Details About Kamala Harris' Friendship With Jimmy Carter

The 2024 United States presidential election draws nearer, eliciting several public endorsements of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in the upcoming election. Among the many public figures and political leaders that have shared their support for Harris thus far, including President Biden following his election dropout and even pop star Taylor Swift's endorsement, is former president Jimmy Carter. President Carter was the 39th president of the United States and celebrated his 100th birthday on October 1, 2024. According to Carter's grandson, Jason Carter, his grandfather is eager to vote in the November election and has expressed his support for Harris.

The Vice President congratulated Jimmy Carter on his milestone birthday in a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). In the video caption, Harris wrote, "Happy 100th birthday to my dear friend, President Jimmy Carter." Harris also shared a heartfelt message in which she expressed her gratitude and appreciation for Carter's single-term presidency. "The world is so much better because of your leadership, your work, your commitment to peace, to decency, to democracy." Note that Carter famously appointed Patricia Roberts Harris, a Black woman, as the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the '70s. Harris' respect for President Carter's legacy and Carter's determination to vote for Harris in the 2024 election are testament to their mutual admiration.

Jimmy Carter's opinion of Harris leaves no room for interpretation. "I'm only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris," the former president said to his son, Chip Carter, according to his grandson, Jason Carter, who relayed the comment to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Leading up to Carter's 100th, Chip learned that his father was determined to stay alive not simply to reach his centennial birthday, but to uphold his plans to back Harris in the election. "He said he didn't care about that. It's just a birthday. He said he cared about voting for Kamala Harris," Chip told The Washington Post.

What's more, Carter explicitly stated his disapproval of Donald Trump. "He does not believe Donald Trump should be president again," Chip added to The Washington Post. Similarly, Trump has openly mocked Carter in the past while criticizing former president Joe Biden. "Compared to Biden, Jimmy Carter was a brilliant, brilliant president," Trump said at a rally back in 2023 (via USA Today). Therefore, Carter's final wish is sure to get under Donald Trump's skin.

Despite Carter's recent birthday celebration, the 100-year-old former president has experienced many health concerns over the years. He survived both metastatic brain cancer and liver cancer due to a life-saving operation and rigorous immunotherapy treatments. While he appears stable for the moment, his health remains fragile. Carter holds much respect for Harris and hopes to remain healthy long enough to see Harris elected as president.