Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The willow is too close to the house.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

In my day, never was longer.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

He imagines himself as The Big Bad, Who Is Universally Feared… instead of The Big Jagoff, Who Is Universally Mocked.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

We won’t go back.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

“That’s what the insurrection act is for!”

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

I am pretty sure Katy Tur wasn’t always such a bootlicking sycophant.

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    231Comments

    6. 6.

      Betty Cracker

      President Carter was probably the best human being to hold the office during my lifetime. He continued to learn and grow and try to make a difference all his long life, an example to us all.

      Reply
    9. 9.

      A Man for All Seasonings (formerly Geeno)

      He may not have been a “Great President” – whatever that would have meant for that time – but he has always been a great human being. I’m genuinely saddened by his loss.

      Reply
    10. 10.

      hitchhiker

      First presidential vote I ever cast was for him. Literally a lifetime ago. :(

      I’m so glad Biden will do right by him now.

      Reply
    11. 11.

      Soprano2

      @Betty Cracker: This, all of it. I’m glad he died before the Orange Error takes office again. What an insult to a great man that would have been. The Carters were the kind of people Christians used to say everyone should be, but they couldn’t stand him and instead supported a divorced actor for president.

      Reply
    12. 12.

      dmsilev

      Sigh. We all knew it was coming, but there’s still a pang at hearing the news.

      At least fuckface won’t be a sitting President at the funeral.

      Reply
    17. 17.

      dc

      I truly wish he could have seen Harris elected. Rest in peace, president Carter, you were a good man and you lived your ideals.

      Reply
    20. 20.

      Quinerly

      @Betty Cracker:

      I wasn’t old enough to vote for him in 1976 but voted for him in 1980. My parents worked pretty hard on his NC campaign.

      I still have my golden peanut necklace that my dad bought for me. Not real gold, of course. A true to size peanut in the shell on a chain.

      I did some extensive estate planning a few years ago. I have no living blood relatives. When I check out, what’s left goes to The Carter Center.

      Reply
    21. 21.

      NotoriousJRT

      His passing now should result in appropriate and deserved public honor for him and his lifetime of service to this nation. After 1/20, it would have been a travesty, I think. Rest in peace with your beloved Rosalynn, sir.

      Reply
    24. 24.

      TaMara

      Sigh. Even when we knew it was coming…

      His second term election run was my first ever vote. I have never regretted that vote for a second.

      I believe in an afterlife, so I wish for him the welcome he deserves, and Rosalynn waiting for him.

      Reply
    26. 26.

      Baud

      So many people here and on Blue sky sxpeessing the same thought about the timing of the funeral.

      As much as I disliked past Republican presidents, the idea that they would ruin a funeral would have never crossed my mind.

      Reply
    27. 27.

      Elizabelle

      Godspeed.  I have been thinking about JEC for weeks, and hoping that he might go out before The Felon is in any way involved.  He had already asked Joe Biden to deliver his eulogy.

      So.  We get to celebrate two spectacular human beings who were denied a second term, while something monstrous waits to be inaugurated very soon.  The second fucking time.

      I am glad that Jimmy Carter got to cast his final presidential vote for Kamala Harris.

      Reply
    30. 30.

      RandomMonster

      Such a great and kind person deserved much better treatment in this country. In a better age both friends and political rivals would hold him up as a model of decency.

      Reply
    33. 33.

      Jeffro

      @Soprano2:The Carters were the kind of people Christians used to say everyone should be, but they couldn’t stand him and instead supported a divorced actor for president.

      110%

      George Will has a piece up in the Post about how Carter was a president that made Reagan necessary.  So…Will goes on the ‘Bud Light graveside recycling tour’ list, with a bullet.

      Reply
    35. 35.

      Scout211

      Goodbye, Mr. Carter.  You made us proud and lived a life full of love, service and kindness.  You were the best kind of person.

      Reply
    36. 36.

      Hildebrand

      He was good, he did good, and he lived his faith in the way it should be lived – generous, open hearted, open minded, welcoming, inclusive, justice oriented, gracious, merciful.

      Like others, I’m deeply grateful that the funeral will not take place during the second kleptocracy.

      Reply
    37. 37.

      Splitting Image

      RIP to a great man.

      One of the truly admirable things about Carter is that he negotiated a number of ceasefires over the course of his work eradicating the guinea worm, particularly in the South Sudanese civil war.

      A  ceasefire is a noble goal by itself, but it’s astonishing to think that Carter helped negotiate one as a side effect of a larger project he was working on. Usually humanitarian workers have no choice but to pull out of a country when fighting breaks out, which just increases the death toll of whatever the war is about.

      Truly one of the greats. No one can argue that he didn’t leave the world a little bit better than he found it, except maybe the Guinea Worm Appreciation Society.

