AHC: President Theodore Roosevelt Jr

[Amadeus]

Following Theodore Roosevelt's death in 1919, his eldest son Theodore Roosevelt Jr tried his hand at a political career with the ultimate goal of becoming President. Like Franklin Roosevelt, TR Jr attempted to follow a path similar to the one his father had taken to the White House: State Assembly, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Governor, then President. Yet unlike his father and fifth cousin, TR Jr's political career proved less than stellar: his tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Navy was married by the Teapot Dome Scandal, and he was beaten by Al Smith during the 1924 race for Governor of New York. Instead of TR Jr, it would be Franklin Roosevelt who followed Theodore Roosevelt's footsteps in becoming President of the United States.

Your challenge is to have TR Jr become President of the United States, becoming the first son of a President to become President since John Quincy Adams.

 

[KingSweden24]

Following Theodore Roosevelt's death in 1919, his eldest son Theodore Roosevelt Jr tried his hand at a political career with the ultimate goal of becoming President. Like Franklin Roosevelt, TR Jr attempted to follow a path similar to the one his father had taken to the White House: State Assembly, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Governor, then President. Yet unlike his father and fifth cousin, TR Jr's political career proved less than stellar: his tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Navy was married by the Teapot Dome Scandal, and he was badly beaten by Al Smith during the 1924 race for Governor of New York. Instead of TR Jr, it would be Franklin Roosevelt who followed Theodore Roosevelt's footsteps in becoming President of the United States.

Your challenge is to have TR Jr become President of the United States, becoming the first son of a President to become President since John Quincy Adams.

Have him avoid the taint of the Harding Cabinet is a start, maybe he runs for something as early as 1918 during the Republican wave and can build his own reputation as his own man, perhaps in NY state politics?

 

[Amadeus]

Have him avoid the taint of the Harding Cabinet is a start, maybe he runs for something as early as 1918 during the Republican wave and can build his own reputation as his own man, perhaps in NY state politics?

That could be accomplished if he decides that rather than copying his father, he should be his own man and forge a path different from the one his father took.

 

[Vinization]

and he was badly beaten by Al Smith during the 1924 race for Governor of New York.

Not really, given he lost by a margin of only 3%. Have him beat Al Smith, and he'll likely take Herbert Hoover's place as the GOP candidate in 1928. His victory there is almost certainly assured, but I doubt he'll be reelected without something that delays the Great Depression.

 

[KingSweden24]

Not really, given he lost by a margin of only 3%. Have him beat Al Smith, and he'll likely take Herbert Hoover's place as the GOP candidate in 1928. His victory there is almost certainly assured, but I doubt he'll be reelected without something that delays the Great Depression.

That’s quite the narrow margin! So yeah, in that case definitely I think if he doesn’t get into the Harding gang’s shenanigans he could probably win that, maybe even rather easily

 

[CountDVB]

Not really, given he lost by a margin of only 3%. Have him beat Al Smith, and he'll likely take Herbert Hoover's place as the GOP candidate in 1928. His victory there is almost certainly assured, but I doubt he'll be reelected without something that delays the Great Depression.

Depends though. Teddy Jr may do something different than Hoover on handling the Great Depression

 

[Amadeus]

Not really, given he lost by a margin of only 3%. Have him beat Al Smith, and he'll likely take Herbert Hoover's place as the GOP candidate in 1928. His victory there is almost certainly assured, but I doubt he'll be reelected without something that delays the Great Depression.

"Badly" has been edited out of the original post.

 

[Amadeus]

That’s quite the narrow margin! So yeah, in that case definitely I think if he doesn’t get into the Harding gang’s shenanigans he could probably win that, maybe even rather easily

That can happen if he declines Harding's offer to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy. (Which he should not have accepted anyway: his father became Governor, VP, then President because he was a war hero - not because he had held an obscure post in an ancillary Executive Branch department - and it would have been better for TR Jr to simply continue building a career in New York State politics before taking a shot at the Governor's Mansion).

 

[David T]

I think the best POD is for Harding to appoint TR, Jr. something other than Assistant Secretary of the Navy (easier said than done, since that position seemed reserved for Roosevelts...) so he doesn't sign the transfers of the oil leases. In that case, TR, Jr. would at least have a chance of beating Al Smith for New York Governor in 1924 and of being a potential GOP presidential nominee in 1928.

