Model behavior
All 16 modern US presidents ranked by their net score on this single sub-criterion. Good and harm are scored 0–10 independently; net is good minus harm. Click a name for the full scorecard.
Modeled the modern restrained, dignified, statesman-presidency. Farewell-address tradition of substantive warning. Influenced multiple successors' conduct expectations.
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- good·Tier 1·Academic·Unverified
Greenstein and other presidential scholars consistently identify Eisenhower's 'hidden-hand' leadership style as a major influence on subsequent presidential conduct.
Greenstein, 'The Hidden-Hand Presidency: Eisenhower as Leader' (1982)
Modeled honest, humble, ethical post-Watergate presidency. Established gold-standard post-presidency (Habitat, Carter Center).
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- good·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Carter's post-presidency, including Carter Center founding (1982) and 40+ years of humanitarian work, established the gold standard for ethical post-presidential conduct.
cartercenter.org ↗
Modeled crisis leadership, mass communication, and executive activism for every successor. 22nd Amendment was a corrective; otherwise FDR is the modern presidential model.
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- good·Tier 1·Academic·Unverified
Presidential studies scholarship consistently identifies FDR as the model of 'reconstructive' presidential leadership that defined the modern office.
Skowronek, 'The Politics Presidents Make' (1993); Greenstein, 'The Presidential Difference' (2009)
Modeled post-Watergate decency, honesty, modesty. Post-presidential modest retirement.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Ford's post-presidential conduct continued his pattern of dignified restraint; widely respected across partisan lines.
Ford post-presidency conduct 1977-2006
Modeled dignified telegenic presidency. Post-presidential restraint and dignity. Family-centered. Mixed legacy via subsequent Trump-era inversion.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Obama's post-presidency continued dignified pattern; Obama Foundation focuses on leadership development.
obama.org ↗
Modeled humble post-presidency; declined corporate boards and speaking fees that successors would later accept routinely.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Truman lived modestly in retirement, refusing corporate positions and speaking fees as inappropriate to the dignity of the former office — a model later abandoned.
trumanlibrary.gov ↗
Modeled restrained dignified presidency. Post-presidential modest retirement. Bush-Clinton friendship and humanitarian work.
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- good·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Bush's post-presidency included partnership with Clinton on humanitarian causes — modeled bipartisan post-presidential conduct.
Bush post-presidency 1993-2018; Bush-Clinton tsunami/Katrina partnership
Modeled telegenic presidency. Public conduct exemplary; private conduct (affairs) modeled cover-up patterns later subverted.
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- good·Tier 2·Academic·Unverified
Kennedy's public presidential model influenced subsequent presidents; private conduct later revelations complicated the legacy.
Subsequent presidential communication scholarship
Modeled return to traditional presidency. Modest post-presidential plans. Cognitive concerns affected mid-late term modeling effectiveness.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Biden's modeling of restored traditional presidency partly effective despite age-related complications during term.
Biden post-presidency 2025-present
Modeled telegenic-Hollywood-presidency style for subsequent presidents (especially Clinton, Obama). Iran-Contra modeled plausible-deniability strategy. Mixed long-tail.
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- good·Tier 1·Academic·Unverified
Reagan established the modern model of presidential televised communication that subsequent presidents of both parties have followed.
Subsequent presidential communication style scholarship (Greenstein 2009, Skowronek 2008)
Post-presidential modest retirement. Avoided criticizing Obama. Painted post-presidential portraits of veterans. Mixed modeling.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
GW Bush's post-presidency featured deliberate restraint from criticism of successors and humanitarian/veterans focus.
bushcenter.org ↗
Modeled aggressive legislative-mover presidency. Crude personal conduct revealed posthumously contrasted with public presidency.
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- harm·Tier 1·Academic·Unverified
Caro biography documents LBJ's complex legacy of legislative effectiveness alongside problematic personal-conduct patterns.
Caro 'The Years of Lyndon Johnson' biographical series
Modeled politically-survive-personal-misconduct pattern subsequent figures emulated. Strong post-presidential humanitarian work via Clinton Foundation (partly redemptive).
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- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Clinton's post-presidency global health and humanitarian work via Clinton Foundation has been substantial; personal-conduct legacy more contested.
clintonfoundation.org ↗
Modeled norm-erosion presidency. Influenced subsequent political behavior across spectrum. Re-elected in 2024 despite (or because of) T1 conduct.
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- harm·Tier 1·Academic·Unverified
Trump T1 conduct patterns were widely imitated by subsequent political figures and influenced subsequent political-discourse norms across spectrum; remains contested whether normalization or backlash dominates long-term.
Trump T1 modeling effects on subsequent political behavior 2021-2024
Modeled abuse-of-office behavior. Tapes revealed private conduct dramatically below presidential norms. Multiple subsequent administrations explicitly framed conduct against the 'Nixon standard.'
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- harm·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Carter campaign in 1976 ran explicitly against Nixon-era conduct; the 'never lie' standard became campaign template for subsequent decades.
Carter's 'I will never lie to you' campaign messaging (1976); subsequent presidential rhetoric
Continuing T1 modeling pattern. Substantially affecting subsequent political behavior. Post-Trump baseline E11.5 era continuing.
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- harm·Tier 1·Academic·Unverified
Trump T2 conduct continues to define E11.5 Post-Trump baseline era; substantial modeling effects on subsequent political-discourse norms.
Trump T2 modeling effects on subsequent political behavior 2025