      Reply
    38. 38.

      Elizabelle

      I am glad that JEC is spared living through a second ___ administration.  That was the only silver lining for losing Ozark and Steep and Debbie and JR too.  Not even to know that Americans could be so damned stupid and shortsighted.

      Reply
    39. 39.

      TBone

      It’s like losing a friend’s parent who was yours too just by being there.  You knew they were there and that was enough.

      Reply
    41. 41.

      WaterGirl

      So sad to have lost such a truly great human being, but so relieved that the piece of shit does not get to preside over a state funeral for Jimmy Carter.

      You and your beloved Rosalynn are together for eternity.

      Reply
    42. 42.

      Betsy

      May God bless him and rest his soul.

      He touched so many lives — countless were his good deeds.  A great life truly lived.

      Reply
    43. 43.

      tobie

      Oh how very sad. Jimmy Carter was the most devout President I’ve experienced and he lived and lead by his faith. It was a faith deep enough and confident enough to embrace any- and everyone regardless of their beliefs. I valued that in Carter and will miss him for that among many other things. Our world is getting meaner and smaller. We need more Jimmys.

      Reply
    44. 44.

      mali muso

      A loss for the world, but he leaves behind a truly great legacy. I will always be grateful I had the good fortune to meet him briefly. May he rest in eternal peace.

      Reply
    45. 45.

      Elizabelle

      With Jimmy Carter, you cannot mourn.  Just be glad that he lived, and for that long.  He lived a good and purposeful life, and then some.  Survived cancer in his 90s.  Was there, always, for his beloved Rosalyn, whom he first spied as a newborn his own mother had helped deliver.

      He is ready for his rest.

      Reply
    46. 46.

      SiubhanDuinne

      @JPL:

      Yes indeed, I’ve been to Plains many times. One of the last big events I organised for the Canadian Consulate before I retired was a book launch* that took place on the grounds of the JC Boyhood Farm. I sat next to Rosalynn at the luncheon, and the next morning she invited me to share her pew at the Maranatha Baptist Church while Jimmy gave his Sunday School lesson. Worked with both Carters and their staff on a number of issues and activities over the years.

      *The book was written by a Canadian historian from McGill and was a curated collection of documents and speeches about Carter’s relationship with Canada — as a nuclear engineer in the USNavy, as POTUS, and as partner on a slew of post-Presidential global initiatives, including Guinea worm eradication.

      Reply
    47. 47.

      Jay

      President Jimmy Carter was a much greater man than he was President, because The Office and the times could not let him be.

      But he ranks way up there as President.

      Post Presidency, he truly showed us all what a person could be.

      Reply
    50. 50.

      Betsy

      @Quinerly: Thank you for these remarks.  Good to see them.

      NC’ian here.  My mother wept on that night in 1980 as the map went for ugh Reagan.

      Like tens of thousands of others, my parents made the pilgrimage to Plains to attend the Sunday School class that he taught every week at his home church.

      A true unfailing real Christian who did so much good in the world.

      Reply
    51. 51.

      Mai Naem mobile ¹

      @Betty Cracker: you said it all here. He really gamed stuff out to consequences but also gave the US a morality hammer. I am so so glad that Joe Biden will be POTUS during the funeral and not TFG.

      Reply
    52. 52.

      Scout211

      Funeral services haven’t been announced yet but in doing a search, I learned that

      Every president is expected to have funeral plans upon assuming the office. According to the White House Historical Association, “By helping plan their own funeral, presidents are able to incorporate personal touches that can elucidate their character and legacy on a national stage for the last time. In many ways, funeral services are final conversation with the nation, and illustrate something about the man and the way in which he wishes to be remembered.”

      “I’ve let my wife be the ultimate judge on what should be done,” Carter said in 1995 of his funeral plans. Carter, who returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, after his term as president ended, was active in his local community, and taught Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church.

      His plans have been known for at least two decades now: He hopes to be buried in his front yard in his hometown of Plains. “Plains is special to us. I could be buried in Arlington Cemetery or wherever I want, but my wife was born here and I was born here,” he told C-SPAN in December 2006. “Plains is where our hearts have always been.” In a profile in 2021 in the Washington Post, Carter told reporters, “We’re going to be buried right there, on that little hill,” motioning towards a lawn near a pond on his property.

      Reply
    53. 53.

      Leto

      @Quinerly: they made him give up his peanut farm, while that Orange shitstain was never made to do anything.

      May he continue to be a sterling example of how to live your second act in life.

      Reply
    54. 54.

      twbrandt

      A friend of mine was on a Habitat build with him a number of years ago. He said President Carter worked as hard as everyone else, and was friendly and approachable. Truly a good person, a Christian who took Christ’s teachings seriously.

      Reply
    55. 55.

