WASHINGTON — Jimmy Carter was celebrated Thursday for his personal humility and public service before, during and after his presidency during a funeral at Washington National Cathedral featuring the kind of pageantry the 39th U.S. president typically eschewed.
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter is carried from the U.S. Capitol on the way to a state funeral at the National Cathedral, in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
All of Carter's living successors were in attendance, with President Joe Biden, the first sitting senator to endorse his 1976 run for the White House, delivering a eulogy. Biden and others took turns praising Carter's record — which many historians have appraised more favorably since losing his bid for a second term in 1980 — and extolling his character.
“He built houses for people who needed homes,” said Joshua Carter, a grandson who recalled how Carter regularly taught Sunday school in his native hamlet of Plains, Georgia, after leaving the White House. “He eliminated diseases in forgotten places. He waged peace anywhere in the world, wherever he saw a chance. He loved people.”
A rare reunion of the remaining members of the US presidents club at the funeral for 39th President Jimmy Carter. President-elect Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris don't interact before service starts.
The extraordinary gathering offered an unusual moment of comity for the nation in a factionalized, hyper-partisan era. Former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump, political rivals who have mocked each other for years, sat next to each other Thursday and talked for several minutes, even sharing a laugh.
Biden, who will leave office in 11 days, hinted at politics in repeating several times that “character” was Carter's chief attribute. Biden said the former president taught him the imperative that “everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.”
During Carter's eulogy, Biden, who will leave office in 11 days, hinted at politics in repeating several times that “character” was Carter's chief attribute. Biden said that Carter taught him that “everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.”
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Photos: Funeral services for Jimmy Carter held in Washington, Georgia
A joint services body bearer team carries the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, to head to Washington National Cathedral for a State Funeral. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)
Former President Barack Obama talks with President-elect Donald Trump, next to Melania Trump, as they arrive to attend the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Ted Mondale, son of the late former Vice President Walter Mondale, speaks a tribute written by his father, during the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Ted Mondale, son of the late former Vice President Walter Mondale, speaks a tribute written by his father, during the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Grandson Jason Carter, walks by and touches the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter, after speaking a tribute at the state funeral for Carter at Washington National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Amy Carter and Jeff Carter before the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter arrives at the National Cathedral for a state funeral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington. (Saul Loeb/Pool via AP)
Marilyn Quayle, from third row left, former Vice President Al Gore, from second row left, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush and his wife former first lady Laura Bush, and from front row left, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden listen during a state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington. Looking on in background at seco(Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter is carried from the U.S. Capitol on the way to a state funeral at the National Cathedral, in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former First Lady Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, former President Barack Obama, former President and President-elect Donald Trump, former first lady Melania Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence and others, attend the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter is carried from the U.S. Capitol on the way to a state funeral at the National Cathedral, in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
A joint services body bearer team carries the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, to head to Washington National Cathedral for a State Funeral. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)
A young person watches as the casket of former President Jimmy Carter is taken Thursday from the U.S. Capitol to the National Cathedral.
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter is carried Thursday from the U.S. Capitol to the National Cathedral for a state funeral.
A joint services body bearer team carries the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter out of Washington National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, following a State Funeral.
A joint services military body bearer team carries the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter from the U.S. Capitol on the way to a state funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.
Jack Carter, right, and his wife Liz react during the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington.
President Joe Biden touches the casket of former President Jimmy Carter after delivering remarks during Carter's state funeral at the National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington.
Son Jack Carter, right, and his wife Liz, react Thursday during the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.
Karen Barry, left, and Randy Dillard, the longest serving NPS Plains staffers, ring the farm bell 39 times as the motorcade with the flag-draped hearse of former President Jimmy Carter stops in front of the Boyhood Farm, where Carter grew up, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, Plains, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)
With the U.S. Capitol in the background the flag-draped casket of President Jimmy Carter moves toward the U.S. Capitol on a horse-drawn caisson at Constitution Avenue on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Washington. Carter died Dec. 29, at the age of 100. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter lies in state during a ceremony in the Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Washington. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. (Saul Loeb/Pool via AP)
A joint services body bearer team carries the casket of former President Jimmy Carter Thursday after a state funeral service.
The casket of former President Jimmy Carter is pictured during a state funeral at the National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Vice President Kamala Harris, from left, former President Barack Obama, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump listen during Carter's state funeral Thursday at the National Cathedral.
Grandson Jason Carter walks by and touches the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter after speaking Thursday during the state funeral.
President Joe Biden delivers a eulogy Thursday during Carter's state funeral.
Andrew Young, 92, speaks Thursday during former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral. Young, a former Atlanta mayor and congressman, served as U.N. ambassador under Carter.
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter departs after a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with former Vice President Mike Pence before the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.
Family members, current and former heads of state and others gathered Thursday for a state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral in Washington. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100.
A 21-gun salute is rendered before fhe flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter is carried by a joint services body bearer team to Special Air Mission 39, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.
