Uncle Theodore felt Eleanor 's conduct more responsible , socially acceptable and cooperative than her own daughter Alice . Alice was beautiful and highly photogenic , but a rebellious person . Theodore felt Eleanor 's conduct to be far more responsible , socially acceptable and cooperative ; in short , more `` Rooseveltian '' than that of the beautiful , highly photogenic , but rebellious and self-absorbed Alice , to whom he would ask , `` Why ca n't you be more like ` cousin Eleanor ' ? ''