On The Stump
Theodore Roosevelt in Stereographs
By Edward W. Earle

stereoscopic anaglyph

"It is simple history to say that the relation Roosevelt had to America at this time, the power he was able to wield, the prestige he enjoyed, the affection he received, the contentment of the people with him...the sum of which that he had, in the plain sight of the common man, presented spectacle after spectacle in which business, capital, corporate power, took off its hat in the presence of the symbol and spokesman of government."
-- Mark Sullivan, Our Times: 1900-1925 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1930), vol. 3, p. 69.

In this "postmodern" era, America revels in the stylish attributes of the past. The rigor of International style architecture has given way to colorful facades with a touch of Art Deco, bow ties have returned, and Republican Presidents enjoy quoting a 1930s Democrat. Both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton demonstrate that the development of an effective political persona seems to require a process of appropriation of style and simplification of issues. In contemporary politics the 30-second commercial spot has supplanted eloquent oration, and a false front has taken over from underlying substance. While media pundits have labeled Ronald Reagan. "The Great Communicator" for his effective use of visual media, he is certainly not the first great communicator to hold the office of President.

stereoscopic anaglyph

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