Often political leaders at the top need to maintain some diplomatic composure and have the privilege to leave their dirty fights to subordinates. As a result we often don’t realize how much of an asshole these leaders actually are. A good test is to check what they allow (or encourage) their lower ranked allies to get away with.
Yes, I see what you mean. I guess we’re increasingly living in a time when top political leaders do not necessarily need (or take pride in distancing themselves from) the more traditional decorum of power.