—
James Earl Carter, 39th president of the United States, is dead at the age of 100. The Carter Center announced his passing on X:
CarterhadbeenunderhospicecaresinceFeb.2023afterreportsthatmelanomahadspreadtohisliverandbrain.Hiswife,RosalynnCarter,predeceasedhiminNovemberofthatyear.
Oneofthemoreunlikelycandidatestoascendtothepresidency,CarterworkedhiswayupfromstatesenatorinGeorgiatogovernorandthenthepresidency.Hedidthisallwithhisownbrandofdisarmingdown-homecharmandtirelesshands-oncampaigning.
AproductoftheruralpeanutfarmingcommunityofPlains,Ga.,hebecameanuclearengineerintheNavy.There,hebecameagreatadmirerofAdmiralHymanRickover,thedrivingforcebehindthecreationofAmerica’snuclearsubmarinefleet.CartersaidRickoverwasoneofthegreatestinfluencesonhislifeafterhisparents.
Carter’sfirstattemptsatelectedofficewerechallenging.Afterenduringwhathebelievedtobecampaignfraudbylocalpartybosses,heeventuallyprevailedinalegalchallenge,andtheGeorgialegislatureseatedhim.
InthewakeofPresidentRichardNixon’
