Ideologues, ideographs, and “the best men”: From carter to Reagan

Abstract

This essay argues that Republican malfeasance during the Watergate episodes provided Jimmy Carter with an excellent opportunity to structure for himself a presidential image of “good moral character,” “intelligence” and “competency"—an ideographic cluster mirroring the nineteenth century's definition of “best men.” However, it is further argued that Carter's handling of this opportunity resulted in these ideographs being used against him during the 1980 Reagan‐Carter campaign.