Former presidents and Biden honor Jimmy Carter at funeral

Washington CNN — It’s the world’s most exclusive fraternity and, on Thursday, all five members of the so-called presidents club will gather to honor one of their own. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden are expected to attend the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, who died December 29. “I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history,” Carter told The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, slamming Bush’s “overt reversal of America’s basic values.” But Carter later offered Bush praise; at the 2013 opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Carter extended his “admiration” to the 43rd president, heralding Bush for keeping his word and acting to end a 20-year civil war in Sudan. I knew him a little bit and he was a very fine person, but that was a big mistake.” Trump extended warm condolences following Carter’s death in a formal statement describing the former president as “a truly good man” and “very consequential.” Days later, however, he took to social media to complain that flags on federal buildings would be at half-staff during his inauguration, a standard, monthlong procedure commemorating the death of an American president. Our nation and our party need a president who is not only right, but who has demonstrated ability to accomplish our common goals,” Biden and then-Sen. Birch Bayh wrote in a joint letter at the time, adding, “We believe that person is Jimmy Carter.” Four years ago, Biden’s inauguration was the first one Carter had missed since his own swearing-in in 1977.