In 1899, President William McKinley's vice president, Garrett Hobart, died in office, leaving an open spot on the 1900 Republican ticket. As the sitting governor of the nation's most populous state, Teddy Roosevelt was a natural choice. After the usual backroom deal making, TR agreed to accept the nomination. He was a marvel on the campaign trail, making 430 speeches in 23 states, and his team easily won the election. Only 194 days after taking office, he became president when McKinley died from an assassin's bullet. The photo above was taken in 1900, below 1902.
As the youngest (and probably most virile) president ever, Teddy Roosevelt set about pursuing his Progressive Republican agenda. While the term "Progressive Republican" is a major oxymoron today, it was a real thing in the early 20th Century. Early on, he invited Booker T. Washington to the White House for dinner, enraging many Southerners. He declared himself to be a monopoly fighting "Trust Buster," and vigorously promoted measures for pure food and drugs. TR also fought corruption, land fraud, and abuse of Native Americans, calling his program the Square Deal.
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