"A great American": Biden honors Jimmy Carter at state funeral

• Often called the "nation's greatest former president," Carter is remembered for a lifetime of service and his decades of humanitarian work after his time in the White House.

State of play: All five living U.S. presidents were in attendance at Thursday's service.

• First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff were also present, as were former vice presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence.
• Biden said in 2023 that Carter, who at the time was receiving hospice care, had asked him to deliver his eulogy after his death.
• The U.S. Postal Service, financial markets (including the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq) and federal buildings are closed Thursday to mark the national day of mourning.

What they're saying: President Biden reflected Thursday on his friendship spanning six decades with Carter, who he characterized as "a great American, a dear friend and a good man."

• "Jimmy Carter's friendship taught me ... the strength of character is more than title or the power we hold," Biden said during his eulogy. "It's the strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity, respect — that everyone, and I mean everyone, deserves an even shot."
• Biden added, "We have an obligation to give hate no safe harbor and to stand up to what my dad used to say is the greatest sin of all, the abuse of power."
• He applauded Carter as a champion for clean energy, conservation and civil rights and characterized him as the president "who redefined the relationship with the vice president," celebrating Carter's "model partnership" with the late former Vice President Walter Mondale.

Ted Mondale, the son of the late Vice President Walter Mondale, read a letter from his father, who described Carter's four years in the White House as "a marker for Americans dedicated to justice and decency."

• "Carter was far-sighted. He put aside his short-term political interests to tackle challenges that demanded sacrifice to protect our kids and grandkids from future harm," Mondale's letter read, adding, "Very few people in the 1970s had heard the term climate change."

Steven Ford, son of the late President Gerald Ford, similarly read a letter from his father: Carter's political rival turned friend. The two former presidents, Ford said, had vowed to deliver eulogies at each other's funerals.

• "It was because of our shared values that Jimmy and I respected each other as adversaries, even before we cherished one another as dear friends," the late president's letter read.
• After Ford's death in 2006, Carter delivered a eulogy at his service.
• "I'm looking forward to our reunion," Ford's letter ended. "We have much to catch up on. Thank you, Mr. President. Welcome home, old friend."

Josh Carter, Jimmy Carter's grandson, opened remarks at the service by remembering the way his grandfather dedicated his life to"helping those in need."

• "He built houses for people that needed homes. He eliminated diseases in forgotten places," he said. "He waged peace anywhere in the world, wherever he saw a chance. He loved people."

Jason Carter characterized his grandfather's life as "a love story."

What's next: After the state funeral, Carter's body will be taken back to his hometown, where there will be a private funeral service.

• He will be buried next to his late wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023.

Go deeper: How, when to watch Jimmy Carter's funeral live

Editor's note: This story was updated with details from the service.