      FelonyGovt

      RIP, what a wonderful man. I’m actually happy it happened before January 20, and hopefully they can give him an appropriate and dignified service. I was shuddering to think how it would have been handled afterward…

      Reply
    57. 57.

      Elizabelle

      The Vichy Times has an op ed up.  America needs more Jimmy Carters.
      What?  Dead Democrats?

      Your paper bears a LOT of responsibility and shame, Putz and Kahn.  You’d shank him again.

      Reply
    59. 59.

      Leto

      @Elizabelle: there was a meme that went around for years, with Death at one of those claw vending machines, lifting a name, and the caption usually was, “How is it not Kissinger?” Need to update it with the Russian assets name.

      Reply
    63. 63.

      Elizabelle

      This news does not make me sad.  It just makes me relieved for his family and other loved ones that they get to deal with Biden-Harris.

      What an opportunity to demonstrate what could have been.

      Reply
    66. 66.

      The Audacity of Krope

      @Jeffro: George Will has a piece up in the Post about how Carter was a president that made Reagan necessary.

      Carter stood for peace and was President at a time when working people were getting far too comfortable receiving income.

      The proles needed a Reagan to show them their place.

      Reply
    67. 67.

      Elizabelle

      @JPL:  Too cute.  In one of the cartoons, an angel at the right is holding a paintbrush, I guess.

      Looks a bit like a troll doll.  ;-)

      Reply
    71. 71.

      Quinerly

      @Betsy:

      Pitt County “born and breaded” here. Substantial roots in Carteret County, too. East Carolina University class of 1982! Go Pirates!!!

      I, too, went to Plains for one of his Sunday School classes. Was on a trip home from St. Louis and took a few extra days to hit Savannah and then Plains. Going to dig out my 3 signed books by him….waited in line in St. Louis for 3 book signings.

      Reply
    74. 74.

      MazeDancer

      If the VP had won, Mr. Carter might have hung on to see her inaugurated.  But, I, for one, am glad he doesn’t have to endure even another day under a Trump administration.

      What a truly great man. The world is a little poorer tonight without him. But we are all so much richer that he was here

      Reply
    79. 79.

      Elizabelle

      I am glad to be talking about an actual decent human being here.  Biden, yes.  Harris, yes.  Walz, yes.

      Incoming.  Is incoming.  For sure.  (General Russel Honore op ed in the FTF NY Vichy Times today:  Elon Musk is a National Security Risk.  They are sure not highlighting it!  Do love that it’s got a fairly phallic illustration accompanying, though.)

      Reply
    80. 80.

      Leto

      @Elizabelle: it’s a different relationship, not being in charge of people that age. I’m not responsible for them, which is a nice thing. For the most part, I try to shut up and let them do most of the talking. It’s their chance to shine, develop, and work through things. But it’s fun :)

      Reply
    84. 84.

      Baud

      Statement by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter

      Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian.

      Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.

      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. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.

      He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.

      We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts.

      To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.

      And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.

      To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country.

      Reply
    85. 85.

      JPL

      This made me laugh

      Willie was good friends with President Carter. Thanks to that, Willie and the president’s son Chip became the first people to smoke pot on the roof of the White House. It’s possible they were also the first to smoke pot anywhere at the White House.

      Reply
    93. 93.

      Tazj

      R.I.P. Such a wonderful man who did such good work his entire life.My parents loved Carter and were so angry when Reagan was elected.They would remind me that he was very intelligent and that he used to be in the Navy. My dad and grandfather were in the Navy so you know he was popular in my family.

      Reply
    95. 95.

      lowtechcyclist

      @Jeffro: ​
       

      George Will has a piece up in the Post about how Carter was a president that made Reagan necessary. So…Will goes on the ‘Bud Light graveside recycling tour’ list, with a bullet.

      I was already firmly in the “fuck George Will with rusty farm implements” camp. This only reinforces that judgment.

      RIP Jimmy C.

      Reply
    96. 96.

      Geminid

      @The Audacity of Krope: Jimmy Carter’s most important accomplishment was the 1978 Camp David Accords. The peace treaty between Egypt and Israel has been a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Middle East ever since. Both Anwar Sadat and Menachim Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the Accords, but Jimmy Carter deserved one too.

      Reply
    102. 102.

      Dangerman

      Late to the thread and clearly this must not be a topic missed, but Thank God this happened before you know who is in charge. Timing wise, you know who isn’t anywhere near the funeral. Go golfing, MF.

      Reply
    103. 103.

      JMG

      One night at the 1996 Olympics, a bunch of us sportswriters were at a table at Manuel’s, a bar and grill near the Carter Center. Jimmy and Rosalyn came in and took a table on the second floor to have dinner. We saw them and waved hello. He sent a round of drinks to our table in response.

