Statement from Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on the Death of Mario Cuomo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Deanna Congileo, dcongil@emory.edu

Rosalynn and I are saddened at the death of our friend Mario Cuomo.

Like an earlier governor of New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mario Cuomo gave passionate voice to the deepest convictions and aspirations not only of his party but of the United States of America at its best. In his three terms in Albany, he set an example of steady, compassionate, and progressive governance. I know I am far from alone in wishing he had chosen to bring his unmatched qualities to the nation's capital, whether to the White House or the chambers of the Supreme Court.

On a personal note, I will always be grateful to Mario for the support and counsel he gave me when I ran for president in 1976 and again in 1980. He was a dear friend and a constant inspiration. Our sympathies and prayers are with his wife, Matilda, and his children Madeline, Maria, Margaret, Christopher, and Andrew.

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.