Biden mourns former Senator Max Cleland as 'one of Georgia's and America's great leaders'

President Biden has issued a statement regarding the death of former Georgia senator and Georgia secretary of state Max Cleland, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 79, reports The Washington Post.
"Max Cleland was an American hero whose fearless service to our nation, and to the people of his beloved home state of Georgia, never wavered," said Biden. "He was a man of unflinching patriotism, boundless courage, and rare character. I was proud to have Max by my side." The president and Cleland served six years in Senate together.
"He will be remembered as one of Georgia's and America's great leaders," Biden added. "Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of his passing, and our prayers are with all those who loved him." Cleland's cause of death was congestive heart failure, according to his personal assistant.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
An Army captain who lost three limbs in Vietnam, Cleland was "known primarily as an impassioned advocate for veterans and their families, launching counseling programs and championing services for post-traumatic stress disorder, which the VA began to recognize as a legitimate condition during his tenure," writes the Post.
He was also lauded as a "Democratic cause célèbre," after becoming the target of a 2002 Republican attack ad that questioned his commitment to homeland security alongside images of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, writes The New York Times. The 30-second spot was condemned by many, including prominent Republicans like former Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).
"What happened to him would have destroyed most men, said former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes (D) of Cleland. "But he persevered through it and prospered." Read more at The Washington Post.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Gandhi arrests: Narendra Modi's 'vendetta' against India's opposition
The Explainer Another episode threatens to spark uproar in the Indian PM's long-running battle against the country's first family
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plunge
Speed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm markets
Speed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eatery
Speed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump stands by Hegseth amid ouster reports
Speed Read The president dismissed reports that he was on the verge of firing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a second national security breach
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US