History UsefulNotes / WilliamHowardTaft

'''William Howard Taft''' (September 15, 1857 -- March 8, 1930) was the American president [[TheGildedAge between 1909 and 1913]], following UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt and preceding UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson. Also served as [[http://www.philippine-history.org/images/Willam-Howard-Taft.jpg Governor-General of the Philippines]] from 1901-1903, and Chief Justice of the United States from 1921-1930. New Mexico and Arizona became states during his Presidency.

* He appears in the ''{{Timeline-191}}'' series by Creator/HarryTurtledove as a Democratic politician (the Democrats being the more right-wing of the parties in the rump USA) and later on so does his son Robert.

An Ohioan (from Cincinnati to be exact), [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taft_family his family]] is still active in Ohio state politics.

Known for [[AdiposeRex being pretty heavy]] and [[NeverLiveItDown once getting stuck in his own bathtub]] (though that was a myth; Taft had an extra-large tub installed before taking office, and when he traveled, he showered). [[MoreInformationThanYouRequire We also all know that the Oval Office used to be called the Round Office until he walked in.]] Taft [[SelfDeprecation had a sense of humor about his weight]], though, often joking about it himself. More troubling to his contemporaries was Taft's tendency to fall asleep at public events. Funny enough, his presidency led to at least 80 pounds' weight loss, and he became more interested in the outdoors afterward.

It's worth noting that becoming Chief Justice (or at least serving on the Supreme Court) was his life's dream: he only ran for president because [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt T.R.]] and his wife wanted him to (ironically, his wife suffered a stroke shortly after his inauguration and was never able to enjoy her office as much as she might have liked). Almost as ironically, it would be T.R. running third party that prevented Taft from getting a second term; said rift between T.R. and Taft drove the Republican Party away from progressivism, which would later be picked up by Teddy's cousin, [[UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt FDR]]. Taft was appointed to the court by UsefulNotes/WarrenHarding, and is the only former president to have administered the oath of office to an incoming president (He did it for both UsefulNotes/CalvinCoolidge and UsefulNotes/HerbertHoover). He's usually held to have been a good Chief Justice - indeed, the traits that made his presidency somewhat messy (hesitation, considering all sides of the issue at hand, worrying over every little detail, etc.) were qualities that usually work well for a judge. Moreover, these very traits are probably what led him to write a famous dissenting opinion in ''Adkins v. Children's Hospital'', in which he argued against the very ''laissez-faire'' and classically Republican idea of "freedom of contract" as a fundamental constitutional right. (Taft's view of the issue would be adopted in due course, over several cases, primarily issued by justices appointed by FDR).[[note]]Less controversially, but no less famously within the legal profession, Taft also wrote ''Old Colony Trust Co. v. Commissioner'', one of the premier taxation cases in US history. It decided that if your employer pays your income tax, that is itself income, and must be taxed as income to you. Confusing, but Taft had good reason for it.[[/note]]

Known for [[AdiposeRex being pretty heavy]] and [[NeverLiveItDown once getting stuck in his own bathtub]] (though that was a myth; Taft had an extra-large tub installed before taking office, and when he traveled, he showered). [[MoreInformationThanYouRequire We also all know that the Oval Office used to be called the Round Office until he walked in.]] Funny enough, his presidency led to at least 80 pounds' weight loss, and he became more interested in the outdoors afterward. As ''[[Series/TheDailyShow America: The Book]]'' pointed out, he was also the only President to become [[AmericanCourts Chief Justice of the United States]], but [[RuleOfFunny nobody remembers that.]] [[AndNowYouKnow Taft was also responsible for ordering electric power installed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue]]. It was his wife Helen who suggested that Japanese cherry trees be planted throughout the city of Washington, and these remain one of the city's most famous features to this day.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Montgomery Burns' mother had an affair with him, for which Monty never forgave her. Homer, conversely, was rather impressed, leading him to quip, "Taft, you dog!"

