Jimmy Carter, longest living US president, turns 99

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Presidential historian reflects on Jimmy Carter's life and legacy as he enters hospice

Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley tells ‘The Story with Martha MacCallum’ Christianity is first and foremost in Jimmy Carter's life as the 39th president enters hospice care in his hometown.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter turned 99 Sunday.

Carter, the 39th president of the United States, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the submarine service. 

After his military service, Carter — who served one term as president between 1977 and 1981 — took over his family's peanut farm before entering politics.

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Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter turned 99 Sunday. (Ida Mae Astute/American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)

Carter served as a Georgia state senator and the Peach State's governor before narrowly defeating Republican incumbent President Gerald Ford for the presidency in 1976.

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., the dean of the Georgia delegation in Congress, wished the former president a happy birthday in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Happy birthday to President Jimmy Carter, a proud farmer, a devoted Christian, an accomplished Naval Academy graduate and a legendary Georgian," Scott said.

As president, Carter created the Department of Education, negotiated the 1978 amity agreement between Egypt and Israel and completed the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union.

Carter also oversaw the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis that lasted 444 days until his successor, President Ronald Reagan, took over as president Jan. 20, 1981.

As president, Carter oversaw the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis that lasted 444 days until his successor, President Ronald Reagan, took over as president on Jan. 20, 1981. (Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

During Carter's presidency, he was attacked by a "killer rabbit" in a swamp, which former press secretary Jody Powell wrote about in his book, "The Other Side of the Story."

"The animal was clearly in distress, or perhaps berserk," Powell wrote.

"The President confessed to having had limited experience with enraged rabbits. He was unable to reach a definite conclusion about its state of mind.

"What was obvious, however, was that this large, wet animal, making strange hissing noises and gnashing its teeth, was intent upon climbing into the Presidential boat."

Carter served as a Georgia state senator and as the Peach State's governor before narrowly defeating Republican incumbent President Gerald Ford, pictured, for the presidency in 1976. (Reuters)

Powell later told an Associated Press correspondent about the rabbit incident, which led to the Washington Post headline, "President attacked by rabbit."

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Carter became the longest-living president in 2019, surpassing the late President George H. W. Bush.

The former commander-in-chief was diagnosed with cancer in early 2015 after doctors performed liver surgery, according to a statement from the Carter Center, which made it clear that his cancer spread to other parts of his body. He has been in hospice care since earlier this year.

Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes contributed reporting.