenges have drawn parallels with Biden’s own presidency, also facing economic headwinds and Middle East tensions.
During the 2024 election, Trump and other Republicans often invoked Carter’s presidency as an example of a weak, failed tenure, using him as a comparison to criticize Biden. In campaign rallies, Trump went so far as to mock Biden for making Carter’s presidency look better by comparison.
Yet, despite their political differences, both Trump and Biden have praised Carter as a man of integrity. His extensive post-presidency humanitarian work through the Carter Center, founded with his late wife Rosalynn Carter, was instrumental in his winning the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump acknowledged Carter as a “truly good man” who “worked hard to make America a better place.”
“While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realized that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform.
