It is an indicator of behavior, both public and private, and it is likely to shape policy. It is nonpolitical. While I would disagree with Jimmy Carter or Franklin Roosevelt on their political stances, they were men of character. One could reasonably disagree with their policy without instinctively questioning the truth of their words. The nation trusted them.
Character is the essence of the individual and transcends politics.
The final days of our past administration, and the unanimous outrage that has been voiced following its shameful exit, confirms the importance of character in politics. This article is not simply a rehash of the Clinton scandals, although the former President is a good example of why character is now an issue and not simply a given. And yet the nature of our former President's character was not hidden from the American people. While poll showed Clinton with low marks in character, he maintained high levels of approval for his job performance. The American people clearly believed that the personal could be divorced from the professional.