Jimmy Carter outdid one of his obituary writers

Not only was Jimmy Carter the longest-serving former president in history, he lived long enough to outlive one of his New York Times obituaries.

This was the text of the NYT obituary for Carter, “By Peter Baker and Roy Reid
Peter Baker is The Times' chief White House correspondent. Roy Reed, who died in 2017, was a Times national correspondent who covered the South for many years.”

Jimmy Carter outlived one of his obituaries by seven years.Of all the surprising facts about Carter's longevity, this may be one of the most surprising.

Carter is widely and fondly remembered in death in a way he was not for most of his post-presidential life.The fact that Carter's name became shorthand for a failed one-term president in many circles was never fair or deserved.

There are plenty of two-term presidents who history considers failures. George W. Bush is the name that immediately springs to mind, and it wouldn't be surprising if Donald Trump one day well joined that list.

Jimmy Carter lived an amazing life dedicated to decency and service to others. As America prepares to face the reality of a government run by billionaires for billionaires, Jimmy Carter's legacy can only grow and be remembered more fondly.

Jason is the editor-in-chief. He is also the White House Press Center and Congressional Correspondent at PoliticusUSA.Jason holds a BA in Political Science with a focus on public policy, specializing in social reform movements.

Awards and professional memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association