Theodore Roosevelt could recite text verbatim that he had read twenty years before. He genuinely had a photographic memory. Love him or hate him but TR was probably the most intelligent, and certainly the most energetic, president. The GOPe of that time, Mark Hanna and the boys from Cleveland, maneuvered him into being McKinley’s VP to get him out of Albany and away from any real levers of power. Sort of what they’re trying to do with Cruz by limiting his speaking time in the debates and casting him as the crazy man Jeremiah of the Senate.
Jefferson has to have been the most intelligent, though Madison and TR come close. Cruz is the one prospective President who would give them all a run for their money.
Jefferson has to have been the most intelligent, though Madison and TR come close. Cruz is the one prospective President who would give them all a run for their money.
The famous preacher Charles Spurgeon was the same way. Someone once challenged him regarding a passage from "The Confessions of Saint Austine" and Spurgeon was able to respond by citing the page number in question and then went on to recite the entire page verbatim. If one reads Spurgeon's sermons they read life finely crafted essays which appear to have taken months to research and draft. In reality, he would repair to his office on Saturday night after dinner, draft a short outline of what he intended to cover and then on Sunday morning he would preach the entire sermon off the top of his head. Absolutely amazing.