President Jimmy Carter’s national funeral service was intended as a celebration of the former president’s life, a time to put aside political differences and come together to remember a great man.
But that was apparently too much to ask of America’s former heads of state.
For while Carter, who died Dec. 29 at the age of 100, was known as a gentle soul who brought warring factions together, there seemed to be little unity in the pews.
The service, held Thursday morning at the National Cathedral in Washington, marked the first time all five living presidents and (most of) their spouses have been together since Donald Trump won a second term in the White House.
And if you thought a recent cold snap had made the air outside the Gothic church chilly, you should have felt the arctic chill inside.
As each presidential couple entered the ship, they took their seats in the second row and thanked the other mourners who had arrived before them. Or at least that was what they were supposed to do.
Trump was the first former CEO to enter the church, flanked by First Lady Melania, apparently wearing a pilgrim’s vest and ruff.
As they approached the pews, Al Gore, Bill Clinton’s former vice president, stood up to shake Trump’s hand. Beside him, Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence stood, though he couldn’t quite bring himself to smile.
Carter’s national funeral service was intended as a celebration of the former president’s life, a time to put aside political differences and come together to remember a great man.
Trump was the first former CEO to enter the church, flanked by First Lady Melania, apparently wearing a pilgrim’s vest and ruff.
After all, this was the first time in the past four years that the two men had been in the same room together. They had a catastrophic altercation over the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, amid chants of “hang Mike Pence.”
Pence’s wife Karen busied herself with her schedule as soon as she saw Trump approaching and then stared at the middle distance
She remained noticeably seated, apparently unwilling or unable to shake hands with Trump or Melania or even notice their existence.
The next to arrive was the 44th president, Barack Obama, solo.
Michelle Obama was the only First Lady not to attend, officially because she was on an “extended vacation” in Hawaii, although one wonders if the real reason was that she couldn’t tolerate the awkwardness.
Obama received a much warmer reception from Gore and the Pences than Trump. The former VPs seemed to jump to their feet enthusiastically… and even Karen perked up.
After saying hello, Obama took a seat next to Trump and the pair immediately struck up what appeared to be a very friendly conversation. In fact, Trump was so focused on their jokes that he completely turned his back on Melania and left her alone at the end of the line.
President George W. Bush walked in casually with Laura. He looked less like he had arrived at a state funeral and more like he had just had a long lunch. He walked right past Trump without showing even a hint of recognition and was clumsily scored by Obama by tapping him on the stomach.
In fact, Trump was so focused on their jokes that he completely turned his back on Melania and left her alone at the end of the line.
The look on Melania’s face as she hurriedly flipped through her program may have said it all.
The scene was humiliating.
Next up was failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who looked like she could literally be anywhere else. Gore and Pence, who were the only ones showing consistent good manners at the time, stood for Hillary, as did Karen. Bill Clinton followed, almost as an afterthought. His wide grin looked more scared than friendly.
But the gloomiest attendees were yet to come: Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff. Not a single person stood, smiled or even appeared to make eye contact with the vice president and second gentleman as they slid into the front row.
Harris showed complete joylessness and even sighed after turning around to see Obama talking excitedly with her political nemesis, Trump.
The last ones were President Joe Biden and The First Lady.
Joe took Jill’s hand as she led him to their seats, then gently swept his program aside before sitting down.
No one stood up to greet them either, but the icy look Jill and Kamala exchanged may have won the hotly contested award for most icy stare of the day.
Biden didn’t seem too concerned, though, perhaps because he was more concerned about licking his fingers and trying to rub a stain off the pants of his suit, much to Jill’s obvious horror.
The awkwardness and tension of the whole affair captivated social media, with Americans watching in horror at how awkward it could get.
As one Twitter user said, “Jimmy Carter’s state funeral really looked like the reunion of family members who all hate each other.”
Only Trump and Obama kept chatting, sending the lip readers into a frenzy as they tried to figure out exactly what they were saying to each other.
“Their body language quickly took the form of old friends having an animated and quite intimate conversation,” body language expert Judi James told DailyMail.com.
Next up was failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who looked like she could literally be anywhere else.
The most somber attendees were yet to come: Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff.
At one point, Trump turned to Obama and, according to our lip reader, allegedly said, “I can’t talk.” We need to find a quiet place. Sometimes this is a matter of importance, and we have to do it outside so that we can certainly deal with it today.’
Obama nodded and both men apparently said “fine” and “OK.”
You’d expect it to be a huge relief when the service finally started and they could all concentrate on something other than anxiously pretending the others didn’t exist.
Maybe the next time they get together, they would do well to remember Carter’s legacy, and at least try to get along.