Willi wrote:

Do you think that today, a man like him could even get to the position
where he could be a candidate for President in one of the major
parties?

Certainly. Teddy Roosevelt was a New York City aristocrat, but he had
the common touch. He was worshiped by his Rough Riders and by the
working men he met and employed on his Dakota ranch. He conquered
childhood illness and a class-based tendency toward snobbery. He stood
up to the railroad and coal trusts, who were the natural constituency of
his Republican Party. He was an honest and fearless man.

The fundamental aspect of his popularity was that he was a "no bull****"
guy. His personal courage and honesty were beyond question. It also
didn't hurt his cause that he understood how to manipulate the press.

--
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