Fred Greenstein, "a pre-eminent scholar of political psychology who devised a systematic approach to evaluating the leadership styles of American presidents and who helped breathe new life into the reputation of Dwight D. Eisenhower," died December 3, the New York Times reported. He was 88. Greenstein first made his mark with The Hidden-Hand Presidency: Eisenhower as Leader (1982), "a reconsideration of Eisenhower, who was long perceived as disengaged from the job."
Greenstein became "absorbed by a longer-term project that would enable him, over time, to evaluate 30 of the nation's presidents on the basis of their effectiveness as leaders, rather than by their policies or accomplishments.... Emotional intelligence, he maintained, was the most important," the Times wrote.
He was the author or a co-author of eight books, including The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to Clinton (2000); Inventing the Job of President: Leadership Style from George Washington to Andrew Jackson (2009); and Presidents and the Dissolution of the Union: Leadership Style from Polk to Lincoln (with Dale Anderson, 2013).
At his death, he was finishing a book on presidents of the Progressive Era with Anderson, who said Greenstein remained publicly neutral on his personal views of the presidents, including Donald Trump: "He said Trump's presidency is fascinating to a scholar of leadership because it's so different from anything else. I said, 'You're like an epidemiologist who says this plague is fascinating.' All he said was, 'I hope I last long enough to write this one up.' "