November 6, 2025 • 7 mins
TO RESCUE THE AMERICAN SPIRIT: Teddy Roosevelt and the Birth of a (to be published October 21) is the highly anticipated new book from Bret Baier, #1 New York Times bestselling author and Fox News Channel's Chief Political Anchor. You may be familiar with Baier's previous bestsellers- To Rescue the Constitution, To Rescue the Republic, and the Three Days series-critical and commercial successes praised for blending rich storytelling and history.As the host of the widely watched evening news program Special Report Baier has earned a reputation as a trusted voice, providing clarity on the complex realities of America's crucial moments. Now, in this captivating new biography, Baier turns his attention to Theodore Roosevelt, a president whose extraordinary energy, courage, and vision transformed the United States and thrust America onto the global stage.From his daring charge up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders to his groundbreaking work as a conservationist, Baier paints an unforgettable portrait of Roosevelt as a man shaped by adventure and ideals. TO RESCUE THE AMERICAN SPIRIT brings to life Roosevelt's rise from privileged New York aristocrat to rugged cowboy to tireless reformer and soldier, and finally, to his ascent as one of the most dynamic and key figures in American history. It's a vivid narrative filled with lessons about resilience and pursuing bold ideas during tumultuous times.Already praised as "wonderfully readable" (Walter Isaacson), "expertly researched" (Douglas Brinkley), "an inspiring portrait" (Mark Levin), and "the definitive book on Teddy Roosevelt" (Jay Winik), TO RESCUE THE AMERICAN is a remarkable study of Roosevelt's presidency. Baier shines a light on how Roosevelt modernized the White House, took on entrenched political interests, and asserted the U.S.'s role as a global power through initiatives like the Panama Canal and peace negotiations. These pivotal moments resonate with today's discussions about leadership and national purpose.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So have you been there yet? Ero dot Net a
r r oe dot net. There are so many podcasts
to choose from, seventeen total, all with different subjects, all
with different ideas. It's time to grow forward, put your
voice and your ears out there. A r r oe
dot Net. Erocollins Podcasting Brett. I'm so glad that you
(00:22):
put this book together because you write about a subject
here that I think has been buried in history. And
yet I guess people of my age don't sit here
and think, wow, it didn't happen, because it did. And
Theodore Roosevelt was a huge part of us out in Montana,
and so to read this, it's like, you mean, everybody
doesn't know this.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Thanks Sarah. I think it's a little bit of bringing
history to life. And I'm excited about this one. You know,
Teddy Roosevelt kind of jumps off the page, the anecdotes
about them, his life and really how significant he was
for the country.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, he, like you say in the title, I mean,
I mean, he really did bring up the American spirit.
He brought in a new flavor, a new vibe. And
to me, when I go back and I read what
he has done, it's like people may have talked about it,
but he did it. He activated it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah. Yeah, he was this guy that was bold, and
he was energetic, and he was passionate, and he was
They called him the human cyclone because of the energy
that he had. He wanted to leave his mark, and
you know, he's the youngest president we've ever had. He
(01:32):
takes over the presidency at forty two after William McKinley
is assassinated in Buffalo, and he starts by saying that
he's going to keep McKinley's policies and his cabinet in place.
Over time, it changes and he becomes his own man.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
And what he really wanted to do was leave a
stamp that America was then a global power, became a
global force, and it really was something he wanted to do.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
He ended up doing it by solving the Russian Japanese War.
It was a territorial dispute that was devolving into a war.
He gets them together in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and essentially
does the logistics of the negotiation to the point where
they get a peace deal and the world says, America
is in the mix.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
You can't help but step back, pull the lens Back
and think, I think I'm living this right now, because
when it comes to peace, when it comes to world power,
there's so much of what's in this book that's happening
right now, and we see that a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Arrow in these books. This is the sixth presidential biography
I've written, did Eisenhower, Reagan, Fdr Grant Washington, and now
Teddy Roosevelt. And what I see is a cyclical nature
to history. You know, we can look back in the past,
(02:57):
but also it's a view into the future because a
lot of times we deal with the same issues, maybe
on a different scale, maybe in different characters, maybe obviously
at different times, but same big picture issues. And you know,
Teddy Roosevelt dealt with, you know, helping the small guy
labor issues. He was expansive on the broadening of the
(03:22):
executive branch. He signed thirteen hundred executive orders. Just to
give you a perspective. The first president George Washington to
the twenty fifth signed twelve hundred. Teddy Roosevelt the twenty
six signed thirteen hundred. Donald Trump in his first term
signed two hundred and ten, his second term so far
two hundred and twenty. So that gives you a sense
(03:43):
of it, and a lot of it was about preserving
big swaths of land. He was a conservationist and we
have a park system because of him, and he just
did big things.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Please do not move. There's more with Brett Bear coming
up next. The name of the book to Rescue the
American Spirit. We are back with Bret Pear. You know
what's really interesting about this is that being from Montana
and out there with that Pacific Northwest kind of attitude
in history out there, I didn't know that Teddy actually
(04:16):
was from New York. I always thought he was just
from North Dakota or even South Dakota, and he was
just that big, old rugged cowboy that was bigger than
John Wayne in my eyes when I was a kid.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah. I mean, he finds North Dakota and the bad lands.
