In defense of TR: Was Beck’s criticism fair?

Interestingly, if he searched, Beck would probably find much to like about TR. For example, much of Beck’s CPAC speech focused on “personal responsibility”—an area where TR and Beck would have likely found much agreement.

After all, Roosevelt was the ultimate “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” promoter of rugged individualism and toughness, who famously began a 1912 campaign speech by saying: “I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.”

Beck described himself as a “self-made man,” but TR was, in his own way, the consummate self-made man. Though born wealthy, he was a small, near-sighted and sickly child who determined to make himself a success. In order to change his circumstances, Roosevelt became a tireless champion of what he called the “strenuous life.”

Beck talked about being self-educated, a notion that TR would have probably applauded. In fact, TR once said of academia, “if, in any individual, university training produces a taste for refined idleness, a distained for sustained effort, a barren intellectual arrogance, or a sense of supercilious aloofness from the world of real men who do the world’s real work, then it has harmed that individual.” Beck mentioned in his speech that his education primarily came from reading. This, again, is something that TR—a voracious reader—would also have applauded.

And while Beck and I may disagree with much of TR’s “progressive” political philosophy, in an era when many conservatives are worried about the loss of American Exceptionalism—and about winning the war on terror—the patriotic “Roughrider,” TR—who promised to “speak softly and carry a big stick”—would probably make Dick Cheney look like a dove.

Ultimately, like every leader, TR’s record was mixed. He was strong in some areas, and weak in others. In an era when too many politicians are beholden to lobbyists, it’s inspiring to look to TR, who said, “I will not stay in public life unless I can do so on my own terms…” And while Beck and I may disagree with much of TR’s political philosophy (had I been alive, I would have probably voted for Taft), one can’t help but admire his courage and toughness.

Strock tells me Beck is simply focused on the wrong attributes of TR: “That ethic of service—that very American evocation of service—is what we should focus on, celebrate, learn from, and attempt to pass to the rising generations.”

Ultimately, while Beck and I enjoy the luxury of commentating, TR inherited the presidency when McKinley was assassinated, and was thrust head first into the arena. In this regard, Beck would do well to read one of TR’s most famous speeches, in which he said: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…”

Matt Lewis is a conservative writer and blogger, based in Alexandria, Va.