There is legitimate reason to believe that Jackson saw himself as a hero to the common man. However, this must have come with at least some cognitive dissonance, because Andrew Jackson's actions in office were often self-serving and unfairly benefitted those close to him. In this way, he was much not different than his predecessors. Whether he realized it or not, his defense of slavery supported the wealthy at the expense of the poor, while the spoils system was a reckless way of putting Jacksonian allies first and America second.