Jimmy Carter's biggest challenges while president

Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, arguably wielded his greatest influence not during his 1977-1981 term in the White House, but in the decades following, when he served as a global mediator, rights activist and elder statesman.

The Southern Democrat, who left 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January 1981 after a crushing election loss to Ronald Reagan, was perceived as naive and weak in the dog-eat-dog world of Washington politics.

Even within his own party, the Georgia native with the broad toothy grin a "born-again" Christian who taught Sunday school well into his 90s was something of a persona non grata for a long time.