Looking to past American presidents as role models

TO BOOST their electoral prospects, US presidential candidates are adopting famous past presidents as role models. Driven by political self-interests, they do not resemble their role models as they are making statements that are false, tasteless, tactless, or downright bizarre.

Donald Trump compares himself to President Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR). Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio admire President Ronald Reagan. And Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders idolise FDR, while Mrs Clinton also has high regard for the South African leader Nelson Mandela.

The leading Republican candidate Trump claims that he is "no different" from FDR. Mr Trump justifies his proposal to ban Muslims from visiting or immigrating to the US on the grounds that FDR had placed Japanese-Americans under internment, believing they posed a threat to the US.