.We all owe him a debt of gratitude -Trump
By Mariyah Adamu, with agency report
The 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, has died at the age of 100.
Carter, who won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, according to The Carter Center “died peacefully yesterday, at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. He was 100, the longest-lived president in U.S. history.”
He is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosalynn, and one grandchild, the center stated.
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
The center stated that “there will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia. The final arrangements for President Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are still pending.”
Meanwhile, Carter’s family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Carter Center
Jimmy Carter was arguably the most enigmatic president of America’s post-World War II era.
Leaders who reached the pinnacle of power are usually complicated individuals. But Carter was a man whose outward image was often the opposite of what lay underneath. He strove to convey simplicity and humility, yet he was a highly sophisticated man with ego and ambition that burned hotter than most.
The not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
AljazirahNigeria reports that the late Carter was U.S. President from 1977 to 1981.
Yahoonews recalls that “he was widely considered an unsuccessful president who was overwhelmed by events. And compared with the presidencies of, say, Johnson, Nixon or Reagan, Carter’s single term is a period that historians and the public showed very little interest in revisiting, though that began to shift in his last few years. Yet he lived a compelling, exemplary life, and he was beset by challenges in office that would have stymied most leaders.”
“During Carter’s term, he was unable to resolve the major problems that confronted America in the late 1970s. He could not tame inflation or unite the Democratic Party, and he could not free the Americans who were held captive in Iran for more than a year. It’s not well known, however, that the agreement that led to freedom for the 52 American hostages in Tehran was negotiated by Carter and his administration during his final weeks in office. Ronald Reagan had little if anything to do with it, even though he is commonly given credit, since the Iranians released the hostages moments after he was inaugurated.”
Carter, will be remembered among other things for his works in the fight against diseases including malaria and tuberculosis in Africa as well as other parts of the underdeveloped world.
He also left an indelible mark as an icon in the promotion of human rights, democracy and good governance.
Meanwhile, political leaders have been paying tribute to Carter’s character and compassion.
ABC News Network reports that President Joe Biden called Carter “a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.”
“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 said in a statement.
“He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe,” the U.S. President added.
Besides, Vice President Kamala Harris mourned Carter’s passing on Sunday, saying in a statement 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 profound 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.
In his tribute former President Bill Clinton said he and his wife Hillary Clinton “mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others—until the very end.”
President-elect Donald Trump said of Carter, “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 owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Former President Barack Obama paid tribute to the former president’s honesty, especially in the wake of Watergate saying in a statement that Carter “promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did – advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image.”
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi also recognized the times in which Carter was elected to the White House:
“As President, his work to restore integrity to the political arena during a difficult chapter in our history was a testament to his firm faith in the sanctity of the public good, which he always placed above his own,” she said in a statement. “After leaving the White House, he carried on his service — leading perhaps the most impactful post-presidency 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 dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “President Carter lived a truly American dream. A devoutly religious peanut farmer from small-town Georgia volunteered to serve his country in uniform. He found himself manning cutting-edge submarines hundreds of feet beneath the ocean. He returned home and saved the family farm before feeling drawn to a different sort 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 devoted public servants.”
“President Carter personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion, and through integrity,” Schumer said in a statement.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was “Thankful for the incredible life, legacy and leadership of President Jimmy Carter,” in a post on X.
“He was a great man, a great role model and a great humanitarian.”
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; to his post-Presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity–he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.”
