Free Republic

Since leaving the White House some 30 years ago, former President Jimmy Carter has, for the most part, steered clear of controversy. He's won a fair amount of attention for building houses with Habitat for Humanity, and for the occasional foray into post-presidential diplomacy. (He recently traveled to North Korea to secure the release of an imprisoned American.) And he drew some headlines for publishing a harshly critical book about Israeli policy toward the Palestinians. But on balance, Carter has maintained a relatively quiet life out of office.