Theodore Roosevelt
The upcoming presidential election has had me thinking a lot lately, sometimes backwards, to our founding fathers. Anyone that knows of the intellect and wisdom of those great men and uses them as role models for our leaders today has very high expectations, to say the least. I know I am always disillusioned beyond words at the usual choices of the presidential candidates.

The core of those great men of the first Continental Congress were brilliant scholars, multi faceted and extremely articulate men - the cream of the crop of the early colonies. How often have we seen the likes of them? Sadly, not very often. It wasn't long after those men faded into the history books that we saw the beginning of our downfall - the professional politician.

Some of our presidents over the last 200 years were gifted with a few of the talents of the first leaders, but I know of one who had them all and then some. This was Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th, and my favorite president. I am not alone in my estimation of him. Historians usually rank him among the top 4 or 5 presidents and his image is, after all, one of 4 chosen to be on Mount Rushmore.

If I had to use one word to describe this complex man who accomplished so much in his relatively short life it would be enthusiasm. He had a boundless, almost manic passion for everything that he approached in life.

This focused intensity began at an early age. Theodore was born in New York City on October 27, 1858. He was an asthmatic and a very sickly child. Through sheer will, self discipline and arduous physical exercise however, he was able to build himself up into a rugged physical specimen. He would be, despite this past ill health, actually a runner up in Harvard's boxing championship. He continued boxing as an exercise even when a middle age president in the White House, as well as being one of the first western students of Ju Jitsu. By the way, he also graduated from Harvard, Magna Cum Laude.

Theodore's personal life story is much too complex to delve into too deeply here, but I will try to outline his career and accomplishments briefly to get a glimpse into the life of this phenomenal man.

Theodore went to Columbia Law School after Harvard but left when the call to public service came. He ran for the New York State Assembly in 1881, a seat he won and would serve a total of 3 terms. It was at this time he began to champion the cause of the working man and all the related social ills of the industrial revolution. He introduced more bills than any other assemblyman in the States history and quickly became the leader of the Republican party's reform wing. President Harrison said of Roosevelt, "he wanted to put an end to all the evil in the world between sunrise and sunset."

In 1889 he was appointed to the Civil Service Commission, a department which he would eventually run. He was successful in expanding and improving the service, trying always to create fair and honest playing field for job testing and selections. He left the Civil Service in 1895 to take the appointment as President of the Board of Police Commissioners of New York. Once again, he was resolute in successfully reforming an institution that was corrupt and mismanaged. His standards for honesty and accountability were of the highest order and he earned a reputation for these virtues.

In 1897, newly elected President William McKinley named Theodore Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Through his knowledge and long time study of history, he knew the strategic importance of a large and powerful navy and did all he could to make that a reality.

The Spanish American War broke out in 1898 and a very zealous Theodore, an extremely nationalistic patriot, resigned his position to organize a volunteer cavalry regiment he christened "The Rough Riders". This colorful group was a diverse and unlikely collection of characters - tough cowboys, ivy leaguers, native Americans and others. The regiment was sent to Cuba where Roosevelt gained national fame for leading victorious charges up Kettle and San Juan Hills in July 1898. He rose to full Colonel during this time and was also nominated to receive the medal of honor for his heroism. He did not receive this during his life but was awarded it posthumously in 2001.

After leaving the military Roosevelt ran for and was elected governor of New York where he served from 1899 to 1901. Once again he showed his natural activism and pursuit of reform wherever needed. He was particularly successful in helping to improve the conditions of women and the horrible misuse of children in the work place. Another major success was instituting a franchise tax on corporations. He was adamant in his belief that wealthy industrialists were under regulated and were shown too much favoritism.

In 1900, William McKinley was running for his second term as president. He asked Theodore to be his running mate, which of course he accepted.

McKinley was reelected but just 6 months later he was shot and killed by an assassin. Vice President Roosevelt was sworn in as President on Sept. 14, 1901 at 43 years of age. He became this nation's youngest leader. He was also the country's richest president but he had a just barely hidden contempt for the rich. As he did when he was governor of New York, he sought to better the conditions of the working class but now on a national scale. One of the slogans that became part of his platform was "the Square Deal" which he used mostly in relation to his efforts for the "wage earner."