      Reply
    104. 104.

      Old Man Shadow

      A good man.

      America would be a much better place if his fellow Christians chose his life as the example to follow instead of Trump’s.

      I hope he’s with his wife now in paradise.

      Reply
    105. 105.

      narya

      Best description of George Will I ever saw was DaveBarry’s: he looks like he inadvertently licked bus station plumbing.

      Reply
    106. 106.

      Elizabelle

      @Dangerman:  It is something that that was the first thought for just about all of us, no?  Little mercies.

      We are going to be setting off fireworks when Satan calls The Felon home.  Musk and the other oligarchs too.  Thinking the late Brian Thompson may have been.  The first.

      Reply
    114. 114.

      Dangerman

      @Elizabelle: Hard to believe but the statement put out by the POS was approaching if not clearly appropriate.

      BTW, what happened to JDV? Dude disappeared. Witness protection already?

      Reply
    115. 115.

      Elizabelle

      @schrodingers_cat:  I so hope we won’t have to.

      I was hoping President Harris would give him an important assignment.  Like reforming the Supreme Court.

      It’s all coming up way too soon, isn’t it?

      Although.  Am glad to hear your dad is home and on the mend.

      Reply
    119. 119.

      Frank Wilhoit

      I cast my first vote for Gerald Ford in 1976, as the lesser of two demagogues. It has not happened since, and will never happen again, for the Republican candidate to be the lesser of two demagogues. It is too late now to guess whether Ford might have done better.

      The other lesson of 1976, one of the clearest and most durable lessons of any kind and of all time, is that primaries are bad magic. Carter started out crosswise with the party machine, which therefore set out to tear him down and had no difficulty doing so. Of course that was not the right thing for it to do, but it was inevitable; organizations gonna organization.

      Reply
    121. 121.

      Sure Lurkalot

      My first vote for president in ‘76, no regrets whatsoever. Who followed is the top of my list of worst presidents in my lifetime….Reagan, because he made it popular to distrust government and set us on the trickle down course that led straight to this age of plutocrat overlords.

      Jimmy was my mother’s favorite president and it was strictly because of his innate and inherent goodness. RIP, good sir. What an example for us to follow.

      Reply
    122. 122.

      The Audacity of Krope

      @MazeDancer: Just read that flags are flown at half-mast in DC for 30 days after a President dies.

      So they will be in the appropriate position for Trump’s swearing in.

      We need to recognize both national tragedies, so quarter-mast it is.

      Reply
    123. 123.

      SiubhanDuinne

       

      @Dangerman:

      the statement put out by the POS was approaching if not clearly appropriate.

      Better than I would have expected, but the line about the “exclusive club” had me gritting my teeth.

      Reply
    128. 128.

      No Nym

      James Earl Carter was truly a model human being, a person who walked his spiritual talk. He was the first president I voted for, and though I share the pain of his passing, I am relieved Biden will oversee his sendoff.

      Reply
    133. 133.

      dww44

      @dmsilev: I’m afraid you will be right but it would be better for all of us if he had the grace and humility to not  show up. I keep remembering how he behaved in Europe his first term.

      Reply
    134. 134.

      Elizabelle

      @MazeDancer:

      Just read that flags are flown at half-mast in DC for 30 days after a President dies.

      So they will be in the appropriate position for Trump’s swearing in.

      Well done, Jimmy.  Well done.  An actual patriot to the last breath.

      Reply
    137. 137.

      Quinerly

      Highly recommend the movie “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President.” 2020

      Dylan, Willie, Buffett, Allman Brothers and a bunch more.

      Reply
    138. 138.

      SFAW

      My first and second presidential votes. Not a great President, but a great, great man.

      I remember the shrieking when he once said he had “lusted in [his] heart.” Good times, at least compared to the Orange Abomination.

      If The Convicted Felon had one-tenth the class and humanity that Jimmy Carter had, he’d be 100 times better as a person or president than he is.

      Reply
    140. 140.

      japa21

      There is no way I could create a sufficient eulogy. He was a role model for people of all stripes. Unfortunately, too many people who could have learned from his life, chose instead to ridicule him.

      Reply
    141. 141.

      Another Scott

      WhiteHouse.gov:

      December 29, 2024
      Statement by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter
      Home
      Briefing Room
      Statements and Releases

      Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian.

      Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.

      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. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.

      He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.

      We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts.

      To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.

      And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.

      To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country.

      ###

      The Carter Center says the details of the arrangements in DC and GA will be at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/

      Godspeed, President Carter. Condolences to all who knew and loved him and were touched by him.

      Best wishes,
      Scott.

      Reply
    142. 142.

