The career of Jimmy Carter

Highs

1978 Camp David accord - Carter kept Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli premier Menachem Begin at the presidential retreat for 13 days to reach the accord.

1979 Panama canal treaty ratified - it led to the withdrawal from Panama, ending 75 years of US control.

1979 Opening of diplomatic relations with communist China - in the face of furious opposition by America's Taiwan lobby, Carter opened the way for huge investment in and trade with China.

2002 Most senior American to visit Castro's Cuba - Carter met the Cuban president and called for an end to the 40-year-old US trade embargo.

Lows

1980 Collapse of US hostage rescue effort in Iran - a group of US diplomats had been held by fundamentalists for several months when Carter ordered US helicopters to fly to Tehran. Ended in failure with collision of one helicopter and transport plane.

1980 Trounced by Ronald Reagan in election - his candidacy undermined by high inflation, an energy crunch that forced Americans to queue for gasoline, and the 444-day Iran hostage crisis, he suffered a landslide loss to Reagan.

1981 Tripped and ended up sprawled in front of a press photographer while jogging.