I don't know how much Teapot Dome actually hurt TR, Jr. in 1924 but the Democrats at least saw it as a major vulnerability of his, and Eleanor "dogged Ted on the New York State campaign trail in a car fitted with a papier-mâché bonnet shaped like a giant teapot that was made to emit simulated steam..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt_Jr.#Political_career

 

[MrHappy]

That can happen if he declines Harding's offer to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy. (Which he should not have accepted anyway: his father became Governor, VP, then President because he was a war hero - not because he had held an obscure post in an ancillary Executive Branch department - and it would have been better for TR Jr to simply continue building a career in New York State politics before taking a shot at the Governor's Mansion).

Maybe.... Hoover in Harding's cabinet, so there doesn't seem to be any "taint" from having just been part of that administration. TR's (senior's) "marketability" (war hero, outdoorsman, tough guy) seems to have been the key distinction between father and son.

 

[MrHappy]

... Eleanor "dogged Ted on the New York State campaign trail in a car fitted with a papier-mâché bonnet shaped like a giant teapot that was made to emit simulated steam..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt_Jr.#Political_career

Too funny!

Perhaps if Teddy Jr. took on more of an anti-corruption crusader role within the Harding administration. Then again, by doing so Teddy Jr. may have earned himself too many enemies to have any future political career.

 

[Amadeus]

Maybe.... Hoover in Harding's cabinet, so there doesn't seem to be any "taint" from having just been part of that administration. TR's (senior's) "marketability" (war hero, outdoorsman, tough guy) seems to have been the key distinction between father and son.

TR Jr really seemed to never escape his father's shadow until his service in WWII, at which point he was out of politics.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

Interesting that he passed during WWII not because of specific war injuries, but because of a chronic heart condition.

 

[Nivek]

I think Quentyn would make more sense

 

[Joseph Weaver]

HMMM challenge accepted!

Hughes defeats Wilson in 1916 and then takes the country into World War 1 losing to some Democrat in 1920, meanwhile Teddy Jr. wins the 1924 New York gubernatorial election and wins reelection in 1926 and 1928. Some other Democrat wins in 1928 and gets caught holding the bag when the Great Depression hits leading to Theodore Roosevelt Jr. to win the 1932 Election and then win three more terms passing away during his fourth term leaving his Vice President Alfred "Alf" Landon to finish his term.

 

[Amadeus]

HMMM challenge accepted!

Hughes defeats Wilson in 1916 and then takes the country into World War 1 losing to some Democrat in 1920, meanwhile Teddy Jr. wins the 1924 New York gubernatorial election and wins reelection in 1926 and 1928. Some other Democrat wins in 1928 and gets caught holding the bag when the Great Depression hits leading to Theodore Roosevelt Jr. to win the 1932 Election and then win three more terms passing away during his fourth term leaving his Vice President Alfred "Alf" Landon to finish his term.

I think that 1924 will be a Democratic year, which would disadvantage TR Jr in the New York Governor's race. I imagine that in OTL he was bolstered by Coolidge's victory in the state (where Coolidge not only won New York City - the last Republican presidential nominee to do so - but he won every county).

 

[MrHappy]

TR Jr really seemed to never escape his father's shadow until his service in WWII, at which point he was out of politics.

Normandy could have been that spark he needed, and less arterial blockage (ouch... too soon). But then he'd be in political competition with Eisenhower...

 

[Amadeus]

Normandy could have been that spark he needed, and less arterial blockage (ouch... too soon). But then he'd be in political competition with Eisenhower...

I doubt that Roosevelt would want to run against his former superior officer in 1952. If he lived another 20 years (until 1964) he probably writes a memoir about his war experience, supports Eisenhower in 1952, and perhaps he is important to an important post (maybe Secretary of Defense?).

 

[Joseph Weaver]

I think that 1924 will be a Democratic year, which would disadvantage TR Jr in the New York Governor's race. I imagine that in OTL he was bolstered by Coolidge's victory in the state (where Coolidge not only won New York City - the last Republican presidential nominee to do so - but he won every county).

Maybe though perhaps Teddy could pull it off but maybe 1928 would be a better year for him to run.

I doubt that Roosevelt would want to run against his former superior officer in 1952. If he lived another 20 years (until 1964) he probably writes a memoir about his war experience, supports Eisenhower in 1952, and perhaps he is important to an important post (maybe Secretary of Defense?).

Perhaps Eisenhower could encourage Teddy to run instead?

 

[Amadeus]

Maybe though perhaps Teddy could pull it off but maybe 1928 would be a better year for him to run.


Perhaps Eisenhower could encourage Teddy to run instead?

I do not think that many people would be clamoring for Roosevelt, who was even older than Eisenhower, to run when they simply could have the far better known and admired Eisenhower to run instead.