Born: 1857, Cincinnati, OH
Died: 1930
William Howard Taft, the son of a distinguished judge, became a lawyer after graduating from Yale, his goal one day to sit on the Supreme Court. He was appointed a federal judge at 34, but left the law for politics when President McKinley named him Governor of the Philippines. Taft then served as Secretary of War under President Roosevelt. With Teddy's support, "Big Bill" Taft won the Republican Presidential nomination in 1908.
Roosevelt quickly discovered that although he could influence the affable Taft, he could not mold him in his own image. While Roosevelt had been a dynamic, vigorous and visible President, his protege was more restrained. Taft admitted the job intimidated him. Even so, he introduced budgetary controls, an eight-hour work day for government employees, and a campaign-spending disclosure bill. His Administration prosecuted numerous companies under the anti-trust laws. All the while, Taft drew mounting criticism from Roosevelt, who branded Taft an ineffectual puppet of big business. Teddy bolted from the Republican Party in 1912 to oppose Taft on the Bull Moose ticket, splitting the Republican vote. Democrat Woodrow Wilson won easily, and Taft was released from the office he loathed. In 1921, President Harding appointed him Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Years later Taft commented, "I don't remember that I ever was President."
Twenty-Seventh President
Republican
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