The Bad, the Worse and the Ugly by Paul Krugman

Does the appalling character of the man on top matter?

I think it does. The substance of Trump policy may not be that distinctive in practice. But style matters, too, because it shapes the broader political climate. And what Trumpism has brought is a new sense of empowerment to the ugliest aspects of American politics.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/opinion/the-bad-the-worse-and-the-ugly.html