During his state funeral in Washington D.C. on Thursday, former President Jimmy Carter was eulogized by President Joe Biden as a man of character and faith, committed to improving the lives of others.

But his state funeral, per tradition, was "replete with the exalted trappings of a presidential send-off." The image of the five living presidents, all wearing black suits and blue ties, offered a "rare image of presidential unity" that spoke of "preservation and strength" in a time of upheaval and polarization,

Three days after the Jan. 6 anniversary, with its indelible images of costumed rioters running amok in the Capitol, former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral service in the National Cathedral presented a historical picture of a different kind, one that spoke not of upended norms, but of preservation and strength.