What about the Iran hostage crisis? There’s plenty to criticize about Carter’s policy toward Iran, but it’s important to put it in context. Iran’s hostage-taking violated the first principle of international law — diplomatic immunity. The United States was entitled to treat it as an act of war.

But four years after the fall of Saigon, Americans, who in a single decade had lost 58,000 in Vietnam (compare that to 4,500 in Iraq and 2,200 in Afghanistan over 20 years), had no appetite for military retaliation. They tied yellow ribbons around trees, after a popular song about a criminal about to be released from prison.

Few, if any, conservatives were echoing what I remember as Pat Moynihan’s comment that we should “bring fire and brimstone to the gates of Tehran.” Carter did order a perhaps overly intricate hostage rescue mission, which failed after one too many helicopters became inoperative.

The contrast is stark between Carter, who became president with minimal relevant experience, and Biden, who had 44 years in the Senate and as vice president. Carter pushed innovative policies with bipartisan support. Biden hasn’t. Carter learned on the job and changed policies in response to events. From Biden, we’ve seen nothing so far but stubborn persistence.