      Ruckus

      @Baud:

      In many ways, mostly due to themselves, conservatives have really not done themselves much good in the last 35 or so years. In all my life they haven’t been exceptional in any way as a political party but they now see their concepts of actual life being rather unappreciated by a rather substantial percentage of citizens and they are fighting a hopefully losing fight for power and control, and the best they can do is shitforbrains, who is rapidly aging out, who I do not expect to be able to do much before he is retired by his own party. Of course he didn’t do much last time because of who and what he is. I just hope the rest of us live through it.

      Reply
    143. 143.

      TBone

      Below is a music related tribute I originally wrote for President Jimmy Carter over a year ago when he first entered hospice care in February 2023. I expected it would only be a short time until he passed. When he didn’t, I decided to save it until October 1, 2024 to celebrate his 100th birthday should he make it to that milestone. 
       
      However, with today’s unhappy news about the passing of Dickey Betts (1943 – 2024) I decided it is time to finally post the article because the great second guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band is quoted in it.
       
      Betts’ most famous songs with the outstanding sextet are “Revival,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” “Blue Sky,” and of course, “Jessica,” and “Ramblin’ Man.”
       
      Because most blogs and websites will likely post more traditional news stories and tributes, I hope this essay serves as something a little different and as an homage to both men.

      https://bloggerhythms.blogspot.com/2023/03/jimmy-carters-friendship-with-allman.html?m=1

      Reply
    145. 145.

      zhena gogolia

      Husband: “Would it that we had another Jimmy Carter-type person coming in” — (caught himself) — “we would have, with Harris.”

      Reply
    148. 148.

      Mousebumples

      @hitchhiker: I’m so glad Biden will do right by him now.

      I’m not glad he’s dead, by any means, but I’m glad he’ll be properly honored by his friend, President Biden.

      Rest in Power, President Carter.

      Reply
    152. 152.

      Jackie

      @Baud:

      I guess Trump’s people convinced him to issue a comparatively benign statement.  Not linking though.

      I saw that. Definitely not his words, and it won’t be long before his true self comes out in spades.

      Reply
    158. 158.

      Jackie

      @Jay: I just sent the WaPo link to WaterGirl. I’ve had it bookmarked since Carter entered hospice over a year ago. Thanks for posting it!

      Reply
    159. 159.

      zhena gogolia

      @KatKapCC:
      That’s really great. I love this part:

      In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, “God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.” He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it.

      Reply
    160. 160.

      Suzanne

      I heard this terrible news while out shopping this afternoon. I am sad, but I am thankful for his amazing life, and that he won’t have to live through what’s coming. I hope his family is at peace.

      Reply
    161. 161.

      redoubtagain

      @JMG: ​
        The most Atlanta story I think I ever heard.
      Met him once, when he came to our Fed. Kind, gracious, obliging.
      Fair winds and following seas.

      Reply
    162. 162.

      Torrey

      @Jeffro: ​
       

      George Will has a piece up in the Post about how Carter was a president that made Reagan necessary.

      George Will is a columnist that makes not reading his column necessary. At least if you want to be well-informed.

      Reply
    164. 164.

      Ruckus

      @zhena gogolia:

      Think about the shear number of people that did vote for her. It wasn’t enough of course but I’d bet that a lot of people that voted for shitforbrains are at least starting to see him for what he is – and ISN’T.

      I believe that she will possibly, one day, be president. I really, really, really hope I’m here to vote for her and to see her become president.

      Maybe, a rather slim maybe enough on the other side of the aisle will actually see that shitforbrains is really not in any way qualified to be president of a country of 340 million people. Or even of a gang of two completely soused drunks. His life has been and is a mirror of what he thinks he is – and never has been.

      But then it takes all kinds to make up humanity. Some amazing and great, most in the middle just living and then those like him, that think the world revolves around the stick they have located in their exit ports.

      Reply
    166. 166.

      TS

      Wonderful person who genuinely and sincerely cared for others. He is what a President should be & rather like now, was defeated by people playing politics with other people’s lives.

      One of the few who make me wish to believe the stories of Heaven – he earned his path there as few have done. May he rest in peace with his Rosalynn.

      Reply
    169. 169.

      KatKapCC

      @Ruckus: Obviously I don’t know her mind, but I have a hard time believing she’d want to put herself through another campaign, when she did everything as best as she possibly could have under such unusual circumstances and incredible pressure…and it still wasn’t enough.

      I saw someone wonder if she might come back to CA and run for Governor, and I’d be jazzed as all get out for that. Even if I would feel a bit bad for our Lieutenant Governor who filed her candidacy a long time ago and would have been seen as the favorite, or close to.

      Reply
    171. 171.

      The Audacity of Krope

      @Ruckus: I believe that she will possibly, one day, be president. I really, really, really hope I’m here to vote for her and to see her become president.

