During any election year, TV commercials are evidence that today's politicians yearn to make themselves impressive, inclusive or stand out (think Michael Dukakis riding in a tank). Before Nixon ventured into the political arena, he even — I'm not making this up — applied to the FBI to become an agent. They turned him down. If we dial the clock back a little further, we'll find some former politicos were the real deal and then some. The lead sled dog in that category would be Theodore Roosevelt.

You wouldn't know it to look at photos of him later in life, but Roosevelt was a sickly little kid. His father told him to do something about it, so Theodore created a weightlifting and workout regimen that would put most of today's extreme athletes to shame. It worked. Roosevelt became a proficient boxer and, even with a weak heart, conquered climbing the Matterhorn after graduating from Harvard.

Roosevelt's career in civil service included being Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Still longing for action, the minute the battleship Maine was sunk in Cuba and the U.S. declared war on Spain, Roosevelt resigned his position and formed his "Rough Riders" out of volunteer buckaroos he met while roping and riding out west. His quest for battle was insatiable.

On his famous charge up San Juan Hill, he led his troops on foot and reveled in the fact that he killed a Spaniard with his bare hands. He successfully utilized his notoriety in that brief war in his quest for the presidency. It paid off in 1900.

Upon assuming the presidency, Roosevelt didn't let his zeal for athleticism diminish. He had several greenhouses removed and replaced with tennis courts where he could play upwards of 100 games in a day. Friends and colleagues were subjected to join him on his notoriously long jogs or hikes. His constitution was bolstered by his breakfasts that often consisted of large quantities of coffee and a dozen eggs.

Roosevelt was most noted for his hunting forays. He would go on trips for weeks at a time to hunt and kill as many creatures as possible. Of course, the ultimate irony came on a hunting trip in Mississippi where he happened upon a small bear cub. While he probably had shot and killed the cub's mother, Roosevelt's saving of the tiny bear not only fostered headlines, it created the stuffed toy named after him that's still manufactured today — the Teddy Bear. For the record though, Roosevelt despised the nickname, Teddy.

Roosevelt's exploits continued, which included getting shot while stumping on the Progressive ticket in 1912. The unknown assassin took his shot and hit him in the chest. However, the bullet was slowed when it hit Roosevelt's glasses case. It lodged in some muscle tissue but created so little damage he climbed back to the podium and gave his speech. Roosevelt may not have seen the assassin coming because he once boxed with pro John Sullivan when he was president. During the fight, one of Sullivan's punches to Roosevelt's head blinded him in his left eye. He kept that a secret.

With his larger-than-life persona, you'd think Roosevelt would have long been a staple on U.S. currency or coinage. Nope. The closest came with his fifth cousin Franklin whose image continues to grace the dime. That changes now.

Theodore finally gets his due on the latest coin in the Presidential Golden Dollar series. Ironically, below his portrait are the words, "In God We Trust." During his presidenc,y Roosevelt had endeavored to have that slogan removed from coinage. His reasoning was that the inclusion was blasphemous as people used the coins to buy "booze and brassieres." That venture failed.

The new golden dollar coins are available in special edition rolls and bags directly from the U.S. Mint. More information is available online at www.USMint.gov or by phone toll-free at: 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

Editor's Note: A JPEG visual of the new Theodore Roosevelt golden dollar coin has been sent with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.