By now every American within earshot of a radio or within eyesight of a television has heard that Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, announced that he has cancer.

Recent liver surgery revealed that I have cancer that now is in other parts of my body. I will be rearranging my schedule as necessary so I can undergo treatment by physicians at Emory Healthcare. A more complete public statement will be made when facts are known, possibly next week.

“Other parts of my body” is the part that would scare me if it were my body.

I’m not going to eulogize a man before he’s dead, but I don’t think there’s much doubt that Mr. Carter has been the most useful ex-President the world has ever known. Some have raised money to help medical causes, others have raised money to build their own estates, but Jimmy Carter has worked. With hammer in hand he’s built homes for the poor, he’s mediated countless disputes both within and between nations, he’s kept trying to build a peace between Israel and the Palestinians, he and his organization have monitored many many elections to ensure they’re free and fair, and he’s written books. He’s been a citizen of the world and the world’s been better for it.