Trump says Jimmy Carter ‘died a happy man’ because Biden was worse

Tuesday night in Greenville, Trump took a moment to speak for the dead. “Jimmy Carter, I went to his funeral. He died a happy man because … compared to Joe Biden, he was a brilliant, brilliant president, right?” Then, in fairness to Carter: “Compared to Joe, Sleepy Joe, he was one of the greatest presidents ever.” And once more, in case the ghost missed it: “Jimmy died a happy man.”

Here’s what Carter was living for, according to his family. In October 2024, at 100 and in hospice, he voted by mail. His family had said he wanted to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris. Trump won on 5 November. Carter died on 29 December, 54 days later by our math.

So the happy ending Trump is describing goes: Carter casts his last ballot, for Harris by his family’s account, Trump wins, Carter dies, and Trump turns up at the funeral and later reports that the man was delighted. A eulogy only Trump could give, mostly about Trump.