Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris

Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris begins with the somber-yet-frenzied aftermath of the McKinley assassination. Roosevelt, for the first time in his political career, initially seemed almost overwhelmed by the suddeness and responsibility of the job thrust upon him, even though he had planned to seek it in the 1904 election. He assured the corporate interests of the Republican party that he will continue the business-friendly policies of the McKinley adminstration. This federal relationship with capital would sour in later years, as Teddie drifted left ideologically.

Before reading this book, I was unaware of how prominent a role race relations played in TR's presidency. The South was enraged after Roosevelt dined with Booker T. Washington in the White House. Roosevelt also strongly and regularly denounced lynchings as an affront to civilized society, which further hardened Southern political animousity toward him. Although TR dismissed the outpouring of criticism as more revealing of his political opponents than of himself, he grew more cautious on racial issues over the years, to the chagrin of his black supporters.

If I had to compare TR with another famous historical figure, I would have to choose Winston Churchill. Both men were born to socially prominent families. Both had a romantic view of war as an avenue for personal and national advancement, but they also both resigned prominent government positions (albeit Churchill in disgrace) to fight on the front lines. They possessed similar views on race, and the superiority of Anglo-Saxon culture. They were fierce advocates of naval power as an instrument of foreign policy and national prestige. And perhaps most noticeably, the two men both viewed capital and labor with equal suspicion.

Roosevelt's passion was in foreign policy, and by any reasonable measure, he excelled at it. The Rough Rider won the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful efforts to negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War. Closer to home, he delicately-yet-unequivocably prevented European powers from re-establishing a colonial foothold in the Western Hemisphere. His most controversial foreign policy achievement, of course, was the acquisition of the right to dig a canal through Panama. Morris presents a fair appraisal of TR's diplomatic wrangling with Columbia, which seemed incapable of sticking with its previous agreements. Faced with such incoherent intransigence, Roosevelt dispatched US Marines to protect the fledgling Panamian government, which had just declared its independence from Bogato. By 1914, the world's two greatest oceans were linked.

Roosevelt inherited an impressive Cabinet from McKinley, chief of which was the supremely intelligent, witty Elihu Root. Root served as Secretary of War during the Phillipine insurrection, and helped the administration weather a scandal of human rights abuses there (yes, the similarities with today are uncanny). Root later served as Secretary of State during Roosevelt's second term, although by this time, TR was in effect doing all the diplomatic work himself.

In comparison to The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, this portrayal of TR is (probably for reasons having to do with his increased awareness of his place in history) less intimate. Morris is still a master storyteller, however, and he writes with a flowing beauty that wonderfully captures the time period. One interesting passage deals with Roosevelt's palpable heavy-heartedness during the wedding of his oldest daughter, Alice. She was the only child from his tragically short first marriage, and, in his effort to surpress the pain of his loss, he never spoke to her about her mother. Adding to Roosevelt's pain, Morris speculates, is the fact that Alice wore her mother's wedding dress. It is a moving account.

P.S.--Speaking of Roosevelt weddings, TR was the man who gave away Eleanore Roosevelt (his neice) to Franklin Roosevelt (his fifth cousin). Teddie did not seem to notice that the young man nearly worshipped him.