Jimmy Carter death: Biden says America lost ‘remarkable leader’ as he pays tribute to ‘dear friend’

Biden says America lost 'remarkable leader' as he pays tribute Jimmy Carter Source: The White House

Transcript

00:00This is a sad day, but it brings back an incredible amount of good memories.

00:06Today, America and the world, in my view, lost a remarkable leader.

00:13He was a statesman and a humanitarian.

00:16And Jill and I lost a dear friend.

00:19I've been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years, it dawned on me.

00:23And I had countless conversations with him over those years.

00:27And I always would be proud to say that he used to kid me about it,

00:32that I was the first national figure to endorse him in 1976 when he ran for president.

00:39There was an overwhelming reason for it, his character.

00:43What I find extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though,

00:47is that millions of people all around the world, all over the world,

00:51feel they lost a friend as well, even though they never met him.

00:56And that's because Jimmy Carter lived a life measured not by words, but by his deeds.

01:01Just look at his life, his life's work.

01:04He worked to eradicate disease, not just at home, but around the world.

01:09He forged peace, advanced civil rights, human rights,

01:14promoted free and fair elections around the world.

01:17He built housing for the homeless with his own hands.

01:21His compassion and moral clarity lifted people up and changed lives and saved lives all over the globe.

01:28Jimmy Carter was just as courageous in his battle against cancer as he was in everything in his life.

01:34Cancer is a common bond between our two families, as are many other families.