After seven years as president dealing with financial panics, earthquakes, and dizzying industrialization,

it seemed like Teddy Roosevelt might take a nice quiet retirement.

But that wasn't in his nature.

Teddy didn't waste his golden years watching sports and doing the crossword.

At 55 years old, he was crouched in a riverboat deep in the Amazon rainforest nearly delirious.

He'd taken the trip to cheer himself up after he failed to secure a third term.

But it turned out to be less glory, more disinitary.

But that fly by the seat of your pants nature of the excursion was also what made it a classic Roosevelt vacation.

Teddy didn't care if what lay ahead was dangerous.

He'd even have his leg cut open on the riverbank for emergency surgery.

Nothing could stop him.

Roosevelt had always been a champion of stamina and grit.

President or not, he wouldn't accept defeat.

It just wasn't his style.

Welcome to Very Presidential, a podcast original.

I'm your host Ashley Flowers.

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Today, I'm bringing you the story of Teddy Roosevelt, yet another man who got promoted because his boss was shot.

Teddy remains notorious for many things like making tiny glasses cool before John Lennon.

And Outdoorsman and a severe asthmatic Roosevelt was truly a Renaissance man.

But how would the Veepe-turn president handle being cooped up in Washington,

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