President Quote by Chuck Klosterman
“But no matter how many times we re-rank the presidents, in another 200 years, the top presidents will still be Washington and Lincoln and Jefferson, because they defined what a president is. They are the idea, and you can't be better than the idea.”
About This Quote
Historical figures become archetypal standards that shape the definition of a role, making later comparisons inevitably reference them.
In simple terms: Foundational leaders set enduring benchmarks.
Key Takeaway
Ideas outlast individuals.
Themes
history
leadership
legacy
culture
perception
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
critical
Type
observational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political analysis
- education
- media commentary
Key Concepts
archetype
definition
influence
Practical Applications
- teaching civic history
- framing leadership debates
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria define a 'great' leader?
- How do changing values affect historical rankings?
A Different Perspective
Other presidents may excel in specific policies but differ in context, challenging the notion of a single immutable ideal.
![“Now in my view, if you were to line up the Presidents in the order of who made the greatest accomplishments, you'd put Lyndon Johnson in that arena with both Roosevelts probably, and [Abraham] Lincoln and so on. But the idea that Lyndon Johnson was operating as a free agent and coming up with…” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a3a/bill-ayers-1848_abraham_now-in-my-view-if-you-were-to-line-up-th_2684631.jpg)
![“There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya has cheap oil. She perceived the removal of [Muammar] Gaddafi and the overthrow of the Libyan state - something that she would use in her run-up to the…” quote by Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1a/julian-assange-1566_clinton_there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the_2174.jpg)
![“I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect [Donald Trump], or then-president [Barack Obama]. But it's - I'm very clear. I voted for the change that put the Army Field Manual in place as a member of Congress. I understand that law very, very quickly and am also deeply aware…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/761/james-mattis-9515_army_i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-th_3990.jpg)
