19083 Roosevelt as President 



vited, and our host spoke with utter frankness, of 

 which few ever took advantage. Those who did 

 he relegated to the "Ananias Club" and never in- 

 vited again. Concerning Booker T. Washington's 

 presence on one such informal occasion, Roosevelt 

 afterward said to me: 



I never dreamed that it would call forth a storm of criticism, 

 and it would have made no difference if I had! 



At the last of the luncheons which I attended, 

 he appeared at his best. Speaking of a leading 

 Chicago banker who had just left the room, he 

 remarked : 



I'm not the right President for men of that kind. I can't 

 understand what they are after, and they don't comprehend 

 me. I'm President for men like you. 



On the wall of the White House reception room "His 

 hung a framed cartoon entitled "His Favorite 

 Author" and representing a well-to-do farmer sitting, 

 slippered, by the grate, reading "the President's 

 Message." To another guest he observed: 



I like to imagine that I am indeed "his favorite author" 

 to men like that. But if I were to try for a third term, he 

 wouldn't like it. 



And afterward to me : 



I have tried hard to avoid another nomination harder 

 than any dozen men ever tried to get it. 



When I recall the Roosevelt of later days, there ^ 

 rise to my mind the last words of Steerforth in best 

 "David Copperfield" "Think of me at my best, 

 Davy." With the rest of his countrymen I shall 

 think of him at his best. Best and worst that 



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