      I’d love to see it. I wish I had confidence in Democrats to give her the opportunity at a time when she is actually seeking it.

      Mostly white, mostly male Donorcrats taking their black, female colleague for granted.

      @zhena gogolia: ISWYDT

      Haha, I should hope so. I bolded it.

      Reply
    173. 173.

      citizen dave

      My first Presidential vote was in 1980.  I was 19.  I voted for–brain creaking….if I recall correctly….John Anderson.

      Electoral vote
      489
      49
      0

      States carried
      44
      6 + DC
      0

      Popular vote
      43,903,230
      35,481,115
      5,719,850

      Percentage
      50.7%
      41.0%
      6.6%

      Reply
    174. 174.

      Ruckus

      @zhena gogolia:

      Never give up hope.

      It’s often the only thing that makes living worthwhile. 

      Hope it will be better and help make it better because every little bit helps. This is a country that gets better because enough of us want it better, not because of one shitty human only cares about himself and his bank account.

      Reply
    175. 175.

      SiubhanDuinne

      @Quinerly:

      It would not surprise me one little particle if TFG decided to ask SCOTUS to lift the half-staff provision during Inauguration Week. And this SCOTUS would probably acquiesce.

      Reply
    178. 178.

      Kathleen

      My greatest memory of his Presidency was a speech he gave about how America was facing a crisis of confidence aka “The Malaise Speech”. I was so impressed that a public figure had the courage to speak  unpleasant truth.

      This first link is from Bill of Rights Institute and it’s a detailed exposition about why Carter gave the speech (context!) and how country reacted.

      https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/jimmy-carter-and-the-malaise-speech

      Second link is to the speech itself. (34 minutes)

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXwZSzy9Ies&ab_channel=CBSNew

      ETA: The other overarching memory I have is how the media maligned and mocked him. If anyone else here who remembers that era has a different recollection pls let me know.

      Reply
    179. 179.

      bjacques

      @Torrey: that would be the same George Fwill who got hold of Carter’s debate notes in 1980 and slipped them to the Reagan campaign. He will die forgotten.

      President Carter makes think how trivial quarter-trillionaire Musk really is.

      Reply
    180. 180.

      Baud

      Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter
      HOME
      BRIEFING ROOM
      STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
      President Jimmy Carter was guided by a deep and abiding faith — in God, in America, and in humanity.

      Jimmy Carter’s life is a testament to the power of service — as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, the 76th Governor of Georgia, and the 39th President of the United States. He reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion.

      As President, he protected our air and water, promoted transparency in government, and brokered an historic peace treaty between Egypt and Israel at Camp David.

      Throughout his life, President Carter was strengthened by the love and support of his partner of 77 years, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, whose life President Biden and I had the opportunity to celebrate in Georgia last year. After leaving office, President Carter continued his fight for peace, democracy, and human dignity through the Carter Center.

      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.

      Doug and I send our love and prayers to the Carter family.

      Reply
    181. 181.

      Ohio Mom

      My first Presidential vote too. Well, and my second.

      It wasn’t until this comment thread that I appreciated his timing, to have his send off under Biden’s watchful eye.

      I hope Biden gives a eulogy that short circuits brain cells of all those mindlessly repeating that Biden is senile (projection much?). Yes, Biden is growing frail but he still has all his marbles.

      ETA: Also waiting to see this latest version of inappropriate dress exhibited by Melania).

      Reply
    182. 182.

      Ruckus

      @KatKapCC:

      She would make a great governor but she would also make a great president. And while I’m a male, my half of humanity is only half. And often the half that demands respect and deference. We’ve been a country of, by and for humans for a bit of humanity but have never had a leader from 1/2 of the world’s human population. I’d like to see a woman leading this country because her half of this country  DESERVES real representation. That they have never really had. And respect is earned and she has done that, something that shitforbrains never has done, and never will – because he’s completely incapable.

      Reply
    184. 184.

      Elizabelle

      @Kathleen:  America doesn’t want truth.  Apparently half of the voting public does not.  They want fairy tales.

      But.  Some of those fairy tales are very dark.  And have lessons learned the hard way.

      Reply
    185. 185.

      Steve in the ATL

      @SiubhanDuinne: last George Will column I read was in the eighties.  It was one of his tedious screeds about how baseball should be changed to his liking.  I was too young to be political but that garbage was enough for me to write him off.  Turned out to be a good choice.

      Reply
    186. 186.

      The Audacity of Krope

      @Elizabelle: America doesn’t want truth. Apparently half of the voting public does not. They want fairy tales.

      Enforced by law and drilled into our students’ heads in elementary school.

      Reply
    187. 187.

      zhena gogolia

      @Kathleen: That’s my recollection too. He was wearing a sweater — it was the “tan suit” of its day. The point was, wear a sweater instead of turning the heat up. har har har what an idiot.

