I still stand that without McKinley we would not have been a world power. Besides, everything Teddy got done was because of William McKinley.
A good example is the Gold Standard, the weakening of the Kelogg-Brand Act (I think that was it) of 1878 ended the inflation that caused the Panick of 1893. Thus a good economy stayed until the Panick of 1907. Other things are the strong millitary (Great White Fleet) and the industrial might that TR is given credit for are all tracked originaly to McKinley.
TR was a great President (I would have him as #11) but McKinley was the reason he was successfull at first.
McKinley was the reason TR was successful at first, because McKinley fell victim to an assassin's bullet in his term, putting Roosevelt in the presidential seat. The Republicans intentionally tried to isolate the progressive Roosevelt in the vice-presidential slot, thus forbidding him to exert much political influence while still benefitting from his popularity. The Republicans had not believed in McKinley's assassination, but rather than disposing of Roosevelt, the always pro-business autocratic GOP had no reservations of using him for political gain, especially after Roosevelt declared he would only seek one term. Anyway, to make a long story short, I don't remember McKinley busting any trusts or protecting any national wildlife. The only thing McKinley and Roosevelt really had in common was an aggressive foreign policy, but that's something Republicans understand better anyway....
