Jimmy Carter deserves to be remembered as politician of integrity and far-sighted initiatives

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For decades, former US president Jimmy Carter was only remembered for the Iran hostage crisis, when 53 Americans were held captive for 15 months, and the failed rescue mission, when eight US servicemen died in a helicopter crash.

Even after Carter's death at the age of 100 on December 29, tributes focused on his years of humanitarian work after leaving the White House rather than his time in office.

His achievements in later life were indeed impressive - all but eradicating Guinea worm disease, helping build home for some of the world's poorest people and promoting democracy through the monitoring of elections.

Jimmy Carter had an impressive record of achievementsJimmy Carter had an impressive record of achievements
Jimmy Carter had an impressive record of achievements

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But America's 39th president left an important legacy from his time in office as well. In many ways he was a trailblazer, a man ahead of his times.

And that was recognised in the euologies at his memorial service last week, which included posthumous tributes from both his predecessor Gerald Ford and his own vice-president Walter Mondale.

Elected in 1976, while the United States was still recovering from the Vietnam years, the Watergate scandal and the forced resignation two years earlier of President Richard Nixon, Carter was seen as a breath of fresh air - a peanut farmer from Georgia untainted by goings-on in Washington DC.

He promised voters: “I’ll never lie to you” and he was a man of his word. Despite coming from the Deep South, he was a strong advocate for civil rights. He advanced the rights of women and appointed record numbers of women to senior government positions and the judiciary.

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He was a great champion of the environment, expanding the national parks, passing energy legislation which moved the country away from dependence on foreign oil and even installing solar panels on the White House roof.

Internationally, he put human rights at the top of his agenda, leading to the release of thousands of political prisoners in Latin America. And, perhaps his most notable achievement, he negotiated a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, which has remained intact ever since.

He managed to win bipartisan support for many of his measures and had one of the highest success rates of any president in passing major legislation.

Jimmy Carter deserves to be remembered as a politician of integrity, responsible for far-sighted initiatives and able to work with others. It’s a remarkable contrast with whats expected from the White House over the next four years.

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