Just finished Edmund Morris' Theodore Rex- after also having finished Morris' The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (which followed Morris' approved biography on Reagan entitled Dutch). That's a glut of Morris-obelia, or is it? 
Edmund Morris is one of the premier authors of the last 30 years- all the more amayzazing considering he's only written these three books, the first of which won him the Pulitzer Prize. The Reagan link to Roosevelt that allowed Morris to become the first in-house White House biographer was that Reagan loved Teddy's bold and authoritative leadership.
Contemporary politicos often cite T.R. as an example of strong, conservative leadership- the type that loses in the "arena", marred with blood and grime- and regains his or her footing in order to fight on in the current battle (I may be one of the chief culprits of this historical thievery). But was he conservative?
Theodore Roosevelt was a raging liberal with a guilty conscience for having been born rich. His early life was a series of theatrical posings that would make John Kerry proud. The terrible death of his mother and wife on the same day understandably gave him reason to step away from his life. The problem was...he had a newborn daughter and he dumped baby Alice on his sister. Father and daughter never bonded. Conservative, pro family? Hmmm...
His entire political career had nothing to do with fiscal conservativism. He spent tax dollars like a drunken sailor on leave, and personally never understood finance (his second wife said he was an "idiot" in dealing with money and would only give him $20 per week spending money).
And let's face it, conservative Presidents had never used an Executive Order to circumvent the Constitutional balance of powers regarding the initiation of National Parks. He did it and didn't blink twice. The real proof of the pudding is when his Presidency was over and he was a private citizen for four years. A conservative out of office would have sought personal and private means of enacting social change- not Roosevelt. He ran again for office, was deprived the GOP nomination, and stormed out of the convention saying he was now the founder of the "Progressive Party" (for those from Rio Linda or The Statesman, that means liberal).
So, don't be thinking that Teddy Roosevelt, as he smiles down from Mount Rushmore is the benevolent 20th century stone faced statue of conservetivism. Rather, be honest about him and honest about yourself, acknowledging that you both may be liberals ("Not that there's anything wrong with that..."). 
Kind of makes you fully aware why so many "Republican" Senators and Legislators at Idaho's State Capitol enshrine Teddy as their beau ideal. Was my salted index finger suitably burrowed deep enough into your cornea and retina on this? Next stop, Churchill was a philosophical politician of-the-evening. Wanna bet?
Dennis
you're stirring things... "leggo my eggo" & step away from the ConservAtive shrine.
Posted by: Lee Gaupp | September 26, 2006 at 07:43 PM