He was returning from abroad, where he had gone to enjoy life as a private citizen after leaving the White House. But his return was hardly private. The five-mile parade up Broadway in New York City in his honor brought out over one million fans, lining the streets and hanging out of the fifteen-story-high rises. And this was when our entire country held but ninety million people!
His name was Theodore Roosevelt, and the year was 1910. Newspapers reported that there were countless well-wishers waving toy bears over their heads. They became Roosevelt’s unique and charming symbol. Two years before, while President, he had gone on a hunt in the fields and woods of Mississippi. His advance men had tied a live bear to a far-distant tree as an easy shot. Rosevelt would have none of it. Declaring that it was appalling and unsportsmanlike, he ordered the bear released and protected for life in a zoo.
The newspapers had a “field day” with this story. The call went out to name the rescued bear after the kind hearted President. “Theodore” didn’t quite fit, and so the “teddy bear” was born.
Another delightful feature that defined Mr. Roosevelt in the nation’s mind was his overpowering exuberance. He had more unbridled joy in being President than anyone has before or since. He never walked; he bounced and bounded. He never talked; he cheerily bellowed. He never smiled; he grinned ear to ear, forehead to jaw, with his eyes popping out with sheer mirth. And his teeth were as large as owl’s eggs.
Roosevelt soon became associated with his all-time favorite jaunty word. Whether he was asked his opinion about something (except the Democrats) or when shaking hands with anyone, friend or stranger, in a receiving line, his response never varied: “Delighted!” No, I err. He never said “delighted” in his life. It was always “DEE-lighted!!”
There is a connection between the teddy bear and Theodore’s favorite one-word response. The teddy bear demonstrated his compassion; “DEE-lighted!” indicated his desire to put all at ease who met The President Of The United States. Both revealed Roosevelt’s profuse and profound kindness.
Contrast this kindness with the tone of the last thirty years, where a nastiness of spirit has pervaded. It began after the first George Bush left office. Our next five presidents—Clinton, George W, Obama, Trump, and Biden —have dug the trough from which we now feed.
Be it Clinton’s self-righteous stonewalling over Monica, W’s officious handling of Iraq, Obama’s persistent haughtiness, Trump’s towering conceit, or Biden’s imperious refusal to step aside for the good of the country, these presidents made those of the other political party not just disagree with them but despise them. And so their arrogance turned what had always been a philosophical divide between Democrats and Republicans into this current witch’s brew of Malice To All, Charity for None.
President Theodore Roosevelt’s kindness not only stands in contrast to our current age of presidential hubris but seems to me to be its antithesis. Kindness is empathy; arrogance is its absence. There was something juicy about his kindly exuberance, as there is something arid about arrogance. No wonder Shakespeare coined the phrase “the milk of human kindness.”
We’ve always known we can never change the world, but we can always change ourselves. My proposal for us all is to be kinder than we have to be by loving others even more than they deserve to be loved. Try it — and I’m guessing you’ll be dee-lighted with the results.
Email Elliot at huffam@me.com or click here