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I know other people think differently, but Harding is my candidate for the Worst President Ever title.

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Well, he just died.

Solved that problem.

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Harding doesn't come off well in Heather Cox Richardson's book, To Make Men Free, either. My grandpa gave me a biography of Harding that I'm still looking forward to reading. I still don't know when I finally will, though.

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I live not far from Cedar City, UT in southwest Utah where Harding gave a hour or more speech commemorating the opening of the railway depot (still there) that at the time was the gateway to Zion Park. That was in July 1923 and last year on that date the city had a reenactment of the occasion. This unlikely stop was done as a favor to Utah's senior senator, Reed Smoot of the famed Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930. Harding had made a stop in Salt Lake City as part of the western swing on his way to Alaska that had been encouraged by his wife Florence. Little was known about Harding's bad health but Florence knew there was an election the next year and there were voters in these western states that could be reliably Republican. Besides she saw the trip would be good for Harding and she wanted to visit the Alaskan frontier. Both were aware of the scandals surfacing in his administration and it seems Harding wanted Hoover along to talk about the problems.

The trip from Salt Lake was over 400 miles and the detour took him far off his original journey, but loyal to Smoot he took the train down actually riding some nine hours on horseback to the edge of the Park. Reports were clear that this was a difficult trip for Harding and he tired easily. But for Harding he gave his usual blustery speech praising the natural wonders of America and all the patriotic glory that went with it. He spoke for at least an hour and a half . It was well received as one would expect from an unanticipated visit to this part of the state. The next day he resumed his trip through Idaho and then into California.

By the time the party was on its way to Alaska it was apparent that Harding was not feeling well but his advisors and medical attendant did not think of cancelling the original plans. Besides Florence was determined to see the beauties of Alaska.

Had Harding lived it might have been possible that he would be reelected. He was popular and Florence would have pulled every power move to secure the result. Yet the scandals were coming and they may have played a larger role than one would have thought at the time. Harding's standing among presidents has for the longest time been near the bottom rung in the mind's of historians and the public. But of late another look at some of his achievements among them the disarmament treaties coming out of the war have given him a lift. He no longer is seen as the worse president, and I am sure there will be others who will vie for that spot. On Florence Harding, her short time as first lady set a standard for others who followed her and in a number of ways she was a first of what we now see as modern partners in shaping their roles.

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Thanks for that fascinating elaboration. I agree about the landmark disarmament deal.

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