CHICAGO — Former President Jimmy Carter is staying home from this year’s Democratic National Convention, but his grandson Jason Carter took the stage Tuesday night and delivered a speech in his honor, including an update on the 99-year-old Georgia native.
“Paw Paw is holding on,” he said. “He’s hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever.”
Jimmy Carter, who is set to celebrate his 100th birthday in October, is the longest-living president in American history and the only president from Georgia.
He entered hospice care in early 2023. Jason Carter, a former state senator and gubernatorial candidate, said in May that he believes his grandfather is nearing the end, but has since said his grandfather is holding on to cast his vote for Vice President Kamala Harris as president.
“My grandfather can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris. She reminds us all that the promise of America remains unchanged,” Jason Carter said.
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, Jimmy Carter’s wife of 77 years, died in November.
“I can tell you that he wishes he could be here tonight,” Jason Carter said. “He and my grandmother led their lives with an unwavering faith in God, a respect for human dignity, honesty and a commitment to loving their neighbors as themselves. Those principles guided them throughout their lives, including during their four years in the White House and the four decades since. For my grandfather, it was never about fame, recognition, accolades or awards, his legacy is measured by the lives he has touched and the good he has done.”
“Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy,” he added. “She knows what is right, and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness, that you can show strength and demonstrate decency, and that you can get a whole lot more done with a smile than with a scowl.”
Throughout the United Center Tuesday, Democrats from around the nation shared well wishes for and fond memories of Jimmy Carter.
Kevin Jacobson, an alternate delegate from Wisconsin, said he wasn’t around for the Carter administration, but decided to research Carter after learning that he had solar panels installed on the White House back in 1979.
“He was very present, I think he was looking very forward,” Jacobson said. “He did so many things around clean energy, even back in so long before we even knew what climate change really was. So I’ve always really appreciated him. He comes from such humble roots, and I think that we should get back to those roots as the Democratic Party.”
Fellow Wisconsinite Josefine Jaynes agreed.
“Something that has always struck me about Jimmy Carter is that he is just a man of faith, and I think sometimes Dems are afraid to talk about faith and lean into faith, and Jimmy Carter showed that Republicans don’t own Christianity, so I really like just how important his faith is to him.”
Carter was known to teach Sunday school classes at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains Georgia until 2020.
Jake Metcalfe, former party chair for the Democratic Party in Alaska, said folks there remember Carter for the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which set aside more than 100 million acres of land.
“His administration was responsible for providing land for parks, and that was controversial at the time, but he saved a lot of the country and helped preserve the land of Alaska,” Metcalfe said. “So some people see him as a hero, some people see him as a president that prevented development, but I think more people in Alaska like him now and are happy with what he did.”
Metcalfe said he’s in the latter camp.
“He’s going to go down as one of our better presidents and, you know, he’s one of the few guys, few presidents that has basically not cashed in and has done a lot for his country and his community,” he said.
Carter was celebrated more for his post-presidency accomplishments, including as a mediator and volunteer. He was particularly known for showing up to Habitat for Humanity job sites and helping to construct homes well into his advanced years.
“I’m glad of what he has done and what he’s accomplished in his life and how he’s been able to lead a footprint to show what you can do after your presidency,” said New York state Sen. Leroy Comrie. “And I hope that other people can follow in his footsteps and not worry about being elected to find a cause or an issue that they want to work on and put their time and effort into it.”
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Georgia Recorder.
