Roosevelt: I don’t see what more I can do to it
Subject(s): Presidents--Term of office, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, Turkeys
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President Roosevelt cuts off the head of a “third term” turkey. Caption: Roosevelt: I don’t see what more I can do to it.
Comments and Context
An unsettling cartoon image to contemporary readers, perhaps, and certainly not a Thanksgiving-turkey context, Jay N. “Ding” Darling’s cartoon nevertheless uniquely reflected the frustration of President Roosevelt over America’s incessant talk of another term in the White House.
As the 1908 elections drew near, Roosevelt’s letters to close political allies, family, and friends revealed the varieties of frustrations. His stated declination on election night 1904 did little to quench the speculation — and, frankly, widespread hope — that he would change his mind. Roosevelt felt like advocating for Secretary of State Elihu Root, but regretfully thought the former’s background as a corporate lawyer would alienated the growing corps of insurgents and reform-minded Republicans. He fixed on Secretary of War William H. Taft, a friend since 1889 and someone whom Roosevelt regarded as a disciple. Yet the president was growing frustrated at Taft’s seeming lack of ambition.
There were other frustrations including the ambitions of other Republicans — his frequent opponent Joseph Benson Foraker; the rising star, Charles Evans Hughes; former cabinet secretary Leslie M. Shaw; Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, and others. Roosevelt wanted to control events, but his letters reveal; that he was chary of being perceived as a string-puller.
Yet the biggest frustration remained, as Ding’s cartoon so skillfully portrays, the incessant political chatter about Roosevelt himself running again. Like a chattering parrot with one phrase memorized, it seemed impossible to silence.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-12-12
Creator(s)
Darling, Jay N. (Jay Norwood), 1876-1962
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Page Count
1
Production Method
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Roosevelt: I don’t see what more I can do to it. [December 12, 1907]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o301675. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Darling, Jay N. (Jay Norwood), 1876-1962. Roosevelt: I don’t see what more I can do to it. [12 Dec. 1907]. Image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o301675.
APA:
Darling, Jay N. (Jay Norwood), 1876-1962., [1907, December 12]. Roosevelt: I don’t see what more I can do to it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o301675.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
