(CNN)- President Joe Biden congratulated former President Jimmy Carter on his 100th birthday, celebrating a predecessor whom he said he “admires greatly.”
Calling the former president a “moral force for our country and the world,” Biden described Carter as “the voice of courage, conviction, compassion and, above all, a dear friend” in a live-to-camera birthday greeting with CBS. news.
Carter, who is in palliative care through February 2023, is the oldest sitting president in US history. The Bidens have maintained close contact with the Carter family.
Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, said at the Democratic National Convention in August that he was “hanging in there” for the November election.
“He is hopeful. And though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever. “My grandpa can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris,” she said.
Carter, a Democrat, oversaw significant milestones at home and abroad, including the Camp David Accords, a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, and the creation of the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
He defended the regulation of automobile emissions and the requirement to use seat belts and airbags in vehicles, a very unpopular policy at the time. Carter formally established diplomatic relations with China, designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, and presided over major conservation efforts in Alaska.
Carter left office as a one-term president in 1981 amid criticism of his handling of the Iran hostage crisis.
Perhaps it is the actions following his presidency that have defined Carter’s legacy of service to others, including intense efforts in public health and democracy promotion abroad.
“Even after leaving office, the moral clarity he demonstrated throughout his career will be reflected in his work through the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity to resolve conflict, promote democracy, prevent disease, and much more,” Biden said in a birthday message. was again evident in his commitment to , filmed in front of Carter’s presidential portrait on the State Floor.
He said, “In short, Mr. President, I admire you very much.”
Biden was one of the first senators to support Carter’s presidential campaign in 1976.
“It is not enough to be ‘right’ on the issues in 1976. Our country and our party need a President who is not only right, but who has demonstrated his ability to achieve our common goals,” Biden and Senator Birch Bayh then wrote a joint letter.
Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden traveled to Plains, Georgia, to meet with the Carters on the 100th day of Biden’s presidency in 2021.
“We sat down and talked about old times,” Biden told reporters after the trip, calling the Carters an “old friend.”