Jimmy Carter and the Uses of the Nobel Peace Prize

Brzezinski, Carter and Vance at the White House, August 14, 1977. Photo: National Archives.

Of the four US presidents who’ve been handed a Nobel Peace Prize–Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama–the one who’d shown the cleanest pair of heels when it comes to escaping the world’s guffaws for the absurdity of the award is Jimmy Carter, who on his second day in office amnestied Vietnam War resisters and draft dodgers.

Woodrow Wilson, the liberal imperialist with whom Obama bears some marked affinities...