      Reply
    189. 189.

      The Audacity of Krope

      @zhena gogolia: The point was, wear a sweater instead of turning the heat up. har har har what an idiot.

      Energy industry executives work their fingers to the bone extracting fossil fuels for us, they deserve every penny we have.

      That’s why I keep my house at 102 degrees even though it keeps me sick and dehydrated.

      Reply
    190. 190.

      Elizabelle

      I think this is another gift from Jimmy Carter.  Because we have needed to mourn and gather in public, since the dreadful election results.  How better to gather, in memory and honor of a very good man.

      We have been in mourning, and shellshocked, ever since early November.  Trauma.

      We do not need to be either happy or hopeful about what is coming in.  Not normal times, and has not been so, for years.

      Reply
    195. 195.

      Elizabelle

      @zhena gogolia:  Jimmy Carter lived through the Depression.  In the deep South.  Among many who were not as fortunate as he was.  He was very aware of that.

      He was wise about conservation, and stewardship.

      Today?  We would take Gordon Gekko over Daff Fuhrer Musk and the gazillionaires incoming.

      Reply
    199. 199.

      Torrey

      @Kathleen:

        “Misremember” isn’t a word? The Oxford English Dictionary traces “misremember” back to the early 16th century, which means it was almost certainly around well before that.

      Reply
    201. 201.

      Melancholy Jaques

      Jimmy Carter in 1976 was the first presidential election I voted in and the first time I volunteered for any election. He is the reason I became and remained one of those people who cares about politics and gets involved. The way he conducted himself in the years since 1980 is the reason I am not going to let Trump 2.0 defeat me. He is my first and last political hero.

      Reply
    202. 202.

      Torrey

      It has been said above, but should be continually emphasized that, if we had paid attention to Jimmy Carter, and specifically if the media hadn’t undercut his message about fossil fuels and the environment, we would not now be in the situation we are in. This was all known in the 1970’s.

      Reply
    203. 203.

      The Audacity of Krope

      @Torrey: The Oxford English Dictionary traces “misremember” back to the early 16th century, which means it was almost certainly around well before that.

      Is 500 years long enough to really say something is well-established, though?

      Reply
    208. 208.

      Ruckus

      @Ohio Mom:

      I’m getting up there, about 3/4 of a decade younger than Joe Biden and a life long democrat because of the view that I see the vast majority of democrats have which is we are all important and that while money is nice it is not the center of the universe. I have only voted democrat since my first vote 53 yrs ago. (Last of the had to be 21 yrs old to vote group – turned 21 the year one could be 18) And considered that to be very realistic, seeing as how we were in Vietnam and I was in the USN. I got sent half a world away from Vietnam but knew and know many that were there. One I’ve known for over 50 yrs, met him 2 days after I was discharged. And I use the VA and many of the vets I see are in my age group and were there. I wonder what vets will think if shitforbrains screws up the VA. Pompous arrogant ass didn’t serve in the war of his youth. When I went to my 50th HS reunion some of my classmates were not there, they served and were sent to Vietnam – and came back in body bags. If you are my age it seems likely that you knew at least one man that went and possibly one that didn’t walk off the plane when back in the US.

      Reply
    210. 210.

      Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

      @Elizabelle:

      I’ve had that thought before, too. Debbie passed away in the summer of 2021, right? She didn’t have to witness Dobbs either. She passed away right at the point where it seemed like there were endless possibilities for the new administration and Trump was disgraced (or so it seemed)

      RIP Jimmy Carter and those jackals that have been lost but not forgotten

      Reply
    213. 213.

      Ben Cisco

      @Ruckus:

      I believe that she will possibly, one day, be president. I really, really, really hope I’m here to vote for her and to see her become president.

      I agree and sent her a letter a few days ago that included (among other things) a plea for her to consider running again.

      Reply
    215. 215.

      tobie

      I didn’t appreciate it at the time but my father got an invitation to the Rose Garden in 1978 to see President Carter sign an order for a commission to establish a national Holocaust museum. My sister and I were allowed to go with him that day, though we didn’t appreciate what it meant to be invited to the Rose Garden. I just looked up the event and saw a photo with my father in it in a corner. He passed away a year and a half ago. I’m a puddle right now.

      https://www.ushmm.org/information/about-the-museum/presidents-commission

      Reply
    216. 216.

      dww44

      @Baud: Trump is not a normal Republican.  Let’s see how long he will take to make this all about himself. Besides his presence will diminish what is being eulogized about  a person  who was the very antithesis of everything that the President elect is. I do not want him there

      Reply
    219. 219.

      Ruckus

      @zhena gogolia:

      Thank You.

