President Joe Biden eulogized former president Jimmy Carter on Thursday as a man who “taught me the strength of character” and refused to let personal ambition or politics erode his inherent goodness, using one of his final speeches as president to issue an indirect rebuke to the politics of today.

For all the valedictory moments that Joe Biden and his staff lined up for his quiet final weeks in the White House – ceremonies awarding medals to supportive celebrities and political friends, receptions and fleeting moments of reflection with the dwindling number of top aides left around – Thursday is unique.