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Editor's note: This article first appeared on the author's blog: Res ipsa loquitur – the same thing speaks
America is mourning the loss of one of the most respected men ever to sit in the Oval Office on Sunday. Even his critics. Jimmy Carter He was a model of compassion and integrity as an American president. After his presidency, he proved to be an even greater role model, working tirelessly to help those without shelter or hope. He gave us 100 years of a life committed to helping others and a lasting lesson about what it truly means to be a public servant.
Both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump He gave a moving tribute to Carter.
President Biden spoke to the nation from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Sunday evening. He pointed out in his statements that Carter demonstrated “what it means to live a life with meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith and humility.”
He added: “Some look to Jimmy Carter And seeing a man from a bygone era with honesty and character. “Faith and humility are important, but I don’t think this is a bygone era,” Biden said. “We would all do well to try to be like Jimmy Carter.”
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, has died at the age of 100
President-elect Trump declared, “Jimmy's challenges as President have come at a pivotal time for our country and he has done everything he can to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
After Biden made his statements about Carter, he received questions from reporters. The media immediately saw the testimony comments as an opportunity to take a dig at Trump and Biden seemed eager to impress them.
When a reporter asked Biden what President-elect Trump should take away from Carter's legacy, Biden responded:
“Fitness, decency, decency… Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking past someone who needs something and continuing to walk? Can you imagine Jimmy Carter pointing out someone by the way they look or the way they talk?”
It was a stark break from the moment of unity between the two presidents.
It was also an odd choice of president for Biden to draw the comparison. There's one more thing Carter won't do: pardon a family member in an influence-peddling scandal.
Throughout his presidency, Carter faced allegations that his brother Billy Carter took $200,000 from a Libyan dictator as a “loan” and only repaid $1,000. There were also allegations of more money derived from overt influence selling from foreign sources.
Sound familiar?
Doug Schoen: Jimmy Carter provided a model for the post-presidency
Indeed, Biden's defenders immediately tried to use Carter to deflect criticism from the president after he pardoned his son, Hunter. False claim He pardoned Billy.
Grant Stern, editor of the advocacy group Occupation Democrats He wrote: “Jimmy Carter pardoned his brother Billy Carter, who seized more than $200,000 from Libya as a foreign agent. George H. W. Bush pardoned his son Neil Bush for his role in the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s. No one believes this pardon defines “Neither presidency. Joe and Biden's pardon for Hunter Biden will not be the same.”
Neither of these pardons specified “either presidency” because there were neither.
(On ABC, The View co-host Ana Navarro called for family pardons, including mentioning another president in defense of Hunter Biden's pardon: “Woodrow Wilson pardoned his brother-in-law, Hunter DeButts… but tell me again how he pardoned Joe Biden sets a precedent? Many people told her right away Alternatively, how did Wilson not have a son-in-law named Hunter Depots, let alone pardon him?)
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In fact, despite the lingering questions and investigations, Carter refused to pardon his brother. Instead, he told the American people the truth:
“I am deeply concerned that Billy has received money from Libya and that he may be obligated to Libya. These facts will govern my relationship with Billy as long as I am President. Billy has not had any influence on U.S. policy or actions regarding Libya in the past, and will never have any.” impact in the future.”
Unlike Carter, President Biden repeatedly lied to voters in denying that (1) Hunter had any dealings with the Chinese, (2) that he met his son's agents, (3) he knew of any such dealings, and (4) he would He pardons his son. He then pardoned Hunter for all crimes committed over the past decade, including possible crimes that many believe implicated the president himself in a multi-million dollar influence-peddling scheme.
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It is worth noting that, in seeking to conduct comparative research with Trump, journalists did not seek to ask about this point of comparison with Biden.
We all knew that no matter how one felt about Carter's performance as president, there were some things he would not do in office.
Perhaps this is why “some look at Jimmy Carter and see a man from a bygone era of honesty and character.” They look at Biden himself and say, “We'd all better try to be like Jimmy Carter.”
