The correct response is: The president has a responsibility to lead the public to seek a better society like religious leaders.
President Roosevelt uses the imagery of a pulpit to convey that as the President, he has a unique platform to address and influence the American public. Like religious leaders who deliver sermons from a pulpit to guide and inspire their congregations, President Roosevelt, through the "bully pulpit," believes he has a responsibility to lead the public and rally them towards societal improvement. His reference to the "distinctly ethical character" of the paragraph further emphasizes his intent to convey moral guidance and principles to the American people.