Life — February 8, 1912 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Commentary on Colonel Roosevelt This *Life* magazine page satirizes Colonel Theodore Roosevelt's political ambitions and personality. The text criticizes Roosevelt's candidacy as self-serving manipulation, comparing him to a duck studied by the *Evening Post*—the *Post* "instinctively disapproves" while Roosevelt operates without regard for others' opinions. The satire mocks Roosevelt's unpredictability and stubbornness, suggesting he's difficult to control or predict. The piece questions whether Roosevelt genuinely wants to help Taft politically or is pursuing personal ambition. It portrays him as someone who ignores advice from friends and critics alike, making him simultaneously admirable and frustrating—a man of strong instincts but questionable judgment regarding his own political future.