      Life is too short to be a jackass for every minute of it. And it’s often a lot shorter than one might imagine. Had a cousin that lived 6 months. A mom who lived 94 years and 364 days. Life is what it is and what you make of it. I say live a good life, respect others, live life like you hope and expect others to do. You may get 6 months, some get over a century. Don’t live like every day may be your last, live like you want to last. Be a reasonable part of life, not an unreasonable part. And enjoy as much as you can, because life will almost always seem too short. I’ve eaten lunch in an airplane that could no longer fly and was turned into a restaurant, I’ve stood on a glacier on Mt Cook both in New Zealand. I’ve traveled/worked in 49 of the states while in professional sports. I’ve crossed the Atlantic 6 times, I’ve visited many countries in Europe, been above the Arctic circle in winter and to the southern tip of New Zealand. Ridden a motorcycle in several countries one of which was opposite side of the road from the US. Been to Guantanamo Bay 3 times. And no not in the prison….

      I’m an old fart and want a lot more years to get to be an older fart.

      My point is living is as good as you make it. Money is nice, it’s not the answer. Greed is asinine. Hate only makes you hated. Humans are human the world over. Some are great, most are good, some aren’t worth a damn. And most of the time it’s up to the person, not the surroundings. You don’t have to be like anyone else, be yourself, but be good at it. Or at the very least not bad at it.

      Reply
    220. 220.

      p.a.

      RIP.

      All the bible-thumping frauds in the public sphere in this country should hang their heads in shame from Carter’s lifelong display of what real Christian faith looks like.

      Reply
    221. 221.

      tobie

      @Elizabelle: Thanks so much. It feels like it’s been a year of deep loss. As you wisely noted: we need time to grieve. Whatever dreams, hopes, and faith we had in the country was shattered on Nov 5. This doesn’t mean we won’t at some point recover. Or that we won’t fight. But we need to acknowledge the pain. I’ll be there when Biden delivers his eulogy.

      Reply
    223. 223.

      Raflw

      I just finished a 10h45m drive from Kansas City to the CO Rocky Mtns, never looked at my phone feeds nor turned on a radio, so I’m just catching the news.

      I was a kid when he was President. I remember my dad not liking him much, and just starting to have some early political awareness by the time of the hostage crisis.

      Jimmy was by and large a very good and decent man. It was interesting a t 6 months ago to watch an older documentary from PBS that had a lot about how ambitious he was, and of course one has to have that to run for and win the office! But as a kid he seemed like a remarkably ordinary man (a good thing to my mind, esp after creepy Nixon).

      May he rest in peace. And if there’s anything after this mortal coil, may he be reunited with Rosalyn.

      Reply
    226. 226.

      comrade scotts agenda of rage

      @rikyrah:

      I love your parents.

      Carter was my first presidential vote in 1980.  I should have known then based on the outcome of that election where we’d be today.

      Reply
    227. 227.

      Another Scott

      The WhiteHouse proclamation:

      […]

      May President Carter’s memory continue to be a light pointing us forward. May we continue to be guided by his spirit in our Nation and in our world.

      NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in honor and tribute to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr., and as an expression of public sorrow, do hereby direct that the flag of the United States be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions for a period of 30 days from the day of his death. I also direct that, for the same length of time, the representatives of the United States in foreign countries shall make similar arrangements for the display of the flag at half‑staff over their embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

      I hereby order that suitable honors be rendered by units of the Armed Forces under orders of the Secretary of Defense.

      I do further appoint January 9, 2025, as a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States. I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr. I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

      JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

      Click over and read the whole thing.

      Best wishes,
      Scott.

      Reply
    228. 228.

      rekoob

      When asked why I’m a Democrat, I usually respond with “Barbara Jordan”, but I could also easily say “Jimmy Carter”. I remember Jordan’s keynote at the 1976 DNC and my father had noted that the post-Watergate sentiment would lead to a Democratic victory that year. I was too young to vote then, but I got my chance in 1980, and I haven’t wavered since. May President Carter’s memory be a blessing to us for generations to come.

      Reply
    229. 229.

      Kay

      I loved Carter, but “moral clarity” requires telling the truth and that is almost always not popular. Jimmy Carter loved Habitat for Humanity and there’s lots of photos of him smiling and pounding nails but Jimmy Carter also said things like “the United States is now an oligarchy with unlimited bribery” and that’s why a lot of powerful people hated him.

      I hope there’s two versions of Carter, like there’s two versions of MLK Jr, and one of them is real. They’ll only tell the “nice” parts of the story that don’t rock the boat and it will be up to us to tell the truth.

      Reply
    230. 230.

      Alabama Blue Dot

      @hitchhiker: Mine, too, thanks to the 26th amendment. My Auburn University Young Democrats group got a van and drove over to Plains on election night. It was an amazing experience.

      Reply

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