8 months ago
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(NewsNation) — Former President Jimmy Carter was the "most underrated president we've ever had," NewsNation correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera said successful the hours aft the 100-year-old's passing.
"He was a fantastic president and adjacent amended successful his post-presidential life, I deliberation that past volition travel to respect him, really, truly, arsenic 1 of the champion we've had," Rivera said connected "NewsNation Prime."
Carter, the 39th president known for his peanut workplace and loving narration with his wife, passed distant connected Dec. 29, 2024, successful his hometown of Plains, Georgia, aft much than a twelvemonth of hospice care.
Rivera archetypal met Carter astatine a run lawsuit successful 1975, the archetypal clip the then-Georgia politician had traveled northbound of the Mason-Dixon line.
Rivera ended up introducing Carter astatine the lawsuit done a transportation with the confederate stone set the Allman Brothers.
"I was precise proud," Rivera said. "I played a tiny portion successful the past to assistance propel this truly fantastic man, wonderful, compassionate man."
Carter himself said the Allman Brothers helped him get elected.
Visitors walk a representation of President Jimmy Carter during a solemnisation of his 99th day held astatine The Carter Center successful Atlanta connected Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
FILE - Jimmy Carter, 2nd from left, receives a hug from his wife, Rosalynn Carter, aft the 3rd statesmanlike statement ended, Oct. 22, 1976, successful Williamsburg, Va. First woman Betty Ford, center, and moderator Barbara Walters, right, tin beryllium seen successful the background. Rosalynn Carter, the closest advisor to Jimmy Carter during his 1 word arsenic U.S. president and their 4 decades thereafter arsenic planetary humanitarians, died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. She was 96. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2018, record photograph erstwhile President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter are seen up of an NFL shot crippled betwixt the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals successful Atlanta. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter person been champion friends and beingness mates for astir 80 years. Now with the erstwhile archetypal lady's decease astatine property 96, the erstwhile president indispensable set to beingness without the pistillate who helium credits arsenic his adjacent spouse successful everything helium accomplished successful authorities and arsenic a planetary humanitarian aft their White House years. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)
FILE - Former President Jimmy Carter sits connected the Atlanta Falcons seat earlier the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled betwixt the Atlanta Falcons and the San Diego Chargers, Oct. 23, 2016, successful Atlanta. Former President Carter, connected Saturday Sept. 23 2023 made a astonishment quality astatine the Plains Peanut Festival successful their Georgia hometown, the Carter Center wrote successful a societal media station connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Rivera besides praised Carter for his lasting enactment arsenic a backstage and governmental humanitarian.
Though Rivera acknowledged that, adjacent aft winning the Oval Office, Carter "never became polished," it's his unabashed earnestness that made him truthful effectual arsenic a peacemaker.
Carter is survived by his 4 children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. His woman of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, preceded him successful decease connected Nov. 19, 2023.
"We're each we're each praying for him, and we cognize that, you know, if there's a heaven, Jimmy Carter has a beforehand enactment seat," Rivera said.
