Originally posted by tatsxxx11
You've given me goosebumps, jcperson! Among my most beloved American heroes are President Roosevelt and President Kennedy, both "Navy men." Their deeds, their words, hold such hope, optimism and inspiration. Thank you for your service to our country! And I took NO offense at all at being "corrected!"
JFK is the first president I can remember. I was 8 when he was assassinated. I remember that as a time when people rarely spoke ill of the president and even the most vociferous political arguments were on issues rather than personalities.

From everything I've read, TR was most likely our most revered president while in office. When he uttered his famous, "Speak softly, but carry a big stick" line, the White House mail room was deluged with all manner of sticks, clubs and cudgels, many elaborately carved, for him to brandish at speeches. On the USS Theodore Roosevelt we had a tiny TR museum with one of those cudgels on display. It also had a set of his pearl-handled revolvers, stuffed birds he had collected, campaign badges, photos, and other mementos.