Description:
President Theodore Roosevelt, as portrayed by Clay Jenkinson
Theodore Roosevelt was transformed by the time he spent as a young man in the American west and he went on to return the favor, transforming the American west in his image. The author of 40 books, Roosevelt was among the most intellectually prepared presidents, which was coupled with the physical prowess of a strenuous man. He embodied his prescription for the country that of living the strenuous life.
In his 1899 speech on the Strenuous Life, Roosevelt raged against those who were afraid of the future: These are the men who fear the strenuous life, who fear the only national life which is really worth leading. By almost any measure, his time was more difficult than our time. Then as now, government is uniquely able to do things what individuals cannot do for themselves. Then as now (with apologies for TRs gender exclusive language), strenuous men must stand in for the common man. Then as now, difficult choices and decisions ensue in shaping policies aimed at winning the goal of national greatness.
Roosevelt is portrayed by Clay Jenkinson, an Oxford-educated humanities scholar, author, social commentator and, now, documentary maker, who is deeply involved in preserving the legacy, celebrating the idiosyncrasies and interpreting the wisdom of the 26th president in our day.
