GEORGE WASHINGTON - 1789-1797
The Father of our country was one of the chief Founding Fathers, one of the chief revolutonaries, the chief military strategist and leader, and the only guy all the other Founders could agree on as a leader. He set the precedents and the example.
He disliked political parties and never joined one, but he tended to side with the Hamilton/Adams Federalists over the Jefferson/Madison Republicans. He declared the US neutral when Britain and France got into war, much to the chagrin of the French.
He knew he was setting the tone for a new nation and did his best to emulate the ideal. He at first refused to take a salary of $25,000, but only did so when Congress convinced him that otherwise he'd set a precedent that only wealthy Americans could aspire to the office. An Anglican and Freemason, he was an advocate for religious freedom and tolerance. He set up the positions of a Cabinet and was a good judge of character for which men to select for the offices.
Our 1st President was probably the most honorable man to ever hold the office, and any person who seeks to hold it in the future really needs to study him and follow the example.
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