“Ash was a force. He was a force of nature,” Biden said. “His genius was evident, his integrity unfailing and his commitment to service before self was literally inspiring.”
Biden recalled Carter’s lengthy career, which combined a background in theoretical physics with leadership on nuclear and defense policies. In the 1990s, Carter worked with his mentor, former Defense Secretary Bill Perry, to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation after the Soviet Union collapsed. After he became defense secretary himself, Carter worked to fight the rise of Islamic State extremists and to “smash their hold on territories in Iraq and Syria,” Biden said.
“Ash always took the hardest jobs, the seemingly impossible missions, because he believed he could make a difference. And he did make a difference,” Biden said.
