1. Presidential Leaderships
Presidents
Presidential Leaderships

3. I. Woodrow Wilson (Dem) 1913-21
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 people
1. Edith Wilson, his wife unofficially took over the reigns of power.
2. Wilson died 3 years after leaving office (1924)
B Election
1. (D) James Cox-Wilson’s choice and VP running mate FDR
2. (R) Warren Harding and VP running mate Calvin Coolidge
C. Harding’s win suggested that:
1. Isolationists desire was strong!!
2. The League of Nations was dead.

5. II. Warren G. Harding (R) 1921-23
*First President to receive votes casted by women!
A. Background
Small town, rural Ohio; former teacher and newspaper editor
Lt. Governor 1902, US Senator  average politician
Described asTrusting (to a fault), Honest, and Handsome
B. Accomplishments/Strengths
1.Promised to return to “normalcy” = peace + prosperity
2. Signed a separate peace treaty w/Germany in July, 1921
3. 1st to limit US Arms through treaties (1921 Washington Navel Conference)

6. C. Controversy/Weaknesses
1. Had a loose Leadership-Mgt Style & was a poor speaker
2. Chose some corrupt cabinet members- his “Ohio Gang”
A. His Secretary of the interior, Albert B. Fall was responsible for the “Teapot Dome Scandal” (illegal sale of gov’t oil.)
Fall became 1st cabinet member to go to jail
B. Charles Forbes—head of the Veteran’s Bureau stole $$$ “It’s my friends that keep me walking the floors all night.”
3. Supported high tariffs, making it difficult for allies to pay war debts.
4. Never controlled Congress like strong presidents do.

7. D. Died in office  stroke? (1923)
1. He was genuinely mourned; the scandals surfaced later
A. died popular
B. remembered now as a failure & disgrace (friends ruined him)
2. VP Calvin Coolidge took over the office

9. III. Calvin Coolidge (R) 1923-29
A. Background
1. Poor, Vermont, self-mad man
2. Lawyer  Politician –Governor of Mass.; made famous through his actions in the Boston Police Strike. (broke the union)
B. Accomplishments/Strengths
1. industrial Prosperity is priority #1 Believed in laissez=fair policy
A. called the 20’s the “business Decade”
B. equated business & religion
C. believed in “trickle Down” Economic Theory (Take care of the “top” and they’ll take care of them “bottom”)
2. Kellogg-Briand Pact outlawed war (eventually signed by 62 nations as Paris Pact)

10. C. Failures/Weaknesses
1. Ignored farmers & labor (working class)
2. Poor public, Relation skills; “Silent Cal”
3. Anti-progressive; failed to regulate the stock market & industries
4. Lazy “snored as America headed toward the Great Depression”
D. Declined his party’s offer for nomination in 1928
(did he foresee problems ahead?)

12. IV. Herbert Hoover (R) 1929-33 A. Background
1. Iowa farm boy; orphaned at age 8 (poor)
2. Stanford College (engineer); Headed WWI hunger relief in Belgium
3. Self-made millionaire by age 40; nickname: “Boy Wonder”
4. Served as Harding’s Secretary of Commerce
B. Won the Election of 1928 (won 42 of 48 states)
1. (R) Hoover=rural, conservative, dry, Protestant
2. (D) Alfred Smith= urban, liberal, wet, Catholic

13. C. Accomplishments/Strengths (During the 1920’s)
1. Created Federal Farm Board  coordinated crop production
2. + Thinker ; Spoke often of prosperity (even after the “crash”)
D. Failures/Weaknesses
1. Timing stock market crashed 8 months into Presidency
2. Appeared inactive & insensitive during the Depression ; Poor PR (newsreels)
3. Preached “Rugged Individualism”  No Gov’t. handouts” (relief)
E. Served until 1933 ended “ Republican Era” (next elected R =Eisenhower in ’52)