Roosevelt, unlike most of our earliest founding fathers, was definitely not an isolationist and saw the U.S. as the worlds policemen. He took an aggressive approach to world affairs as was exhibited by the deployment of US Troops in the Philippines during a time of unrest and a war ship to Panama during an uprising. His foreign policy motto became "speak softly and carry a big stick."

The 1904 Presidential elections saw the unelected incumbent win by a landslide margin. He began to focus more and more on something he thought was a sacred duty - Protecting the country's natural resources. He was a pioneer in environmental activism. He said -"the conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which underlies almost every other problem of our national life" Some highlights of his efforts were:

• Creating a national bird preserve which was the start of the wildlife refuge system.
• Working hand in hand and consulted with the top conservationist of the time, Gifford Pinchot.
• Establishing the U.S. Forest Service.
• Passing legislation that protected 300 million acres of wilderness which would later become the National Parks System. (Including the Grand Canyon)
• Creating 51 wildlife refuges.
• Organizing the North American Conservation Congress.

One of the greatest accomplishments of his presidency was the negotiating, planning and building of the Panama Canal. This was a priceless aid to the country for national security as well as commerce. It was begun in 1904 and completed in 1914.

Despite his nationalism, he displayed great talents several times as an international diplomat. Most noteworthy of these was helping to end the Russo/Japanese war which probably prevented a world war. He won the A Nobel Peace Prize for this in 1905.

His long standing position of creating a powerful naval fleet was punctuated by building and mobilizing his "Great White fleet". Arranged to show the world our far reaching, great strength, four U.S. battleships squadrons, all painted white with red white and blue decorations, traveled around the entire globe. Theodore ended his second and last term, in 1909 and then departed, with great enthusiasm, for an African Safari. It was as much a scientific expedition as it was a hunting trip. Thousands of specimens of flora and fauna were sent to various U.S. museums.

Upon return he took a long vacation through Europe until he finally had his fill of retirement. Theodore heard the call to public service once again and entered into the race as the Republican presidential candidate. Not able to win the nomination he helped organize a new third party, the "Progressive Party". This new party's platform embraced more of the reform and activism he fought so strongly for in the past.

He said the Republican Party at that time had become "the party of privilege and special interest" He also said "this country belongs to the people. Its resources, its businesses, its laws, its institutions should be utilized, maintained or altered in whatever manner will best promote the general interest".

"I believe the Progressive movement is for making life a little easier for all of our people, a movement to take the burdens off the men and especially the women and children of our country". The middle class as we know it now, had not evolved at this point. The majority of people were struggling working class laborers, the destitute poor and the very rich.

He remarked that he felt as "strong as a bull moose" in this new campaign. The "Bull Moose Party" soon became the nickname of the progressives.

On October 14, 1912, a would be assassin fired a shot into Theodore's chest. After the attacker was subdued, Theodore refused to go to the hospital until he finished his speech. He said "I do not care a rap about being shot". "It takes more than that to kill a bull moose".

He was hospitalized only after completing his speech. Doctors felt it too risky to remove the bullet and it was left in his chest the rest of his life. The recovery took a while and caused him to lose a lot of momentum in the presidential race. He came in second, losing to a Democrat Woodrow Wilson.

In 1913 Theodore was in the mood for another adventure and embarked on a year long trip to South America. This mostly scientific expedition took the group through some very harsh conditions and Theodore was stricken with Malaria and a serious leg infection. He returned a very sick man.

Theodore recovered and devoted much of his time to reading and writing. A speed reader, he could read 2 - 3 books a day. He could also speak three foreign languages and read seven! He also wrote over the course of his life, thirty seven books.

When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Theodore requested that President Wilson allow him to organize a volunteer company, like he did the Rough Riders. The President of course, refused the 59 year old former Colonel.

Theodore died on January 6, 1919 in his sleep of a coronary embolism. Vice President Thomas Marshall said "Death had to take Roosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight".