Warren Harding was the 29th US president, serving just over two years before his death. His presidency was plagued by scandal, including corruption and personal affairs. Harding began his career in journalism and politics in Ohio before becoming a US senator and winning the 1920 presidential election. During his presidency, he formally ended World War I and established the Bureau of Veterans Affairs. However, his administration was marked by corruption, including the Teapot Dome scandal. Harding died while on a speaking tour, and his vice president, Calvin Coolidge, succeeded him.
Warren Harding was the 29th president of the United States. He served just over two years and was the sixth president to die in office. Though brief, Warren Harding’s presidential career was plagued by scandal and he is often regarded as the worst president in American history.
Warren Harding was born near present-day Blooming Grove, Ohio on November 2, 1865, the eldest of eight children. Harding’s father was a teacher and his mother a midwife. During Harding’s teenage years, the family moved to Caledonia, Ohio, where his father became the owner of a local newspaper, The Argus. Warren Harding became interested in journalism and worked at the Union Register during his years at Ohio Central College in Iberia, Ohio.
After graduating, Warren Harding moved to Marion, Ohio, where he went with two friends to buy the Marion Daily Star. Under their control, the editorial section of the Daily Star supported the republican platform. Although Harding met opposition from those who controlled local politics in Marion, the Daily Star became one of the most successful newspapers in the country under his ownership.
Warren Harding married Florence Kling, an elderly divorcee with a young son, in 1891. Florence’s father was Harding’s professional nemesis and disowned his daughter after the marriage. With Florence’s help, the Daily Star became even more successful than before.
Warren Harding began his political career in the Ohio State Senate in 1899. Within four years, he was elected to the position of lieutenant governor, which he held for two years before returning to private life. In 1914, Harding reentered politics when he was elected to the United States Senate. He unexpectedly became the Republican nominee in the 1920 election, in part due to his political connections. His opponent was the Democratic governor of Ohio James M. Cox. Harding’s platform was a “return to normal.” He has had the public support of celebrities from Broadway, Hollywood and the business world.
The 1920 presidential election was the first in which women could vote. Harding, who had publicly supported women’s suffrage, won overwhelmingly, with 60.36% of the popular vote. During his tenure as president, Warren Harding formally ended World War I by signing peace treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and established the Bureau of Veterans Affairs, now the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Warren Harding has been criticized for appointing his friends to high-ranking government positions. The actions of this so-called “Ohio gang” in office were riddled with corruption. Most famously, Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall became the first presidential cabinet member to go to prison over the Teapot Dome scandal. In exchange for leasing the oil reserves, Fall had accepted interest-free personal loans and illegal bribes. Others in Harding’s cabinet were convicted of taking bribes and committing fraud, and two committed suicide.
In addition to the political scandal, Warren Harding’s career has suffered from personal scandals. He had a long-standing affair with his friend’s wife, Carrie Fulton Phillips, who successfully blackmailed the Republican Party. Additionally, Nan Britton claimed that she had an affair with Harding resulting in an illegitimate child, but her claims were never proven.
Warren Harding died just 27 months into taking office while on a speaking tour of the country. He developed pneumonia in San Francisco, California, and died a week later on August 2, 1923. The cause of death was reported as stroke, but some suspected it was the result of a conspiracy. Warren Harding was replaced by his vice president, Calvin Coolidge.
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