That's really an escape because his wife at the time,
who gave birth and his mother die on the same
day Valentine's Day, and he's so devastated that he escapes
out west and tries to find himself and heal in
(04:48):
the bad lands of North Dakota and has amazing experiences
to the point where he falls in love with it.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
The library. Presidential Library will open up next year July
twenty in North Dakota for Teddy Roosevelt.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
So why so long? I mean seriously, I mean, he's
got his face on the side of a mountain, but
it's taken this long to create a library.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It's really amazing. I think there was a battle over
where it would be North Dakota prevailed, and then gathering
all the memorabilia they've been doing that. The family and
the extended family have approved the library plans and it's
going to be a big celebration ahead of the two
hundred and fiftieth next year.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
What is it like for you being a journalist who
is a who's really grown into amazing storytelling to be
able to go back in history like you are and
bringing it forward, because that's one of the things that
we learned in martial arts. Put the past into the
present so you understand the present. And that's exactly what
you've been doing with these sex presidential books. I learned
so much from your investigating that it becomes a storyline.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Well, thank you. I've just really fell in love with
it the process. I have a great reason archer who
plants herself in the National Archives and finds these gems,
these hidden nuggets of history, and we piece them together
like a quilt to tell real stories, but using diaries
and anecdotes and other people's words to paint the picture.
(06:18):
So hopefully this is very readable for readers, and it's
a page turner that you can read on the beach,
but come away with a lot of knowledge about where
we've been a country.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I would love to just see people go, is that
really the President of the United States? My god, I
didn't know. I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yeah, And there are great stories in here about his life,
about growing up, about you know, how big a figure
he was. He was larger than life. But you know,
he takes over the presidency of forty two and he
dies at sixty. When he dies after his son died
in a plane crash in World War One, it really
(06:59):
takes this steam out of his life and he ends
up dying, but at that point he is the leading
candidate for the next presidential election, as he does at
sixty years old.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Wow, seven minutes with you is just not enough, which
gives me the reason to go back into that book
and really dig in deeper. Now that I've heard your
vocal Tones.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Thanks Sarah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Will you be brilliant and please come back to this
show anytime in the future. Breat The door is always
going to be open for you, all right, Sarah
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Thank you very much.
So have you been there yet? Ero dot Net a
r r oe dot net. There are so many podcasts
to choose from, seventeen total, all with different subjects, all
with different ideas. It's time to grow forward, put your
voice and your ears out there. A r r oe
dot Net. Erocollins Podcasting Brett. I'm so glad that you
(00:22):
put this book together because you write about a subject
here that I think has been buried in history. And
yet I guess people of my age don't sit here
and think, wow, it didn't happen, because it did. And
Theodore Roosevelt was a huge part of us out in Montana,
and so to read this, it's like, you mean, everybody
doesn't know this.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Thanks Sarah. I think it's a little bit of bringing
history to life. And I'm excited about this one. You know,
Teddy Roosevelt kind of jumps off the page, the anecdotes
about them, his life and really how significant he was
for the country.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, he, like you say in the title, I mean,
I mean, he really did bring up the American spirit.
He brought in a new flavor, a new vibe. And
to me, when I go back and I read what
he has done, it's like people may have talked about it,
but he did it. He activated it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah. Yeah, he was this guy that was bold, and
he was energetic, and he was passionate, and he was
They called him the human cyclone because of the energy
that he had. He wanted to leave his mark, and
you know, he's the youngest president we've ever had. He
(01:32):
takes over the presidency at forty two after William McKinley
is assassinated in Buffalo, and he starts by saying that
he's going to keep McKinley's policies and his cabinet in place.