----

->''"We are all imperfect. We can not expect perfect government."''\\
--'''William Howard Taft'''

!!Tropes relating to President Taft:
* AdiposeRex: A story that's probably too good to be true relates that Taft once fell ill while serving as governor of the Phillippines. Secretary of War Elihu Root sent a telegram inquiring about Taft's health. Taft wired that he was feeling much better and had gone out horseback riding. Root wired back "How is the horse?".
* BadassMustache: To date, the last president to wear one, or any facial hair at all.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: As a young man, Taft beat the snot out of a Cincinnati journalist for writing a slanderous editorial against Taft's father. And was applauded for it.
* TheClan: The Taft family remains prominent in Ohio state politics ''to this very day.''
* FormerlyFat: While people often linger on the fact that Taft weighed over 300 pounds during his presidency, most tend to ignore that he lost 150 of those 300 over the course of five years after leaving office.
* HeterosexualLifePartner: With UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt. Both of them were best friends until Taft's presidency, when he began to go back on some of Roosevelt's policies which he'd promised to uphold. The fringe became an outright feud during the election of 1912 when they ran against each other but by the beginning of World War I they were on friendly terms once again and by all accounts they were back to being best buds before Teddy died in 1919.
* NeverLiveItDown: To this day, he's mostly remembered as the fat President who got stuck in a bathtub.
** During his own time, Progressives loathed him for causing a split in the Progressive Movement, and Republicans hated how both him and Teddy running in 1912 split the Republican votes and gave the presidency to the Democrat candidate, UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson.
* MagnumOpusDissonance: He was more proud of his time on the Supreme Court than as President.
* OldShame: He viewed his presidency as this. ''Much'' preferred his time as Chief Justice.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Sensitive guy to UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt's manly man.
* ToughActToFollow: Most people who voted for him expecting basically a third term for Teddy were disappointed by the not-so-hardass Taft.

----

* In ''TalesDesignedToThrizzle,'' he's in show biz with Asp, billed as Asp'n'Taft.

Known for [[AdiposeRex being pretty heavy]] and [[NeverLiveItDown once getting stuck in his own bathtub]] (though that was a myth; Taft had an extra-large tub installed before taking office, and when he traveled, he showered). [[MoreInformationThanYouRequire We also all know that the Oval Office used to be called the Round Office until he walked in.]] Funny enough, his presidency led to at least 80 pounds' weight loss, and he became more interested in the outdoors afterward. As ''[[Series/TheDailyShow America: The Book]]'' pointed out, he was also the only President to become [[AmericanCourts Chief Justice of the United States]], but [[RuleOfFunny nobody remembers that.]] Surprising since because he also served in Congress, it makes Taft the '''''only''''' person to have ever served in ''all'' '''three''' branches of the United States Government. [[AndNowYouKnow Taft was also responsible for ordering electric power installed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue]]. It was his wife Helen who suggested that Japanese cherry trees be planted throughout the city of Washington, and these remain one of the city's most famous features to this day.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Montgomery Burns' mother had an affair with him, for which Monty never forgave her. Homer, conversely, was rather impressed, leading to the above page quote.

Known for [[AdiposeRex being pretty heavy]] and [[NeverLiveItDown once getting stuck in his own bathtub]] (though that was a myth; Taft had an extra-large tub installed before taking office, and when he traveled, he showered). [[MoreInformationThanYouRequire We also all know that the Oval Office used to be called the Round Office until he walked in.]] Funny enough, his presidency led to at least 80 pounds' weight loss, and he became more interested in the outdoors afterward. As ''[[Series/TheDailyShow America: The Book]]'' pointed out, he was also the only President to become [[AmericanCourts Chief Justice of the United States]], but [[RuleOfFunny nobody remembers that.]] Surprising since because he also served in Congress, it makes Taft the '''''only''''' person to have ever served in ''all'' '''three''' branches of the United States Government. [[AndNowYouKnow Taft was also responsible for ordering electric power installed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue]].

William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 -- March 8, 1930) was the American president [[TheGildedAge between 1909 and 1913]], following UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt and preceding UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson. Also served as [[http://www.philippine-history.org/images/Willam-Howard-Taft.jpg Governor-General of the Philippines]] from 1901-1903, and Chief Justice of the United States from 1921-1930. New Mexico and Arizona became states during his Presidency.

Known for [[AdiposeRex being pretty heavy]] and [[NeverLiveItDown once getting stuck in his own bathtub]]. [[MoreInformationThanYouRequire We also all know that the Oval Office used to be called the Round Office until he walked in.]] Funny enough, his presidency led to at least 80 pounds' weight loss, and he became more interested in the outdoors afterward. As ''[[Series/TheDailyShow America: The Book]]'' pointed out, he was also the only President to become [[AmericanCourts Chief Justice of the United States]], but [[RuleOfFunny nobody remembers that.]] Surprising since because he also served in Congress, it makes Taft the '''''only''''' person to have ever served in ''all'' '''three''' branches of the United States Government. [[AndNowYouKnow Taft was also responsible for ordering electric power installed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue]].

William Howard Taft (1857-1930) was the American president [[TheGildedAge between 1909 and 1913]], following UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt and preceding UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson. Also served as [[http://www.philippine-history.org/images/Willam-Howard-Taft.jpg Governor-General of the Philippines]] from 1901-1903, and Chief Justice of the United States from 1921-1930. New Mexico and Arizona became states during his Presidency.

American president [[TheGildedAge 1909-1913]], following UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt and preceding UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson. Also served as [[http://www.philippine-history.org/images/Willam-Howard-Taft.jpg Governor-General of the Philippines]] from 1901-1903, and Chief Justice of the United States from 1921-1930. New Mexico and Arizona became states during his Presidency.

American president [[TheGildedAge 1909-1913]], following UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt and preceding WoodrowWilson. Also served as [[http://www.philippine-history.org/images/Willam-Howard-Taft.jpg Governor-General of the Philippines]] from 1901-1903, and Chief Justice of the United States from 1921-1930. New Mexico and Arizona became states during his Presidency.

It's worth noting that becoming Chief Justice (or at least serving on the Supreme Court) was his life's dream: he only ran for president because [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt T.R.]] and his wife wanted him to (ironically, his wife suffered a stroke shortly after his inauguration and was never able to enjoy her office as much as she might have liked). Almost as ironically, it would be T.R. running third party that prevented Taft from getting a second term; said rift between T.R. and Taft drove the Republican Party away from progressivism, which would later be picked up by Teddy's cousin, [[UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt FDR]]. Taft was appointed to the court by WarrenHarding, and is the only former president to have administered the oath of office to an incoming president (He did it for both CalvinCoolidge and HerbertHoover). He's usually held to have been a good Chief Justice - indeed, the traits that made his presidency somewhat messy (hesitation, considering all sides of the issue at hand, worrying over every little detail, etc.) were qualities that usually work well for a judge. Moreover, these very traits are probably what led him to write a famous dissenting opinion in ''Adkins v. Children's Hospital'', in which he argued against the very ''laissez-faire'' and classically Republican idea of "freedom of contract" as a fundamental constitutional right. (Taft's view of the issue would be adopted in due course, over several cases, primarily issued by justices appointed by FDR).[[note]]Less controversially, but no less famously within the legal profession, Taft also wrote ''Old Colony Trust Co. v. Commissioner'', one of the premier taxation cases in US history. It decided that if your employer pays your income tax, that is itself income, and must be taxed as income to you. Confusing, but Taft had good reason for it.[[/note]]

** During his own time, Progressives loathed him for causing a split in the Progressive Movement, and Republicans hated how both him and Teddy running in 1912 split the Republican votes and gave the presidency to the Democrat candidate, WoodrowWilson.

* Taft appears as a villain in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad''. It was a ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' parody and Taft haunted the White House to scare WoodrowWilson and anyone else who might foil his re-election campaign.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSylvesterAndTweetyMysteries'' had an episode where the ghost of President Taft was trying to scare the current President away. [[spoiler:The Vice-President was the culprit]], who explained he chose Taft because he was the largest President ever, which would make him quite a scary ghost and [[CrowningMomentOfFunny the costume shop was out of]] RichardNixon masks.

It's worth noting that becoming Chief Justice (or at least serving on the Supreme Court) was his life's dream: he only ran for president because [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt T.R.]] and his wife wanted him to (ironically, his wife suffered a stroke shortly after his inauguration and was never able to enjoy her office as much as she might have liked). Almost as ironically, it would be T.R. running third party that prevented Taft from getting a second term; said rift between T.R. and Taft drove the Republican Party away from progressivism, which would later be picked up by Teddy's cousin, [[UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt FDR]]. Taft was appointed to the court by WarrenHarding, and is the only former president to have administered the oath of office to an incoming president (He did it for both CalvinCoolidge and HerbertHoover). He's usually held to have been a good Chief Justice - indeed, the traits that made his presidency somewhat messy (hesitation, considering all sides of the issue at hand, worrying over every little detail, etc.) were qualities that usually work well for a judge. Moreover, these very traits are probably what led him to write a famous dissenting opinion in ''Adkins v. Children's Hospital'', in which he argued against the very ''laissez-faire'' and classically Republican idea of "freedom of contract" as a fundamental constitutional right. (Taft's view of the issue would be adopted in due course, over several cases, primarily issued by justices appointed by FDR).

