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The ushers at Jimmy Carter’s funeral could not have squeezed more uncomfortable tension into three rows of pews if they had tried.
For what should have been bleak After the 39th president’s final farewell, Thursday’s service was also filled with icy exchanges, stares, insults and mysterious conversations.
Viewers said the dynamic was like something out of an awkward reality TV show, featuring an Associated Press journalist comparing it to DC’s version of a ‘Real Housewives’ reunion.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden sat in the front row next to Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Behind them were Melania Trump and President-elect Donald Trump, as well as former President Barack Obama — who attended the service solo due to a scheduling conflict that involved Michelle in Hawaii.
Also in that row were former Presidents George W. Bush and Laura Bush, as well as former President Bill Clinton and former Democratic candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The third row was reserved for former vice presidents, including Mike Pence, Karen Pence and Al Gore.
All eyes were on the current and former political friends and foes as they arrived at the Washington National Cathedral Thursday morning.
Former President Barack Obama (left) appears to laugh at something President-elect Donald Trump (right) told him Thursday during President Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the Washington National Cathedral
Obama and Trump laugh together
Trump helped spawn the so-called ‘birther’ movement, while Obama humiliated the reality TV host on stage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2011 – which is considered a motivating factor for Trump’s decision to 2016 to launch a White House run.
But on Thursday, Trump and Obama acted as if they were old friends.
The Republican president-elect and the former Democratic commander in chief chatted, with Trump making Obama laugh at one point.
The images sparked a number of online captioning competitions and calls for a lip reader.
Forensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman told DailyMail.com that Trump cryptically said it was important to speak to Obama privately “today” so they could “settle” something.
Trump suggested that they find a “quiet place” where they could discuss the mysterious matter after the service. It remained unclear whether the crucial information Trump had to tell Obama was related to a national security matter or something else.
But the animated conversation between them made the audience very curious about what they were whispering about.
The two men are expected to meet again in eleven days, when Trump is sworn in for his second term.
Vice President Kamala Harris later turned to address former President Barack Obama, while Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledged the Trumps
Kamala looks sideways at Obama as he talks to Trump
At the same time, the 2024 Democratic nominee seemed unhappy that Obama was chatting with her recent political opponent.
Later, Harris was seen whispering in Obama’s ear while Emhoff briefly chatted with the Trumps.
Before the election, Obama campaigned vigorously for Harris — even chiding a group of black men in Pittsburgh for not being as supportive of Harris as he was when Obama first ran for the White House in 2008.
“We haven’t seen the same kind of energy and turnout in all areas of our neighborhoods and communities that we saw when I was running. Now I also want to say that this seems to be more apparent with the brothers,” Obama said during a campaign stop in mid-October.
He suggested that black men “just don’t like the idea of having a woman as president,” telling the group, “I have a problem with that.”
Days before Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, Obama reportedly told allies that the then 81-year-old should seriously consider resigning after his disastrous debate performance against Trump in late June.
President Joe Biden (left) wipes a tear from his eye at President Jimmy Carter’s funeral as first lady Jill Biden (center) and Vice President Kamala Harris (right) appear somber
More ice cream between Kamala and Jill?
As the Bidens joined Harris and Emhoff in the front row, even CNN’s Jake Tapper acknowledged that “you didn’t see a particularly warm greeting between the first couple and the second couple.”
Harris and Dr. Biden sat next to each other — with the president and Emhoff in the aisles.
A senior White House official pushed back on the catfight story, explaining that the Bidens, Harris and Emhoff had spent about 30 minutes together backstage before the ceremony began.
The source told DailyMail.com that ‘it was very warm, it was very loving.’
The official added that Dr. Biden hung around after the service so she could say a proper goodbye to Harris and Emhoff and they “hugged and kissed.”
The East Wing previously pushed back on a The Wall Street Journal reports this relations between the first and second couple have been ‘frosty’ behind the scenes since Harris lost the presidential race.
The article stated that Dr. Biden has not been a fan of Harris since she dragged Joe onto the stage on the busing issue during the first Democratic primary debate of 2020, which took place four and a half years ago in June 2019 in Miami.
An East Wing spokesperson pointed out that Dr. Biden made a number of solo campaign outings to support Harris’ bid after her husband withdrew from the race.
Karen Pence remained seated as Melania and President-elect Donald Trump greeted former Vice President Al Gore and then former Vice President Mike Pence, with whom they have not been seen publicly since 2021 in the wake of the January 6 attack on the Capitol
Former Vice Presidents Al Gore (left) and Mike Pence (center) sit stone-faced next to former second lady Karen Pence. Karen Pence refused to acknowledge the Trumps at Carter’s funeral on Thursday
Karen Pence denounces the Trumps
Karen Pence refused to acknowledge the Trumps when they arrived for Carter’s funeral services.
The former second lady sat next to her husband and remained seated when the Trumps arrived.
She made no effort to shake hands with Melania Trump, with whom she worked closely when their husbands were in power during Trump’s first term.
Mike Pence shook hands with Donald Trump after former Vice President Al Gore did the same.
The Pences and Trumps had a major feud after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, when Trump supporters set up a makeshift gallows and chanted “hang Mike Pence” as the vice president refused to overturn Biden’s legitimate 2020 election victory.
Carter’s funeral marked the first time the two couples had gathered since leaving office in January 2021.
When former President George W. Bush arrived, he playfully punched former President Barack Obama in the stomach and appeared to ignore the Trumps. He was later photographed shaking hands with Trump
George W. Bush ignores the Trumps when he arrives
When President George W. Bush arrived at the ceremony, he playfully punched Obama — who won the 2008 election by attacking Bush’s record — in the stomach, while completely ignoring both Donald and Melania Trump.
Although the Obamas and the Bushes have long since had no bad blood over Obama’s 2008 victory – which was helped by Obama’s criticism of the war in Iraq, which Bush started – it appeared that Bush had no fondness for his fellow Republicans developed.
Although Bush did not go as far as his former Vice President Dick Cheney, who along with daughter Liz supported Harris, he publicly warned the country about the threat of domestic terrorism on the September 11 anniversary after January 6.
Trump, in turn, said Bush has had “a failed and uninspiring presidency” and that he should not “lecture” the public about domestic terrorism.
Before that, Trump humiliated Bush’s brother Jeb on the 2016 campaign trail, mocking the former Florida governor for being “low energy” — a dig that stuck.
Bush ultimately acknowledged the Trumps during the ceremony and shook hands with the president-elect.