Though it may sound strange to contemporary ears, Carter’s skills as a leader and a politician were formidable. During the 1976 presidential campaign, the largely unknown former Georgia governor knocked off several established opponents in the Democratic primaries and then went on to defeat an incumbent President Gerald Ford.

Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 100, was underestimated ever since he left office in January 1981. Carter, in fact, stands as a model for what a one-term president can be. In an era when most Americans privilege the value of winning above anything else, Carter demonstrated how a commander in chief who is willing to burn political capital and focus on noble objectives rather than short-term benefits can do great things for the nation and the world.

Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 100, was underestimated ever since he left office in January 1981. Carter, in fact, stands as a model for what a one-term president can be. In an era when most Americans privilege the value of winning above anything else, Carter demonstrated how a commander in chief who is willing to burn political capital and focus on noble objectives rather than short-term benefits can do great things for the nation and the world.

Though it may sound strange to contemporary ears, Carter’s skills as a leader and a politician were formidable. During the 1976 presidential campaign, the largely unknown former Georgia governor knocked off several established opponents in the Democratic primaries and then went on to defeat an incumbent President Gerald Ford.

Between 1977 until 1981, Carter negotiated a historic peace agreement between the Egyptians and Israelis that has endured to this day; put environmentalism on the political agenda at a time that most elected officials did not consider the issue to be central, including through the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conserva