It's worth noting that becoming Chief Justice (or at least serving on the Supreme Court) was his life's dream: he only ran for president because [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt T.R.]] and his wife wanted him to (ironically, his wife suffered a stroke shortly after his inauguration and was never able to enjoy her office as much as she might have liked). Almost as ironically, it would be T.R. running third party that prevented Taft from getting a second term; said rift between T.R. and Taft drove the Republican Party away from progressivism, which would later be picked up by Teddy's cousin, [[UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt FDR]]. Taft was appointed to the court by WarrenHarding, and is the only former president to have administered the oath of office to an incoming president (He did it for both CalvinCoolidge and HerbertHoover). He's usually held to have been a good Chief Justice - indeed, the traits that made his presidency somewhat messy (hesitation, considering all sides of the issue at hand, worrying over every little detail, etc.) were qualities that usually work well for a judge.

It's worth noting that becoming Chief Justice (or at least serving on the Supreme Court) was his life's dream: he only ran for president because [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt T.R.]] and his wife wanted him to (ironically, his wife suffered a stroke shortly after his inauguration and was never able to enjoy her office as much as she might have liked). Almost as ironically, it would be T.R. running third party that prevented Taft from getting a second term; said rift between T.R. and Taft drove the Republican Party away from progressivism, which would later be picked up by Teddy's cousin, [[FranklinDelanoRoosevelt FDR]]. Taft was appointed to the court by WarrenHarding, and is the only former president to have administered the oath of office to an incoming president (He did it for both CalvinCoolidge and HerbertHoover). He's usually held to have been a good Chief Justice - indeed, the traits that made his presidency somewhat messy (hesitation, considering all sides of the issue at hand, worrying over every little detail, etc.) were qualities that usually work well for a judge.

It's worth noting that becoming Chief Justice (or at least serving on the Supreme Court) was his life's dream: he only ran for president because [[TheodoreRoosevelt T.R.]] and his wife wanted him to (ironically, his wife suffered a stroke shortly after his inauguration and was never able to enjoy her office as much as she might have liked). Almost as ironically, it would be T.R. running third party that prevented Taft from getting a second term; said rift between T.R. and Taft drove the Republican Party away from progressivism, which would later be picked up by Teddy's cousin, [[FranklinDelanoRoosevelt FDR]]. Taft was appointed to the court by WarrenHarding, and is the only former president to have administered the oath of office to an incoming president (He did it for both CalvinCoolidge and HerbertHoover). He's usually held to have been a good Chief Justice - indeed, the traits that made his presidency somewhat messy (hesitation, considering all sides of the issue at hand, worrying over every little detail, etc.) were qualities that usually work well for a judge.

* HeterosexualLifePartner: With TeddyRoosevelt. Both of them were best friends until Taft's presidency, when he began to go back on some of Roosevelt's policies which he'd promised to uphold. The fringe became an outright feud during the election of 1912 when they ran against each other but by the beginning of World War I they were on friendly terms once again and by all accounts they were back to being best buds before Teddy died in 1919.

* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Sensitive guy to TheodoreRoosevelt's manly man.

* In ''Theatre/ArsenicAndOldLace'', Theodore Brewster believes that he's TheodoreRoosevelt and, after being told his term is up, he mistakes someone else for Taft trying to move in early.

->''"I do not remember that I was ever President."''\\
--'''William Howard Taft''', reflecting on his career as Chief Justice

->''"Not much can be said about Taft's health without saying a great deal about his size."''\\
--''The Health of the Presidents: The 41 United States Presidents Through 1993 from a Physician's Point of View''

->''"Taft, you old dog!"''\\
--'''Homer Simpson''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''

->''"Not much can be said about Taft's health without saying a great deal about his size."''
-->--''The Health of the Presidents: The 41 United States Presidents Through 1993 from a Physician's Point of View''

->''"Not much can be said about Taft's health without saying a great deal about his size."''