The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

His Refusal of the Vice Presidency

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt is the first biography in a trilogy by Edmund Morris depicting the tumultuous and intense life of the 26th President of the United States.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (1979) won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1980 and was followed up by Theodore Rex (2001) and Colonel Roosevelt (2010). This first book deals with Theodore’s life up until the point where he ascends to the Presidency. The second book focuses on his two terms as President while the final book focuses on his life after holding the highest office in the land.

Reading this biography took multiple attempts but eventually I got past the dry pages of TR in the Dakota badlands cattle ranches making questionable investments while at the same time dealing with the tragic loss of his first wife days after giving birth to their first child. This book depicts in extreme detail how TR found a place for himself firstly in New York politics and then in Washington before taking oath as the youngest President in American history.

While reading this book, one can't help but feel that TR has a sort of mythical vibe. His unwavering energy and intensity in every aspect of his life is simply unheard of. Not only was TR dominant in intellectual circles but physically as well. His various side quests include being a cowboy in the badlands, best-selling historian and writer, colonel leading soldiers into battle and more. Not to get ahead of myself here but this doesn't stop when he's in the White House either. As President, he was constantly getting injured engaging in martial arts like Jiu Jitsu and boxing. He also spent his time away from the White House hunting and fighting wild bears.

Anyways, back to The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. TR's personality and drive is one that is unmatched even by other American Presidents. He was a politician, soldier, statesman, father, conservationist, naturalist, writer and so much more. His wide range of knowledge and expertise came from his unwavering thirst and desire to learn more. He was famously known to read a book a day as well. Although it must be noted that he actually skimmed through most books but we can let this slide as he had a photographic memory and it adds to the mythical vibe of TR.

I am going to be repeating this word a lot but I can't think of any another word that describes TR better than "intense". TR was a man of action and constantly on the move. This was the essence of why this man who spent his whole life working tirelessly to garner power in politics didn't want to become Vice President during President William McKinley's reelection campaign in 1900 after his existing Vice President died in office due to heart failure.

Now let me set the scene for TR's political career before he famously becomes Vice President and eventually President after McKinley gets assassinated.

TR’s career in politics goes as follows. He starts off as a Member of the New York State Legislature and makes a small name for himself in the Republican party. Then he faces the tragic loss of his wife after she gives birth to their first child. To make matters worse, his mother passes away on the same day. TR retreated to the West and works on his cattle ranch in the Dakotas to rejuvenate. When he comes back, TR marries his childhood friend Edith Kermit Carow then works at the Civil Service Commission in Washington and worked tirelessly on pushing reform policies and enforcing the law. Then he gets appointed as the New York City Police Commissioner and makes a name for himself by reducing crime significantly. He even goes down to the streets in the middle of the night to make sure that police officers were awake when on duty and strikes fear into New Yorkers hearts. His Commissioner job would end when there would be a political stalemate in the board and TR couldn't make or enforce decisions anymore as he no longer had majority influence over the board.

At the advice of TR’s best friend Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, in his first term President McKinley would appoint him as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Secretary of the Navy John D. Long. TR was already well-versed in America's naval infrastructure and had previously at the young age of 23 written the definitive history on the naval battle between Great Britain and America titled "The War of 1812". His book was used in the Naval Academy to teach cadets about American naval history. John D. Long was old and in bad health when TR was appointed so he delegated most of his work to TR who was more than happy to operate as de facto Secretary of the Navy. TR would basically be in charge and make decisions. TR was always on the offensive and directed orders to naval fleets to be constantly on the ready for war. This led to Admiral George Dewey who was leading American fleets near the Philippines to win the Battle of Manila Bay against the Spanish. Dewey became a national hero and credited his victory to TR's orders.

As the Spanish-American war was beginning, in true Rooseveltian fashion TR wanted to have an active role and gain military glory instead of giving orders from afar as a boring Washington politician. He used his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to ask around in order to be allowed to lead a group of men into war against the Spanish if the time ever comes.

I can't help but recall how American Founding Father and First Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton wanted to do the same. During the revolutionary war, he was George Washington's right hand man and aide-de-camp but constantly begged him to lead a group of men into battle. He famously even argued with the Commander-in-Chief and got his wish by leading his men into victory at the Battle of Yorktown which was the last land confrontation with the British that signalled the end of the Revolutionary war. Hamilton’s quest for military glory would not stop there. Decades later, even after a more than successful political life defending the United States Constitution, getting it ratified and single handedly dreaming up and building the foundations of the modern American financial system, Hamilton still wanted to lead the army. During the Adams’ Administration, the US was in a Quasi-War with France in 1798 and Hamilton was put in as second in charge under George Washington to train American troops should a land confrontation occur. I found TR's desperation for military glory even after having political power similar to that of Hamilton.

