Outcome: Presidential Leadership

The 1920’s

Woodrow Wilson

1. Woodrow Wilson (D) (1913-1921) a. Sickly during the 20s due to stroke suffered in 1919 while on

a speaking tour trying to promote the League of Nations directly to the U.S. people

i. Wilson’s wife Edith unofficially took over the reigns of power

ii. Wilson died 3 years after leaving office in 1924

Presidential Leadership

b. 1920 Electioni. (D) James Cox, Wilson’s choice, with V.P. running mate F.

Rooseveltii. (R) Warren Harding and V.P. running mate Calvin Coolidge

c. Harding’s win suggested that:i. Isolationist desire was strong!!ii. The League of Nations was dead

Presidential Leadership

Warren Harding

2. Warren G. Harding (R) (1921-1923) *1st president to receive votes cast by females

a. Backgroundi. Small town, rural Ohio; former teacher &

newspaper editorii. Lt. Governor 1902, U.S. Senator ---> average

politicianiii. Described as trusting (to a fault), honest, and

handsome

Presidential Leadership

b. Accomplishments/Strengthsi. Promised a return to “normalcy” = peace +

prosperityii. Signed a separate peace treaty with Germany in

July, 1921iii. 1st to limit U.S. arms through treaties (1921 Washington

Naval Conf.)

iv. Signed strict immigration quota law

Presidential Leadership

c. Controversy/Weaknessesi. Had a loose leadership-Mgt. style and was a poor public speakerii. Choose some corrupt cabinet members ---> His “Ohio Gang”

1. His Secretary of the Interior, Albert B. Fall was responsible for the “Teapot Dome Scandal” (illegal sale of gov’t oil)

2. Fall became 1st Cabinet member to go to jail3. Charles Forbes, head of the Veteran’s Bureau, stole $$4. “Its my friends that keep me walking the floors all night!”

iii. Supported high tariffs, making it difficult for allies to pay war debts

iv. Never controlled Congress like strong presidents do

Presidential Leadership

Teapot Dome Scandal

Teapot Dome Naval Oil Reserve, WY

d. Died in office ---> stroke (1923)i. He was genuinely mourned; the scandals

surfaced later1. Died popular2. Remembered now as a failure & disgrace (friends

ruined him)

ii. V.P Calvin Coolidge took over the office

Presidential Leadership

Calvin Coolidge

3. Calvin Coolidge (R) (1923-1929)a. Background

i. Poor from Vermont was a self-made manii. Lawyer ---> politician ---> Governor of Massachusetts; made

famous through his actions in the Boston Police Strike (broke the union)

Presidential Leadership

b. Accomplishments/Strengthsi. Industrial prosperity is priority #1 ---> Believed in

laissez-faire policy1. Called the 20’s the “Business Decade”2. Equated business and religion

3. Believed in “Trickle-Down” Economic Theory (Take care of the “top” and they’ll take care of the “bottom”)

ii. Kellogg-Briand Pace ---> outlawed war (eventually signed by 62 nations)

Presidential Leadership

Trickle Down Economics

c. Failures/Weaknessesi. Ignored farmers & labor (working class)ii. Poor public relation skills; “Silent Cal”iii. Anti-progressive; failed to regulate the stock market and

industriesiv. Lazy; “Snored as America headed toward the Great

Depression”

d. Declined his party’s offer for nomination in 1928 (Did he foresee problems ahead?)

Presidential Leadership

Herbert Hoover

4. Herbert Hoover (R) (1929-1933)a. Background

i. Iowa farm boy; orphaned at age 8 (poor)ii. Stanford College (engineer); Headed WWI hunger relief

in Belgiumiii. Self-made millionaire by age 40; nickname “Boy

Wonder”iv. Served as Harding’s Secretary of Commerce

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b. Won the Election of 1928 (won 42 of 48 states)i. (R) Hoover = rural, conservative, dry,

protestantii. (D) Alfred Smith = urban, liberal, wet,

catholic

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c. Accomplishments/Strengths (During the 1920’s)i. Created Federal Farm Board ---> coordinated crop

productionii. Positive thinker; spoke often of prosperity (even after the

“crash”)

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d. Failures/Weaknessesi. Timing ---> stock market crashed 8 months into

presidencyii. Appeared inactive & insensitive during Depression; Poor P.R.

(newsreels)iii. Preached “Rugged Individualism” ---> “No Gov’t

Handouts” (relief)

e. Served until 1933 ---> ended “Republican Era” (next elected (R) = Eisenhower in ’52)

Presidential Leadership