Harding to Coolidge1920-1928

This presentation is in reference to Chapter 16, Section 1

“Normalcy and Good Times”

1920 Election

• Warren G. Harding was a Lieutenant Governor and a Senator in Ohio

• Harding unquestionably looked the part but often times claimed he was not intelligent enough to serve as President.

Warren G.

Harding

Ohio Gang

• Harding practiced a method of appointing cabinet members called “Jacksonian Government.”

• “Jacksonian Government” is the process of surrounding yourself with friends in high places for the purpose of comfort through trust. It was started by President Andrew Jackson in the 1830’s.

• Harding’s friends mockingly became known as the Ohio gang and were often times criticized for the party like atmosphere that surrounded them,

• Particularly in the White House were the President and the Ohio Gang many times drank, smoke and played poker.

• The Ohio Gang consisted of mainly four men– Charles “Doc” Sawyer (White House Physician)– Daniel Crissinger (Federal Reserve Chair)– Charles Forbes (Veterans Bureau)– Harry Daugherty (Attorney General)

Sawyer Crissinger (lifetime friend)

Forbes Daugherty(Campaign Manager)

Teapot Dome Scandal

• Many scandals were uncovered during the Harding administration but none more noteworthy than the Teapot Scandal in Teapot Dome, Wyoming.

• Albert Fall (Secretary of Interior) accepted bribes from private interested to lease oil reserves in Wyoming for very little money.

• Fall went to prison for his actions and it sent muckrakers scurrying to find more.

• Bribes from German agents were found in Harry Daugherty’s account, Harding’s Attorney General.

• The bribes were from German agents who wanted to acquire the chemicals from the American seized plant.

Albert Fall

• Harding died of a stroke in 1923, just short of his term.• Many believe that the stroke was stress related due to his so called friends taking

advantage of him.• His Republican replacement as candidate was Calvin Coolidge. “Stay cool with Coolidge.”• Coolidge was a polar opposite to Harding, not very excitable, even tempered and very

intelligent.• Coolidge won handily partly due to the popularity of Progressive candidate Robert

“Fighting Bob” La Follette. Who received 16% of the vote, stealing mostly Democratic votes.