Biden says Trump could learn ‘decency’ from Jimmy Carter in tribute address
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President-elect praised Carter as a ‘truly good man’ in U-turn from past rhetoric in their long thorny relationship. Joe Biden said Donald Trump should learn “decency” from Jimmy Carter’s legacy, in remarks delivered hours after the former president’s death on Sunday at age 100.
Speaking to reporters during a family vacation in the US Virgin Islands, the outgoing US president drew sharp contrasts between Carter’s character and that of his predecessor Trump, who is set to take over a second term as commander-in-chief in January.
When asked if there was anything Trump could learn from Carter, Biden replied: “Decency. Decency. Decency.”. “Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking by someone who needed something and just keep walking?” Biden said. “Can you imagine Jimmy Carter referring to someone by the way they look or the way they talk? I can’t.”.
The outgoing president spoke for nine minutes about Carter, describing him as a humanitarian, personal friend and a “remarkable leader”. He emphasized how Carter’s values reflected on America’s global standing, noting that “the rest of the world looks to us. And he was worth looking to.”.
Trump, who has had public disagreements with Carter in the past, struck a more measured tone in his response. The 45th and incoming 47th US president released two statements on Sunday praising Carter as “a truly good man” for whom he had the “highest respect” – and describing him as more consequential than most holders of the Oval Office.
