Will Jimmy Carter's one-term presidency be viewed more favorably after his death?
Carter's time in the White House has always played second fiddle to his post-presidency accomplishments


When former President Jimmy Carter died on Dec. 29, remembrances and tributes began pouring in, mostly related to his accomplishments after leaving the White House. Carter, whose death at age 100 makes him the longest-living president in American history, rose from beginnings as a Georgia peanut farmer to become the leader of the free world, but it was his efforts post-presidency that have endeared him to subsequent generations.
While his decades after the presidency were defined by numerous humanitarian efforts, including massive advancements for Habitat for Humanity and the near-eradication of the deadly Guinea worm disease, most historians consider his actual presidency a failure. This is largely due to his botched handling of the Iranian hostage crisis and a series of economic issues that confounded his four years in office.
Carter's life is now set to be remembered in the history books, and political analysts and those who knew him seem to be reconsidering the Carter administration and its consensus as a "failure." While his post-presidency will always be what he is remembered for the most, a reevaluation of his presidency itself may also be needed.
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.
What did the commentators say?
Conventional history "holds that Jimmy Carter was a failure as a president, redeemed only by his philanthropy and efforts to promote democracy in his post-presidential years," but this is "palpably wrong," Stuart E. Eizenstat, Carter's chief White House domestic policy adviser, said at The Washington Post. Rather, what Carter achieved both domestically and foreign policy-wise was "more extensive and longer lasting than those of almost all modern presidents." Carter also "helped restore trust in the presidency through ethics reforms more relevant today than ever before" in the years after the Watergate scandal fell on Washington, D.C.
So while Carter left office with disastrously low approval ratings, he "should also be remembered as a consequential president whose single term produced lasting accomplishments," Eizenstat said at The Wall Street Journal. His "success rate at passing major legislation was among the highest of modern presidents," and he also "respected the institutions of government and the free press, no matter how brutal its coverage." But "many major successes remain unappreciated."
This is why viewing Carter as a failed president "doesn't bear scrutiny: He was not a weak president," said Jonathan Alter at the Post. While Carter dealt with several crises during his administration, they were "largely beyond his control," including the "seizure of 52 American hostages in Iran and the failed rescue mission to free them." And while Carter is blamed for the poor American economy during his tenure, this "resulted largely from disruptions in Middle Eastern oil supplies."
Carter will "face history's judgment in determining whether" his presidency "resulted from sheer misfortune or Carter's miscalculations," said Barbara A. Perry at Newsweek. But judicially, his "commitment to egalitarianism on matters of race and gender manifested itself in his approach to federal court nominations," and his attempts to "balance the representative characteristics of appointees, especially in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender, gave him an influential role in shaping the national judiciary."
If "you're president and you're defeated for a second term — that, in our system, is the definition of failure," Les Francis, a strategist who worked for Carter, said to the Los Angeles Times. But Carter "also had a self-righteousness that could present as starchy and sanctimonious, a trait he exhibited even in his good works once he left the White House" but hindered him while in office, Mark Z. Barabak said at the Times.
What next?
Carter's state funeral will take place on Jan. 9, which President Joe Biden also declared a National Day of Mourning. The president will deliver a eulogy at Carter's memorial service, reportedly at the behest of Carter himself; there was a "unique relationship Biden developed with Carter early on in his political career," NPR said.
The 39th president is set to be buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where he was born and died. He will be laid to rest alongside his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died in November 2023 at the age of 96.
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
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
How will the next pope change the Catholic Church?
Talking Points Conclaves can be unpredictable
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Conspiracy theorists circle again following RFK file release
The Explainer Both RFK and his brother, President John F. Kennedy, have been the subjects of conspiracies
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
7 equestrian activities for when you feel like horsin' around
The Week Recommends These graceful animals make any experience better
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Conspiracy theorists circle again following RFK file release
The Explainer Both RFK and his brother, President John F. Kennedy, have been the subjects of conspiracies
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Trump tariffs place trucking industry in the crosshairs
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the White House barrels ahead with its massive tariff project, American truckers are feeling the heat from a global trade war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'From his election as pope in 2013, Francis sought to reform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
The anger fueling the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez barnstorming tour
Talking Points The duo is drawing big anti-Trump crowds in red states
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
A running list of Trump's second-term national security controversies
In Depth Several scandals surrounding national security have rocked the Trump administration
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
13 potential 2028 presidential candidates for both major parties
In Depth A rare open primary for both parties has a large number of people considering a run for president
By David Faris
-
How might Trump's tariffs affect the luxury goods market?
Today's Big Question Luxury clothes, cars and watches could take a hit in the coming months
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Could Trump's tariff war be his undoing with the GOP?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The catastrophic effects of the president's 'Liberation Day' tariffs might create a serious wedge between him and the rest of the Republican party
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US