Are you worried about this year’s presidential election? Do you feel like puking every time we hear Donald Trump open his mouth or Bernie Sanders mention the 1%, or Hillary Clinton make promise after promise (how many do you think she’ll keep)? Don’t be, because this is far from the first time a crazy, unfiltered and bombastic individual ran for president.
While there’s been several, I have to say Teddy Roosevelt stands out above all the rest. Some of the stuff that came out of his mouth would no doubt horrify, if not amuse its audience just for the sake of sheer recklessness, idiocracy and bravado.
I’ve collected a number of quotes from TR that cover the whole range of the political spectrum. So sit back, relax, and try not to gasp or laugh at some of these.
On National Defense
“I look forward to the burning of New York and a few other seacoast cities.”
On Foreign Diplomacy
“I killed a Spaniard with my own hand, like a jack-rabbit.”
“The Colombians are a pithecoid community of Dagos and homicidal corruptionists.”
“I am so angry with that infernal Cuban republic that I would like to wipe it off the face of the earth.”
On Himself
“I feel like a terrific bully”
On the Military
“I like to have my hand on the lever”
“I admire superpowers that exercise their will over the weak and craven.”
On Gun Regulation
“A man must be quicker than I am in the use of a gun”
On Deliberative SC Justices
“I could carve out of a banana a judge with more backbone that.”
On the 1%
“The most powerful men in the country must be held accountable before the law.”
“The immediate necessity in dealing with [corporations] is to place them under the control of some sovereign. This sovereign must be the national government.”
“The lives of millionaires vary from rotten frivolity to rotten vice.”
On Liberals
“Sentimental humanitarians always form a most pernicious body, with an influence for bad hardly surpassed by that of the professional criminal class.”
On the Government
“If this country could be ruled by a benevolent czar, we would doubtless make a good many changes for the better.”
On Pacifists
“The amiable peace at any price people who in our country have been prancing about are men weak in body or mind.”
On Moderates of His Party
“A goodly number of the senators even of my own party have shown about as much backbone as so many angleworms.”
On His Achievements
“I do not think any feat of quite such far-reaching importance had been to the credit of our country… this I can say absolutely was my own work.”
“I would not let so great an achievement suffer from any taint of legality.”
On Political Opponents
“I welcome impeachment.”
So if you’re still worried about who will be president after 2016, just remember: whoever we get, we’ve already had.
