On this day, 150 years ago, Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City. He's on Mount Rushmore for a reason--his incredible range of accomplishments.
Roosevelt was, first and foremost, a man of action. He got things done, a LOT of things. It's difficult to imagine such a person living today. A man reading several books a day and writing 35 books himself. A man with jobs ranging from NYC police commissioner, governor of New York, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Vice President and (the youngest ever) President of the United States.
But Roosevelt wasn't content to be defined by these day jobs. As a boy he was often sick and to strengthen his health Roosevelt's father encouraged him to begin a strict exercise regimen. For the rest of his life Roosevelt embraced "a life of vigor;" he took up boxing, tennis and polo, became a rancher in the Dakotas, hunted elephants in Africa, climbed the Matterhorn and explored an uncharted Amazon tributary.
As police commissioner in New York City Roosevelt would walk the streets late at night to make sure officers were on patrol. As president he would go for long strenuous hikes (incorporating what we'd call "bouldering" today) often inviting military officers along to test their fitness against his. During the Spanish-American War Roosevelt organized his own military unit, the famous "Rough Riders" and led them personally in one of the bloodiest fights in the war. (Can you imagine a politician doing that today?)
Along with John Muir, Roosevelt was at the vanguard of the early conservation movement, setting aside millions of acres of land for wildlife preservation. When the French abandoned their effort to build the Panama Canal Roosevelt stepped in and got the job done. Then, while campaigning in 1912 for the "Bull Moose" party an assassin shot him in the chest. Realizing the wound was not immediately life-threatening, Roosevelt declared, "It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose!" Then he proceeded to give a 90 minute speech with the bullet embedded in his bloodied chest. (Can you imagine a politician doing that today?)
What else? Roosevelt did things like putting Lincoln on the penny, becoming the first prez to ride in a car and a sub, and of course busted trusts. He also won the Medal of Honor and the Nobel Peace Prize and someone named the Teddy Bear after him.
Roosevelt had no tolerance for laziness, indecision, cowardice, or those who prefer to sit life out on the sidelines and criticize others. He respected those who made the effort to get in the arena.
Candice Millard's The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey is a riveting recent read and a great example of the man himself in action. I also enjoy thumbing through T.R.'s 500 page autobiography whenever I need a dose of decisive un-p.c. manly inspiration.
Roosevelt also had some great quotes. "If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble you wouldn't sit for a month."
Happy birthday, Teddy, wherever you are. I wish you were on the ballot this year, we sure could use you.