State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College Digital Commons at Buffalo State History Theses History and Social Studies Education 12-2018 The ulB ly Pulpit and The Pulpit Bully: A Comparison of How Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump Used the Media To Propel Their aC reers and Political Agendas. Scott E. Miller State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College, [email protected] Advisor Dr. David Carson First Reader Dr. David Carson Second Reader Dr. Alex Blair Department Chair Andrew D. Nicholls, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of History To learn more about the History and Social Studies Education Department and its educational programs, research, and resources, go to https://history.buffalostate.edu. Recommended Citation Miller, Scott E., "The ulB ly Pulpit and The ulpP it Bully: A Comparison of How Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump Used the Media To Propel Their aC reers and Political Agendas." (2018). History Theses. 46. https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/history_theses/46 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/history_theses Part of the United States History Commons The Bully Pulpit and The Pulpit Bully: A Comparison of How Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump Used the Media To Propel Their Careers and Political Agendas. A Thesis in History By Scott Miller Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts December 2018 Approved by: David A. Carson, Ph.D. Distinguished Service Professor Chairperson of the Committee/Thesis Adviser Andrew D. Nicholls, Ph.D. Professor and Chair of the History Department Kevin J. Miller, Ed.D. Dean of the Graduate School Buffalo State College Department of History ii ABSTRACT OF THESIS The Bully Pulpit and the Pulpit Bully: A Comparison of How Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump Used the Media to Propel Their Careers and Political Agendas. This thesis compares and contrasts how two of the more media savvy American presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump, utilized the press/media to advance their careers and promote their agendas. Both men’s ascent to power coincided with and benefited from the rise of new media outlets; Roosevelt’s with the newspaper revolution and Trump’s with the social media/networking explosion, specifically that of Twitter. Their groundbreaking mastery of these and other media formats share several common devices including trial balloons, manipulating news cycles and creating news distractions. However, a deeper dive reveals distinct differences as well. Relying heavily on primary resources, including letters, speeches, autobiographies, and tweets, this historical analysis will show that though both men shared similar tactics, their aims and tones were worlds apart. While presidents before him were wary of the press, President Theodore Roosevelt aggressively pursued a relationship with newspapermen, seeing them as a valuable ally to disseminate information with the chief purpose of unifying public support around his policies to improve the country. During his time in office, President Trump has forcefully obstructed and attacked the mainstream media, viewing them not as an ally but an enemy. He has repeatedly used communication tools to divide, pitting his core base against those whom he perceives as against him. The main focus of his bully pulpit has been to protect and promote his “brand,” not to advocate his agenda. iii Table of Contents Thesis Title Page…………………………………………………………………………………. i Abstract of Thesis………………………………………………………………………………...ii Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………iv Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….vi Chapters 1. Meet the Press……………………………………………………………………………1 2. The Road to the White House………………………………………………………….28 3. Face the Nation…………………………………………………………………………49 4. Outfront…………………………………………………………………………………71 5. Crossfire………………………………………………………………………………...98 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………….127 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….132 iv Acknowledgements My sincerest gratitude to my thesis advisor Dr. David Carson. Throughout this process, he has been a phenomenal source of counsel, guidance and encouragement. His ability to promptly answer my questions and review my drafts helped me stay focused and on schedule. His comments not only made for a better paper, but also made me a better historian. Of course, none of this came as a surprise. Even though it has been a few years since my undergraduate days, I can still clearly recall being inspired by Dr. Carson’s American Presidents and American Life I courses. His classes were always a perfect mix of what I hope this thesis is⎯ educational, entertaining and thought-provoking. Completing this work might have been arduous if not for the motivation and sound advice of Dr. Alex Blair. My first graduate school class was his Emergence of Industrial America: 1877-1919. Five minutes into the course, any doubts I had about whether returning to school was the right decision vanished. He also offered two invaluable pieces of advice. First, when constructing a reading list for that class he recommended selecting books that I might use for my future master’s thesis. Second, he informed me of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Central branch’s vast collection, something I was unaware of even though I grew-up in the area. Both of these tips saved me countless hours of reading and investigation. In conducting research, several local sites proved immensely helpful. Thank you to the staffs at Buffalo State’s Butler Library, the University of Buffalo’s Libraries Annex, and the Buffalo Historical Museum. A special thank you to Lenora Henson and the team at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site. Thank you to Jillian Horgan-Beck for numerous brainstorming sessions, one of which spawned the idea for this paper. v Last but not least, thank you to my family for their unwavering support throughout this project. Special thanks to my sister, Mary Jo Petschke, for often picking-up extra family duties, thus freeing me up to work on this thesis. And thank you to my father, Neil Miller, to whom this paper is dedicated. He imparted to me both a work ethic and a passion for history. vi Introduction Vice President Mike Pence’s remarks came during a visit to what President Theodore Roosevelt called his greatest achievement, the Panama Canal.1 With the sundrenched engineering marvel in the backdrop, Pence compared the 45th president of the United States to the one responsible for building the canal: In President Donald Trump, I think the United States once again has a president whose vision, energy, and can-do spirit is reminiscent of President Teddy Roosevelt. Think about it. Then, as now, we have a builder of boundless optimism, who seeks to usher in a new era of shared prosperity all across this new world. Then, as now, we have a leader who sees things not just as they are, but for what they could be. And then, as now, we have a president who understands, in his words, “A nation is only living as long as it is striving.” And just as President Roosevelt exhorted his fellow Americans to “dare to be great,” President Donald Trump has dared our nation to make America great again.2 The Vice President is not alone in linking Roosevelt and Trump, numerous historians and politicians have connected the two.3 On the surface, there are many trivial ties that can be used to bond them. They were New Yorkers born into families of wealth and privilege, headed by strong father figures who greatly influenced them. While neither was a truly self-made man, their public perception was the opposite. They were blue bloods disguised as blue-collar. Both were larger than life characters with forceful personalities. Their brothers lost battles with alcoholism, while their daughters became media darlings. They were Republican by name, but not afraid to challenge the party’s establishment. They both wrestled with how they obtained the 1 Oscar King Davis, Released for Publication (New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1925), 129. 2 Vice President Mike Pence, “Remarks by Vice President at Panama Canal,” August 17, 2017, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-vice-president-panama-canal/. 3 Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci and former House Speaker John Boehner are among those who have linked Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump. The Chicago Tribune, Forbes.com, The Huffington Post and Newsweek were among those to run articles or commentaries comparing the two. Historians Daniel Ruddy and Daniel F. Harrington have written pieces on the men’s similarities. vii highest office in the land; TR saw himself as an “accidental” president, while Trump is haunted by the perception that Russian interference won him the election. But there are also stark differences between the men. Roosevelt was an intellectual, a vociferous reader, unsuccessful in business, and worked his way up the political ranks. By contrast, Trump claims he does not have time to read. He is a successful businessman with an estimated net worth in the billions and had never held a political office before entering the White House. As President, TR created 150 national forests and five national parks, went after monopolies and trusts, and looked to expand America’s global presence. Conversely, Trump has rolled back environmental protection, reduced corporate tax rates, and has removed the United States from several international agreements (Iran nuclear deal, Paris Climate accord, Trans- Pacific Partnership). Their presidencies can be tied by similarities in the state of the nation during their rises to power. Life at the turn of the 20th century and the start of the 21st were tumultuous times in American history. During both periods the nation saw the creation of a new class of uber-rich. While many citizens found themselves left out of the economic prosperity. Technological advances both unified and divided people. The nation of immigrants grappled with closing doors and building walls.