Over time, it changes and he becomes his own man.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
And what he really wanted to do was leave a
stamp that America was then a global power, became a
global force, and it really was something he wanted to do.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
He ended up doing it by solving the Russian Japanese War.
It was a territorial dispute that was devolving into a war.
He gets them together in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and essentially
does the logistics of the negotiation to the point where
they get a peace deal and the world says, America
is in the mix.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
You can't help but step back, pull the lens Back
and think, I think I'm living this right now, because
when it comes to peace, when it comes to world power,
there's so much of what's in this book that's happening
right now, and we see that a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Arrow in these books. This is the sixth presidential biography
I've written, did Eisenhower, Reagan, Fdr Grant Washington, and now
Teddy Roosevelt. And what I see is a cyclical nature
to history. You know, we can look back in the past,
(02:57):
but also it's a view into the future because a
lot of times we deal with the same issues, maybe
on a different scale, maybe in different characters, maybe obviously
at different times, but same big picture issues. And you know,
Teddy Roosevelt dealt with, you know, helping the small guy
labor issues. He was expansive on the broadening of the
(03:22):
executive branch. He signed thirteen hundred executive orders. Just to
give you a perspective. The first president George Washington to
the twenty fifth signed twelve hundred. Teddy Roosevelt the twenty
six signed thirteen hundred. Donald Trump in his first term
signed two hundred and ten, his second term so far
two hundred and twenty. So that gives you a sense
(03:43):
of it, and a lot of it was about preserving
big swaths of land. He was a conservationist and we
have a park system because of him, and he just
did big things.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Please do not move. There's more with Brett Bear coming
up next. The name of the book to Rescue the
American Spirit. We are back with Bret Pear. You know
what's really interesting about this is that being from Montana
and out there with that Pacific Northwest kind of attitude
in history out there, I didn't know that Teddy actually
(04:16):
was from New York. I always thought he was just
from North Dakota or even South Dakota, and he was
just that big, old rugged cowboy that was bigger than
John Wayne in my eyes when I was a kid.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah. I mean, he finds North Dakota and the bad lands.
That's really an escape because his wife at the time,
who gave birth and his mother die on the same
day Valentine's Day, and he's so devastated that he escapes
out west and tries to find himself and heal in
(04:48):
the bad lands of North Dakota and has amazing experiences
to the point where he falls in love with it.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
The library. Presidential Library will open up next year July
twenty in North Dakota for Teddy Roosevelt.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
So why so long? I mean seriously, I mean, he's
got his face on the side of a mountain, but
it's taken this long to create a library.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It's really amazing. I think there was a battle over
where it would be North Dakota prevailed, and then gathering
all the memorabilia they've been doing that. The family and
the extended family have approved the library plans and it's
going to be a big celebration ahead of the two
hundred and fiftieth next year.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
What is it like for you being a journalist who
is a who's really grown into amazing storytelling to be
able to go back in history like you are and
bringing it forward, because that's one of the things that
we learned in martial arts. Put the past into the
present so you understand the present. And that's exactly what
you've been doing with these sex presidential books. I learned
so much from your investigating that it becomes a storyline.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Well, thank you. I've just really fell in love with
it the process. I have a great reason archer who
plants herself in the National Archives and finds these gems,
these hidden nuggets of history, and we piece them together
like a quilt to tell real stories, but using diaries
and anecdotes and other people's words to paint the picture.
(06:18):
So hopefully this is very readable for readers, and it's
a page turner that you can read on the beach,
but come away with a lot of knowledge about where
we've been a country.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I would love to just see people go, is that
really the President of the United States? My god, I
didn't know. I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yeah, And there are great stories in here about his life,
about growing up, about you know, how big a figure
he was. He was larger than life. But you know,
he takes over the presidency of forty two and he
dies at sixty. When he dies after his son died
in a plane crash in World War One, it really
(06:59):
takes this steam out of his life and he ends
up dying, but at that point he is the leading
candidate for the next presidential election, as he does at
sixty years old.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Wow, seven minutes with you is just not enough, which
gives me the reason to go back into that book
and really dig in deeper. Now that I've heard your
vocal Tones.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Thanks Sarah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Will you be brilliant and please come back to this
show anytime in the future. Breat The door is always
going to be open for you, all right, Sarah
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Thank you very much.
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