[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Teddy Roosevelt got the CMH retroactive."

Teddy got his CMH for specific actions during the Battle of San Juan Hill. It was long before he was famous. His actions during that battle arguably made him famous. His highest office before this had been as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. I defy anyone (without looking it up on the internet) to name the current Assistant Secretary of the Navy, much less the Secretary.

At the time, he was recommended by multiple persons who witnessed his actions during the battle to include a CMH winner. He was most likely turned down because of politics (people who didn't like him). His getting it was actually correcting a previous injustice due to politics. He did not get it because of politics. He was initially denied it because of politics.

[Old Sarge]

Which is the point I was trying to make: there are way too many times the award of the CMH (or the denial of same) is driven by the engine of politics (either supporting or blocking).