Biden eulogizes Carter with an emphasis on character; The Washington Post, January 9, 2025

Cleve R. Wootson Jr., The Washington Post; Biden eulogizes Carter with an emphasis on character

"“Character, I believe, is destiny. Destiny in our lives and, quite frankly, destiny in the life of our nation,” Biden said in remarks that began just before noon, using the word “character” nearly a dozen times in 10 minutes. “We have an obligation to give hate no safe harbor and to stand up to what my dad said is the greatest sin of all: the abuse of power.”

Carter had personally asked Biden to deliver his eulogy, but Biden’s words seemed aimed at least in part at the current moment and President-elect Donald Trump’s style of politics, which he has derided as focused on self-absorption and fueling division for political gain.

Biden said anyone seeking to lead a good life would be wise to model themselves on Carter, who he said was motivated by “faith, hope and love.” He hailed the former president as a man who spent his life serving everyone from his neighbors in his small hometown of Plains, Georgia, to residents of poor countries around the world."

Biden says Jimmy Carter’s ‘enduring attribute’ was character.; The New York Times, January 9, 2025

Michael D. Shear, The New York Times; Biden says Jimmy Carter’s ‘enduring attribute’ was character.

 "Mr. Biden spent little time recounting Mr. Carter’s accomplishments, as had already been done by other speakers at the funeral. Instead, he focused on “Jimmy Carter’s enduring attribute: character, character, character.”

He said that character was the reason he endorsed Mr. Carter’s presidential campaign in the 1970s, well before many other Democratic politicians. He said it was Mr. Carter’s character that allowed him to survive in a world of powerful pressures.

“It is the story of a man who never let the ties of politics divert him from his mission to serve and shape the world,” he said. “The man had character.”"