Some people consider Warren Harding to be one of the worst presidents ever. I disagree. True, a lot of "scandals" happened on his watch, not because he was personally dishonest, but because he trusted men who were. And sure, he loved the ladies a little too much, and went offside so much that he made Bill Clinton look like a monk. But Harding still ( Read more... )

Before there was Bernie Sanders, there was Eugene Victor Debs, One of the most interesting and likeable third-party candidates to ever run for President. Debs was a labor leader who ran for President four times under the banner of the American Social Democratic Party, and he was also one of the founders the party. He was the Socialist Party's ( Read more... )

As the 1920 election approached, Woodrow Wilson harbored the hope of being re-elected to a third consecutive term. This was highly unrealistic for two reasons. Firstly, Wilson hoped to sell the nation on his idea of participating in the League of Nations, but he was facing fierce opposition to the idea, both in the senate and across the nation. The ( Read more... )

Warren Harding is yet another example of a President whose legacy has changed over time, in his case for the better. Once ranked near the bottom of rating of the Presidents because of the many scandals that came to light following Harding's sudden death, recent biographers have come to appreciate Harding for his presiding over a strong economy, for ( Read more... )

In 1912, an incumbent President was experiencing some unpopularity, something that is not unusual even in the last century. But unlike most unpopular president, President William Howard Taft was finding the worst of his opposition from within his own party. His mentor, Theodore Roosevelt, had selected (or should I say anointed) Taft to succeed him ( Read more... )

On December 28, 1856 (167 years ago today) Thomas Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was born in Staunton, Virginia. Although he was known as "Tommy" as a child, he would go by his middle name Woodrow for most of his life.


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Throughout history it seems that whenever America was at war or war seemed imminent, free speech and first amendment rights were among the first casualties. For example, in 1798, when war with France appeared possible, the administration of John Adams brought about the Alien and Sedition Acts, which, among other things, restricted speech which was ( Read more... )

As the 1920 election approached, Woodrow Wilson harbored the hope of being re-elected to a third consecutive term. This was highly unrealistic for two reasons. Firstly, Wilson hoped to sell the nation on his idea of participating in the League of Nations, but he was facing fierce opposition to the idea, both in the senate and across the nation. The ( Read more... )

Some people consider Warren Harding to be one of the worst presidents ever. I disagree. True, a lot of "scandals" happened on his watch, not because he was personally dishonest, but because he trusted men who were. And sure, he loved the ladies a little too much, and went offside so much that he made Bill Clinton look like a monk. But Harding still ( Read more... )

In 1908 Republican President Theodore Roosevelt had declined to run for re-election. When he won election to the presidency in 1904, after fulling out the previous unexpired term of assassinated president William McKinley, Roosevelt made a pledge to the American people that he would not seek a second full term. It was one that he later came to ( Read more... )