Editing Jimmy Carter (section)

=== Public opinion ===
In exit polls from the 1976 presidential election, many voters still held [[Ford's pardon of Nixon]] in 1974 against him.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/polls-fords-image-improved-over-time/ |publisher=CBS News |title=Polls: Ford's Image Improved Over Time |date=December 27, 2006 |access-date=March 21, 2022 |archive-date=September 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908032831/https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/27/opinion/polls/main2301584.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref> By comparison, Carter was viewed as a sincere, honest, and well-meaning [[Southern United States|southerner]].<ref name="Independent 2009-01-22" /> During his presidency, polls generally showed that most Americans saw Carter as likable and "a man of high moral principles".<ref>Light, Larry (January 17, 1980). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anniston-star-carter-runs-on-first-t/156081570/ Carter runs on first-term record and as rallying point in crisis]. [[Congressional Quarterly]]. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> In the 1980 election, Reagan projected an easy self-confidence, in contrast to Carter's serious and introspective temperament. Carter was portrayed as more pessimistic and indecisive than Reagan, who was known for his charm and delegation of tasks to subordinates.<ref>{{cite news |first=E. J. |last=Dionne |date=May 18, 1989 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/18/us/washington-talk-carter-begins-to-shed-negative-public-image.html |title=Washington Talk; Carter Begins to Shed Negative Public Image |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=January 28, 2009 |archive-date=May 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524021900/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/18/us/washington-talk-carter-begins-to-shed-negative-public-image.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Reagan used the economic issues, the Iran hostage crisis, and the lack of Washington cooperation to portray Carter as a weak and ineffectual leader. Carter was the first elected incumbent president since Herbert Hoover [[1932 United States presidential election|in 1932]] to lose a reelection bid.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/b/brinkley-unfinished.html |title=The Unfinished Presidency – Jimmy Carter's Journey Beyond the White House |website=The New York Times |year=1998 |access-date=November 27, 2015 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233450/https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/b/brinkley-unfinished.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Carter began his presidency with an [[approval rating]] between 66% and 75%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gallup.com/poll/113923/History-Foretells-Obama-First-Job-Approval-Rating.aspx |title=What History Foretells for Obama's First Job Approval Rating |publisher=Gallup.com |date=January 22, 2009 |access-date=December 10, 2011 |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111182110/https://www.gallup.com/poll/113923/History-Foretells-Obama-First-Job-Approval-Rating.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="fvr45">Gallup, George (March 27, 1978). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-carters-decline/156055551/ Carter's Decline Is Halted]. [[Gallup Organization]]. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> He maintained approval ratings above 50% until March 1978,<ref name="fvr45" /> and the following month his approval rating fell to 39%,<ref name="uiher5">Gallup, George (June 4, 1978). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-news-carter-gains-in-popularit/161398320/ Carter Gains In Popularity]. ''[[The Macon News]]''. Retrieved December 23, 2024.</ref> primarily due to the declining economy.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pantagraph-carters-approval-rating/156056662/ Carter's approval rating shows rich, poor similar]. ''The Pantagraph''. April 9, 1978. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> His ratings briefly rebounded after the Camp David Accords in late 1978<ref>Gallup, George (October 1, 1978). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-carters-popularity-rise-all-t/161451925/ Carter's popularity rise all-time gain]. ''[[The Shreveport Times]]''. Retrieved December 24, 2024.</ref> but dipped during the 1979 energy crisis and got as low as 28% in July 1979.<ref>Gallup, George (August 14, 1979). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-trust-in-carter-s/156057185/ Trust in Carter Still Strong]. ''Honolulu Star-Bulletin''. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> At the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis, his approval rating surged to 61%, up 23 points from his pre-crisis rating.<ref name="ib453p">[https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/10/archives/survey-finds-carters-popularity-has-risen-sharply-in-iran-crisis.html Survey Finds Carter's Popularity Has Risen Sharply in Iran Crisis]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. December 10, 1979. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> Polls also found that up to 77% of Americans approved of Carter's initial response to the crisis,<ref name="ib453p" /> but by June 1980, amid heated criticism from across the political spectrum<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-carters-lead-over-ken/156180040/ Carter's Lead over Kennedy Is Declining]. [[Gallup Organization]]. ''The Tampa Tribune''. April 17, 1980. Retrieved September 28, 2024.</ref> for his failure to free the hostages, his approval rating slumped to 33%; that same month Reagan surpassed Carter in pre-1980 election polling.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-for-the-first-time-re/156058167/ For the First Time, Reagan Leads Carter]. [[The Tampa Tribune]]. June 18, 1980. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> As Carter was leaving office, a Gallup poll found that 48% of Americans thought he had been an "average" or "above average" president, 46% said he had been "below average" or "poor", and only 3% thought he had been "outstanding".<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-only-3-regard-carter-a/156083128/ Only 3% regard Carter as 'outstanding' president]. [[The Miami Herald]]. January 9, 1981. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref> His average approval rating during his entire presidency was 46%,<ref>Panagopoulos, Costas (January 2, 2007). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-enquirer-fort-didnt-have-it-easy/161260379/ Ford didn't have it easy]. ''[[Ledger-Enquirer]]''. Retrieved December 20, 2024.</ref><ref>Swanson, Emily (August 27, 2017). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-trump-setting-records/161260871/ Trump setting records for low average presidential approval]. ''[[The Roanoke Times]]''. Retrieved December 20, 2024.</ref> and he left office as one of the most unpopular U.S. presidents in history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gallup.com/poll/113770/Bush-Presidency-Closes-34-Approval-61-Disapproval.aspx |title=Bush Presidency Closes With 34% Approval, 61% Disapproval |date=January 14, 2009 |publisher=Gallup, Inc. |access-date=December 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119053947/https://www.gallup.com/poll/113770/Bush-Presidency-Closes-34-Approval-61-Disapproval.aspx |archive-date=January 19, 2009}}</ref>

In a 1990 Gallup survey, 45% of respondents said they approved of the overall job Carter did as president, leaving only Nixon and [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] with lower ratings.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-standard-jfk-tops-presidents-l/156388619/ JFK Tops Presidents' List]. [[Gallup Organization]]. ''The Post-Standard''. December 5, 1990. Retrieved October 1, 2024.</ref> In a 2006 poll, 61% of respondents said they approved of the job Carter did as president, his highest rating since 1979.<ref>Panagopoulos, Costas (December 29, 2006). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-ford-won-the-publics/158133879/ Ford won the public's affection]. ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]''. Retrieved October 30, 2024.</ref> In a 2021 survey, 27% of respondents said he had been an "outstanding" or "above average" president, 43% regarded him as "average", and only 24% said he had been "below average" or "poor".<ref>Jones, Jeffrey M. (December 29, 2024). [https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/235277/jimmy-carter-retrospective.aspx Jimmy Carter Retrospective]. ''[[Gallup Organization]]''. Retrieved December 31, 2024.</ref>