Jimmy Carter, Rogue Ex-President

Jimmy Carter does things his own way, pursuing peace initiatives in the Middle East and South America whether Washington likes it or not, and generally redefining what it means to be an ex-president. So it’s no wonder “his mind-set and his policies seem to jibe so well with the attitudes of young people, students, and the blogosphere,” Amy Wilentz writes for New York. “In many ways, Carter seems more relevant than George W. Bush.”

John McCain's attempt to smear Barack Obama by invoking “a second Jimmy Carter term” may not be the insult he seems to think it is. The oft-belittled Carter presidency produced some of the most progressive legislation of the last 40 years, and he’s not stopping. “I’ve got Secret Service protection around the clock for the rest of my life,” Carter says. “So I feel pretty much immune to contrary criticism.” (More Jimmy Carter stories.)