18 - 21% interest rates, Gave back the Panama Canal, Broke a 35 year alliance with Iran.
Gave Iraq his blessings to invade Iran, 444 Day Hostage Crisis in Iran.
Wins the Nobel Peace Prize for Appeasing the Palestinians who are rejected from every Islamic Nation.

Very smart guy, one of the brightest presidents of the Twentieth Century.

That being said, it didn't make him a good president.  Bright as he was, he seemed to have little sense of realpolitik, and little ability to accomplish things effectively.  Interestingly, another highly intelligent president, Richard Nixon, had similar problems.

 If you think Carter was a great president you are either

A.not alive in the late 70s and did not witness the hellhole carter made of this country not to mention the shame he brought on us with his limp wristed response to the iranians

B.Like him for his recent anti semitic rants and Bush bashing

C. as dimwitted and out of touch as he is 

Maybe not the best Prez we have ever had, but certainly one of the best ex-Prez we have had, I mean, rather than spend his days on the golf course or riding horses out in Calif, he actually DOES something to help the poor, he actually tries to help be a peacemaker and statesman etc

I think Jimmie either was losing it or lost it or never had it in the first place when you look back on his disaster term objectively. Pounding nails doesn't add to his stature and breaking the unwritten rule against going after a successor shows his intellectual slightness.

Update:I really enjoyed all of the cheap shots Carter took at Bush during the Scott King funeral about the NSA wiretaps. What I found extremely ironic was that he never seemed to bring up the fact that JFK's wiretaps of MLK were a Democratic Administration; What was really interesting is that I have learned from the Washington Times of Jimmy's own warrantless wiretap's in 1977 to convict 2 Vietnamese of spying. Jimmy Carter is a classless, spineless, gutless, snivling weasle. Just more typical Democratic hypocrisy.(OM)What he lacked in electrical current to his bulb, he also lacked in backbone.

Szin nails it, quite bright, lots of grey matter. I liked him a lot during the mid-1970's. What I didn't like was what happened to my country under his "leadership" if the definition could encompass it. For all his genius, his administration had THE most detrimental effect on the US since FDR's 3rd term. FDR's idiocy has been (and was at the time) largely obfuscated by sympathetic historians and the national focus on winning the war. Carter enjoyed no such national distraction, it was right there for all to see. He wasn't run out of office on a rail, he was soundly defeated in a landslide. The American people spoke loudly and clearly.

I put this guy in the same category as Clinton. Someone with whom I almost entirely disagree but clearly a bright individual.

Probably the most brilliant person who has been president since Kennedy.

This man is by far my favorite living ex-president.He has written quite a few good books,and some excellent poetry also.Best of all,he uses his intelligence and influence to help the poor.His bright mind is evident if you hear him interviewed or read his books.He may have had some low points during his term in the White House,but he shines the brightest as a man of true compassion,charachter and virtue.

Well Louie, if you're going to make the argument for GW Bush that his intelligence rests on the fact that he went to an Ivy league school, then why are you not holding Carter to the same standards? I'm pretty sure you have to be an exceptional student to even be considered for the Naval Academy, where Carter attended. As for Carter's presidency, I think he started out with the best intentions in foreign policy, then realized that lofty ideals don't get you far in world politics. He could have been a little more consistent with issues like China and the Shah of Iran, but if we are rating people by their books smarts, obviously he had that. Smart guy, but the wrong person at the wrong time with the wrong approach.