The GOP has used Carter as the archetype for the well-meaning but weak and ineffectual Democrat since 1980. In reality, he was more unlucky than anything else. Do you really think that George W. Bush or Trump would have handled the Iran hostage situation or rampant inflation better than he did?
The GOP has also portrayed him as a feckless liberal, as opposed to Ronald Reagan, who was determined to cut the cost of government. In reality, Carter was Reagan’s predecessor as a deregulator and added little to the welfare state. You could reasonably argue that, for better or worse, he was actually our first neoliberal president.
That said, Carter had limited political skills and lacked the incisive ruthlessness that the job demanded, which is why the country appeared to be spinning out of control during his single term. He made up for it by being our best ex-president. In that role, he will definitely be missed.