Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense, Dan Abrams
Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense, Dan Abrams
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Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense
The Courtroom Battle to Save His Legacy

Bestseller

Author: Dan Abrams, David Fisher

Narrator: Roger Wayne, Dan Abrams, Dan Abrams Dan Abrams

Unabridged: 12 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/21/2019


Synopsis

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A Mental Floss Book to Read in Summer 2019

“Gripping.… Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense is a must-read.” —NPR

A President on Trial. A Reputation at Stake.

ABC News legal correspondent and host of LIVE PD Dan Abrams reveals the story of Teddy Roosevelt’s last stand—an epic courtroom battle against corruption—in this thrilling follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Lincoln’s Last Trial.

“No more dramatic courtroom scene has ever been enacted,” reported the Syracuse Herald on May 22, 1915 as it covered “the greatest libel suit in history,” a battle fought between former President Theodore Roosevelt and the leader of the Republican party.

Roosevelt , the boisterous and mostly beloved legendary American hero, had accused his former friend and ally, now turned rival, William Barnes of political corruption. The furious Barnes responded by suing Roosevelt for an enormous sum that could have financially devastated him. The spectacle of Roosevelt defending himself in a lawsuit captured the imagination of the nation, and more than fifty newspapers sent reporters to cover the trial. Accounts from inside and outside the courtroom combined with excerpts from the trial transcript give us Roosevelt in his own words and serve as the heart of Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense.

This was Roosevelt’s final fight to defend his political legacy, and perhaps regain his fading stature. He spent more than a week on the witness stand, revealing hidden secrets of the American political system, and then endured a merciless cross-examination. Witnesses including a young Franklin D. Roosevelt and a host of well-known political leaders were questioned by two of the most brilliant attorneys in the country.

Following the case through court transcripts, news reports, and other primary sources, Dan Abrams and David Fisher present a high-definition picture of the American legal system in a nation standing on the precipice of the Great War, with its former president fighting for the ideals he held dear.

About Dan Abrams

Dan Abrams is the chief legal affairs anchor for ABC News and CEO and founder of Abrams Media. He is also the host of top-rated Live PD on A&E Network and The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets the Law on SiriusXM. A graduate of Columbia University Law School, he is the author of the Washington Post bestseller Man Down and has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Yale Law & Policy Review, among many others. He lives in New York.

About David Fisher

David Fisher is the author of more than twenty New York Times bestsellers. He lives in New York with his wife, Laura.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jean on July 13, 2019

This was billed as the “The Trial of the Century” in 1915. This is a new book (May 2019) by Dan Abrams telling about the most covered trial in May 1915. The case was William Barnes vs Theodore Roosevelt a libel suit. Of course, Abrams points out this case would not have occurred today with the chang......more

Goodreads review by Rama on April 16, 2019

Teddy Roosevelt’s Libel Trial On May 22, 1915, after a five-week trial, in the William Barnes vs. Theodore Roosevelt libel suit, the jury’s verdict was in favor of the President. Barnes, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee had sued Roosevelt for $50,000 for an alleged libelous stat......more

Goodreads review by Dan on June 26, 2019

For those who love trial strategy and legal history, this is the perfect book. However for those who are looking for a page-turning legal thriller, this may not be a great selection. The authors have done a commendable job of making it as interesting as a tedious civil trial can be complete with its......more

Goodreads review by Joseph on June 01, 2019

Dan Abrams and David Fisher's novel, "Theodore Roosevelt For the Defense" is a captivating look at the rampart corruption in both the democratic and republican parties in New York State in the first two decades of the 20th century. The type of corruption that the great TR fought against his whole li......more

Goodreads review by Louis on December 21, 2021

A detailed account of a mostly forgotten event in Theodore Roosevelt's eventful life, the time he was sued for libel. In 1915, he accused a Republican party leader (and longtime rival) of corruption, remarks which landed him in court. The trial was a sensation in Syracuse, where it was held. While n......more