TR would get his wish when a land confrontation against the Spanish in Cuba seemed likely. TR resigned as assistant secretary of the Navy to raise troops for war. He became second-in-charge (Lieutenant Colonel) of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment under Colonel Leonard Wood and trained them briefly in America on basic military matters before they were sent to Cuba for the fight of their lives. TR’s unit became known as the Rough Riders and their fight in the Battle of San Juan Hill was highly popularised in the American press as it was one of the final battles of the Spanish-American war. Right before the battle began, Colonel Wood was promoted to lead multiple larger units, thus TR was promoted to Colonel Roosevelt and this rank would remain with him for the rest of his life. Even after he became President, he said that he was most proud of leading his men to victory in San Juan Hill and would for the rest of his life constantly tell stories of that fateful day in excruciating Rooseveltian detail.

Anyways, after returning home from an American victory, TR was hailed as a national hero and ran and won the New York Governorship. After decades in politics and gaining popularity amongst Republican party leaders and their voter base, TR and everyone around him knew he was destined to be the Republican Nominee for President in 1904.

However, President McKinley was running for reelection and needed a VP as his VP had died of heart failure the year before. McKinley desperately needed someone in the Republican party who would boost his chances for President and was generally agreeable to his policies.

GOP members and party bosses all around the country (even those who despised TR) wanted TR to be VP. The New York GOP leaders and old guards who constantly blocked TR's reform policies and made it no secret that they despised him were some of the most ardent supporters of him becoming VP. They realised that the only way to get TR and all his energy out of the state was to push him into a role that was largely powerless and ceremonial as the Vice President role was at the turn of the 20th Century.

While the Vice President role was obviously politically important and demanded great respect, it was a role that was more passive, subservient and one where the holder of the office could not do much politically. Herein lies the issue that TR had with the Vice Presidency.

For someone of TR's stature, especially after national stardom after the Spanish-American war, the VP role makes sense. But for someone of his intense drive and constant movement, the VP role was incredibly restrictive. TR also feared that after four years of being VP, he would be largely forgotten and would not be able to ride the wave of his San Juan victory in a 1904 Presidential campaign.

Moreover, he felt that he was losing political power by going from Governor of New York where had direct control over a state in making reform policies to just being a national figurehead and puppet under McKinley. While countless other American Presidents have served as VP before, TR was incredibly reluctant and despised the nomination. At his core, TR felt that the party was conspiring to limit his power and destiny by putting him as VP. However it was not just Party leaders who wanted him to be VP but even his closest supporters like his wife Edith Roosevelt and friend Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.

After increasing speculation and opinions expressed by other Republican politicians in the news, TR went so far as to publicly announce that he was not interested in the VP role but didn’t rule out the possibility entirely, thereby still leaving it wide for speculation. Even on the day of the Republican National Convention, the party was in disarray as to who would be voted for VP. While TR attended the convention and received wide applauses everywhere he went, he was still making up his mind as to whether he should put his name.

Eventually after much persuasion and begging, TR came to a decision and said he would accept the nomination if the convention offered it to him but otherwise he would continue to serve another term as Governor of New York. Eventually, the mysterious powers that wielded power over the Republican party nominated TR and put his name in the goblet of fire and TR won the Republican Vice Presidential Nominee unanimously.

This whole saga of TR not wanting to be Vice President was written beautifully in detail by Edmund Morris towards the end of this first book. While the main story of TR’s life has yet to begin in the form of his world order changing Presidency, this event really shows the character of TR like none other.

While the stories of TR in the badlands fist fighting people in bars or fighting bears in the woods or walking the streets of New York after dark catching policemen sleeping on sentry or leading his Rough Riders to victory on San Juan Hill capture some essence of TR, the strong reluctance and back and forth to accept the Vice President role shows him in his purest distilled sense.

There are so many other examples that show TR’s pure drive and intensity but not wanting to be Vice President of the United States, preferring instead to have more control and power as Governor of New York is frankly unheard of. Although this whole thing could have just been a charade and orchestrated by TR for future historians and readers to espouse high praise on his moral character, it doesn't appear that way. If it was, then it was masterfully played and has me convinced at least.