Former President Jimmy Carter’s grandson Jason Carter made a special appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 20, to advocate for Vice President Kamala Harris on his grandfather’s behalf.
Jason, 49 — who chairs The Carter Centerwhich his grandparents co-founded after leaving the White House — addressed a crowd in Chicago early in the evening on day two, saying that Jimmy “wishes he could be here tonight.”
“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,” Jason said. “Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy.”
He continued: “She knows what is right, and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not about 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.”
Jimmy, 99, has been in hospice care for a year and a half, and recently told family that he hopes to live long enough to vote for Harris in the upcoming presidential election.
“My grandfather can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris,” Jason said on the DNC stage. “She reminds us all that the promise of America remains unchanged. We are one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, and my grandfather knows that with her as our next president, we will keep that promise.”
Jason also gave a brief update on the former president’s health, saying, “Papa is holding on, he is hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever.”
Jason Carter and his grandfather, former President Jimmy Carter, in Plains, Ga., on Feb. 8, 2017.
David Goldman/AP
Jimmy served as president from 1977 until 1981. He became the longest-living U.S. president in 2019 at 94 years old, and began receiving hospice care in February 2023. The former president made a rare public appearance in November to attend the memorial service for his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, who died at 96 years old.
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In June, Jason told Southern Living that his grandfather was no longer awake every day while in hospice. “(He’s) experiencing the world as best he can as he continues through this process,” Jason told the publication.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in 2024.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty
Jason revealed in August that his grandfather told Chip, another grandson, that he would like to make it to 100 years old because he’s “only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris.” His birthday is on Oct. 1.
He and Rosalynn were hopeful when Biden and Harris were elected to become president and vice president in 2020.
“Rosalynn joins me in congratulating our friends President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris,” he said in a statement in November 2020. “We are proud of their well-run campaign and look forward to seeing the positive change they bring to our nation.”
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