The death of President Carter, coming as it does as a change of governments is underway, is a moment to reflect on his mixed record in the White House. On the domestic front, Carter deserves credit for deregulating the airline, rail, trucking, energy, and communications sectors. His defense buildup gave President Reagan a head start in his confrontation with the Soviets. His appointment of Paul Volcker to lead the Fed helped to end “stagflation.”

In his generous application of the pardon power, too, Carter followed a merciful policy whose breadth few other presidents have matched — although President Biden isn’t finished yet. Several hundred thousand Americans found legal relief via Carter’s pardon of Vietnam-era draft dodgers. The move helped the nation move past a divisive era. Yet in matters of foreign affairs, Carter’s policies have in many respects borne bitter fruit.