Warren Gamaliel Harding

Warren G. Harding (1865-1923) 

The newspaper publisher and politician Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States and only 27 month in office.

After college, Warren G. Harding tried one’s luck as a teacher, insurance agent and law student before he started working for a newspaper. In 1884 he bought the lowest-circulation local newspaper at that time, the “Marion Star”, and then made it to this highest-circulation newspaper.

Furthermore Harding was a supporter of the Republicans and after two terms in the senate from Ohio, he was elected as a representative for that state in the U.S. Senate. During this time he standed up among other things for high protective tariffs and the privatization of the railways.

Wife: Florence Kling De Wolfe (1860-1924), wedding on July 8, 1891

Children: Elizabeth Ann Christian (child born outside marriage with Nan Britton) (1919-2005)

Profession: newspaper publisher

Presidential orientation: Republican

Presidential salary: USD 75,000/year

Results of the presidential election in 1920:

Vice President:  Calvin Coolidge (1921-1923)

Presidency (1921-1923):

Harding was an opponent of World War I policy of Woodrow Wilson and could win the presidential election campaign in 1920. During his mandate, Harding initiated the strategy to normality after World War I. Moreover during his mandate he pushed especially the privatization of public enterprises.

On the external front, the upgrading force of the United States, Britain, Japan, France and Italy was agreed by contract and the independence of China confirmed.

However, Harding was considered corrupt. He gave his political friends higher governmental positions. In addition to some corruption scandals in which his closest advisors were involved in, it came to the so-called “Teapot Dome Scandal”, in which the Secretary of the Interior, Albert B. Fall, was involved. After receiving bribe money from two companies, Fall sold valuable oil fields to these two companies and eventually was put in jail.

In summer 1923, he suffered a heart attack, and finally died because of it in San Francisco.

Point of interests:

Warren G. Harding 

- was the first newspaper publisher who became president
- was the first president of the United States, who drove with a car to his own induction
- was the first president of the United States, who owned a radio and gave a speech on the radio
- was the first president of the United States, who went to Canada and Alaska
- played golf, watched baseball games and boxing matches, met twice a week for a poker night (his advisors were called “Poker Cabinet”) and attended burlesque shows
- had shoe size 48, the largest of all U.S. Presidents

"America's present need is not heroics but healing; not nostrums but normalcy; not revolution but restoration." (Warren Gamaliel Harding)