美国前总统吉米·卡特罕见地公开露面，参加了周二为其已故妻子罗丝琳·卡特举行的追悼会，卡特于本月早些时候去世。
吉米·卡特从二月份开始接受临终关怀，他在亚特兰大埃默里大学的格伦纪念教堂向他的妻子致敬，他的妻子曾在1977年至1981年担任第一夫人。这位99岁的前总统周一为这一场合做了一套新西装，并在医生的陪同下离开了他在普莱恩斯的家，前往教堂。
他坐在前排，身上盖着一条毯子，上面刻着她的脸。
吉米和罗丝琳·卡特结婚77年，是美国历史上最长的婚姻，他们都通过自己的人道主义工作在白宫之外建立了持久的遗产。罗丝琳·卡特成为了心理健康宣传.
第一夫妇的独生女艾米·卡特含泪读了75年前吉米·卡特在海军服役时写给罗莎琳的一封信。艾米·卡特坐在她父亲旁边，在整个仪式中经常被看到握着他的手。
“我妈妈一生中的大部分时间都深爱着我爸爸。他们的伙伴关系和爱情故事是她生活的一个决定性特征，”她说。“因为他今天不能和你们说话，所以我将分享他关于爱和想念她的一些话。”
在信中，吉米·卡特写道:“我不在的时候，我试图说服自己，你真的不再是我记忆中的那个甜美可爱的你了。但是当我看到你，我又一次爱上了你。你觉得奇怪吗?对我来说没什么。”
十几名政治领导人出席了这位前第一夫人的致敬仪式，她于11月19日去世，享年96岁。
乔·拜登总统和第一夫人吉尔·拜登与前总统比尔·克林顿和前第一夫人希拉里·克林顿以及前第一夫人劳拉·布什、米歇尔·奥巴马和梅兰妮·特朗普坐在前排。
据白宫消息，克林顿夫妇和奥巴马与拜登夫妇一起乘坐空军一号前往格鲁吉亚。
出席的还有副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯和第二绅士道格·艾姆霍夫、佐治亚州州长布赖恩·坎普以及佐治亚州参议员乔恩·奥索夫和拉斐尔·沃诺克。
仪式在下午1点开始，由亚特兰大交响乐团的成员演奏。盖斯·布洛克斯和特里莎·伊尔伍德演唱了《想象》节目是按照她的意愿设计的，包括歌曲、经文和谁来发言。
卡特夫妇的私人牧师发表了讲话，一些前第一夫人的子女和孙辈进行了朗读。记者朱迪·伍德拉夫(Judy Woodruff)也表达了敬意，她说，他们在任时，这个国家见证了“第一夫人认为自己的角色远远超出了必要的热情和欢迎的东道主，而是一个亲密和值得信任的顾问。”
杰森·卡特分享了他祖母的个人轶事，包括她每年给所有孙子孙女寄的生日贺卡，以及她是如何练习太极的。他称她为他们家的“磐石”，也是一个“冒险家”
“正如沃尔诺克牧师告诉我的，我的祖母不需要悼词，她的一生就是一场布道，”他说。
白宫周一表示，拜登总统没有计划发言，但新闻秘书卡琳·让·皮埃尔告诉记者，他和第一夫人吉尔·拜登期待“表达他们的哀悼，并通过参加活动来参与活动”
2023年11月28日，美国前第一夫人米歇尔·奥巴马抵达埃默里大学格伦纪念教堂，参加美国前第一夫人罗丝琳·卡特的悼念仪式。brynn Anderson/路透社
brynn Anderson/路透社
拜登与卡特夫妇的关系跨越了几十年，可以追溯到1976年他作为第一任参议员支持卡特竞选总统。拜登(姓氏)今年早些时候说前总统卡特请他致悼词。
罗丝琳·卡特本月早些时候去世后，拜登表示，这对前第一夫妇非常正直。
“第一夫人罗丝琳·卡特走自己的路，一路上鼓舞着一个国家和世界，”拜登夫妇在一份声明中说。
Jimmy Carter attends memorial service for wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter
Former President Jimmy Carter made a rare public appearance when he attended Tuesday's memorial service for his late wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died earlier this month.
Jimmy Carter, who has been in hospice care since February, paid tribute to his wife -- who served as first lady from 1977 to 1981 -- at Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University in Atlanta. The 99-year-old former president had a new suit made Monday for the occasion, and was accompanied by a physician when he left his home in Plains en route to the church.
He was seated in the front row draped in a blanket with her face etched on it.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were married for 77 years, the longest marriage of any first couple in U.S. history, and both built a lasting legacy outside the White House through their humanitarian work. Rosalynn Carter became a champion formental health advocacy.
Amy Carter, the first couple's only daughter, tearfully read a letter Jimmy Carter wrote to Rosalynn 75 years ago while he was serving in the Navy. Amy Carter, who was seated next to her father, was often seen holding his hand throughout the service.
"My mom spent most of her life in love with my dad. Their partnership and love story was a defining feature of her life," she said. "Because he isn't able to speak to you today, I am going to share some of his words about loving and missing her."
In the letter, Jimmy Carter wrote, "While I am away, I try to convince myself that you really are not, could not be as sweet and beautiful as I remember. But when I see you, I fall in love with you all over again. Does that seem strange to you? It doesn't to me."
A dozen political leaders were present at the the invitation-only tribute service for the former first lady,who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden sat in the front row along with former President Bill Clinton and former first lady Hillary Clinton, as well as former first ladies Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump.
The Clintons and Obama traveled to Georgia on Air Force One with the Bidens, according to the White House.
Also in attendance were Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
The service began shortly at 1 p.m. and featured music from members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed a rendition of "Imagine." The program was designed in accordance with her wishes, including the songs, scriptures and who would speak.
Remarks were given by the Carters' personal pastor and readings were done by some of the former first lady's children and grandchildren. Journalist Judy Woodruff also gave a tribute, saying what the country witnessed when they were in office was "a first lady who saw her role as going well beyond the essential warm and welcoming host to being a close and trusted, yes, adviser."
Jason Carter shared personal anecdotes of his grandmother, including the birthday cards she sent to all her grandchildren every year and how she practiced tai chi. He called her the "rock" of their family but also an "adventurer."
"As Rev. Warnock told me, my grandmother doesn't need a eulogy, her life was a sermon," he said.
President Biden was not slated to speak, the White House said Monday, but press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters he and first lady Jill Biden looked forward to "offering their condolences and participating in the event by attending."
Biden's relationship with the Carters spans decades, back to when he endorsed Carter for the presidency while serving as a first-term senator in 1976. Bidensaid earlier this yearthat former President Carter has asked him to deliver his eulogy.
After Rosalynn Carter's death earlier this month, Biden said the former first couple shared great integrity.
"First Lady Rosalynn Carter walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way," the Bidens said in a statement.
