Theodore Roosevelt in the Public Eye

The political cartoonist Thomas Nast created this cartoon of Christmas in the White House in 1901. It depicts Santa Claus placing presents in the Roosevelt children's stockings. The inscription reads: "New life in the old house. Don't know when I've felt so at home here." The cartoon celebrated the American public's excitement regarding the return of a young family to the White House.

In 1906 the author Seymour Eaton published the book "The Roosevelt Bears: Their Travels and Adventures." The children's book features two bears named Teddy B and Teddy G who travel around the United States of America to meet people and see famous sights. These stuffed teddy bears and pitcher with the images of Teddy B and Teddy G were produced in conjunction with Eaton's book. The teddy bear was inspired by Theodore Roosevelt after he refused to kill an injured bear during a 1902 bear hunting trip in Mississippi. The cartoonist Clifford Berryman drew a political cartoon that was published in the Washington Post. Aspiring toymakers Morris and Ruth Michtom saw the cartoon and decided to create a stuffed teddy bear toy. Roosevelt agreed that the Michtoms could use the name "Teddy," but he did not think it would be much of a success.

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt ran for president under the Progressive Party. One of the major party platforms was working class rights, including promotion of the 8 hour work day, 1 day of rest in the working week, and a living wage. Roosevelt's speech on "Social and Industrial Justice" delivered in August of 1912 is recorded on this Edison blue amberol cylinder record.

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt ran for president under the Progressive Party. The mascot for the Progressive Party was the bull moose, because when asked by a reporter how he felt, Theodore Roosevelt responded that he "felt fit as a bull moose." This bull moose pull toy is one of many political novelties produced during the election.

Cover of Judge Magazine with color political cartoon of TR raking an oyster bed labeled "Nomination 1904."� Theodore Roosevelt is famous in part for being the first President to conduct regularly conduct affairs of state during summer and away from Washington D.C. His home "Sagamore Hill" in Oyster Bay became in many ways representative of Theodore Roosevelt. This cartoon places Roosevelt in Oyster Bay as Oysterman with friends and foes depicted as fish, labeled "Trusts," "Antitrust," "Protectionists" and rocks labeled "Tariff Reform."

In 1884, following the death of his first wife and mother, Theodore Roosevelt headed to Medora, North Dakota where he purchased and managed a cattle ranch. When Roosevelt ran for public office, he was often identified as a man of action through his experiences ranching in the Dakotas and leading the "Rough Riders" in the Spanish-American War. This political cartoon depicts cowboys and an Indian celebrating Theodore Roosevelt's election to President by dancing around a sign "Rough Rider Teddy is Elected." Coyotes, prairie dogs, snakes, and horses look on, smiling and celebrating themselves. In the background, a woman stands watching beside the "Telegraft [sic] Office."

Cover of Judge Magazine with color political cartoon of TR shucking "oysters in every Square Deal style." Each shucked oyster reveals another reason that the "Republican majority should be returned to Congress to finish the good work "it has so well begun." This cartoon was published in advance of midterm elections in 1906 during Theodore Roosevelt's second term. It refers to Theodore Roosevelt's call for equal opportunity, a "square deal," for all individuals.

Illustration depicting a scene at the National Progressive Convention of 1916. While the Progressive Party nominated Theodore Roosevelt for President in 1916, he declined the nomination and gave his support to Republican nominee Charles Evans Hughes.

In 1916, the Progressive "Bull Moose" Party again nominated Theodore Roosevelt for President. With the firm belief that the nation would be better served by a single representative of the Progressive and Republican parties, Roosevelt declined the Progressive Party's nomination. He put his support behind Charles Evans Hughes, the eventual nominee of the Republican party. As Roosevelt had urged, the Progressive Party withdrew from the race and urged their members to back Hughes. Hughes went on to lose the election by a narrow margin to incumbent President Woodrow Wilson. In this original political cartoon, Norman Ritchie depicts Theodore Roosevelt, seated in his dressing gown and slippers, in phone negotiations with both the G.O.P. Headquarters and the Bull Moose Headquarters.

While he declined the Progressive Party's 1916 nomination for President, Theodore Roosevelt continued to act as a key player throughout the election cycle. He put his support behind Republican Party nominees Charles Evans Hughes and Charles W. Fairbanks. He argued for the Progressive Party to also back Hughes and Fairbanks in the campaign against Wilson. This original political cartoon by Norman shows Theodore Roosevelt acting as a bridge between the Republican Party and the Progressive Party to aid Hughes and Fairbanks getting to the White House.

When Theodore Roosevelt accepted the Progressive "Bull Moose" Party's nomination in 1912, he was often criticized for wanting to turn the Presidency into a monarchy or dictatorship by running for a third term. In this political cartoon Theodore Roosevelt is depicted as resting on his accolades as Rough Rider and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on an island in the West Indies. Roosevelt's bicorne hat and removal to an island suggest comparison to Napoleon's exile to the island of Elba and his subsequent return to power.

This double painting of Theodore Roosevelt's funeral on January 9, 1919, was published in the January issue of The Outlook. Theodore Roosevelt became an associate editor of The Outlook in March 1909.