Harding, of course, is consistently rated at or near the bottom of the list of U.S. presidents, largely because of the well-documented corruption that pervaded his administration. This unhappy fact should keep President Clinton and his loyalists awake at night.

For whether the president and his defenders know it or not, the ghost of Warren G. Harding truly haunts the Clinton administration, most likely dooming any hope for a positive Clinton "legacy". One reason to believe this is that when Harding had the good fortune to die in office, he was, like Bill Clinton, an extremely popular and well-regarded president. It was only as the corrupt underside of his administration was exposed that Harding’s standing with the American people fell into irreparable disrepute.

The history of the Harding administration belies the claim prevalent among defenders of President Clinton that there is no relationship between private and public actions in political life. Harding was a serial philanderer and a heavy drinker, a vice rendered illegal as well by the fact that Prohibition was the law of the land during his presidency. Harding’s many paramours and those who pried into his affairs had to be paid off or roughed up. The bribes and intimidation were carried out by individuals close to the Hardings, working in conjunction with federal agencies, including the Bureau of Investigation, an early version of the FBI.

I dunno. I gather Harding was a good looking but shallow man. Clinton, warts and all, is no dummy.

Did you catch the crowd that came to his meeting in New Yauk a couple of days ago? What was it, the
Clinton Global Initiative? Like a who's who of the world's powerful. He got pledges of some $7.3 billion.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Intelligence does not denote depth.

***

So what brought that on, Ron?

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

OK hair-splitting man, how about intelligence, an ability to communicate well, and a personal warmth and charm that puts people at ease.

Stupidity/ignorance mixed with a strong dose of bellicosity doesn't do much for depth.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Which is worse, an immoral intelligent person or an immoral stupid person?

Bot

Merci Bot. The director of the FBI, Hoover was a drag queen and his outfits where not properly accessorized. (sp)

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Correction:

Which is worse, an immoral intelligent person, or a moral stupid person?

What makes you think either one is trustworthy?

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

I suppose that it would depend on how you view a moral or immoral person. Can you put greater trust in a moral person? Dunno.

Yeah,and and he was a "protege"of A.Mitchell Palmer,appointed attorney general by the Wilson"kitchen cabinet"when 'ol Woodie was drooling about the oval office from paresis and tertiary syphilis,Palmer makes Gonzales look like a real leftie,holding suspected "reds" "pinks"and IWW's{wobblies}illegally without trial.
Harding or "wornout hardon"as he was known"looked"and "spoke"like a leader,so thought his handlers,who basically stage-managed his political career,wrote his speeches and controlled his public presence.

He once made a characteristic quote about this,"My enemies don't worry me,I can take care of them allright,it's my Goddamn friends,they're the ones keeping me pacing the floors at night"
Check out the careers of Albert B.Fall and other members of Hardings cabinet and don't believe all you read on Wikipedia,anyone can send them articles of doubtful veracity.
Did he have mistresses,sure. His favorite was Nan Britton whom he seduced when she was 16,they used to screw in the oval office cloakroom and had a child together.

Study the "Teapot Dome"scandal if you think drilling in Alaskan wildlife refuges and national parks is something new.

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Well, I just though one ex-president is as irrelevant as another. Look for the upcoming 'Gerald Ford NEVER tripped' thread in the near future.

In addition to those two factors, one would need major computers to calculate all of the other variables to come up with an accurate assessment.

The banality of evil.

banal: lacking originality, freshness, or novelty : TRITE,
synonym see INSIPID

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

A different question, but in every case, a moral person is better than an immoral person.

Bot

How true. Damn that Chevy Chase for making the world believe that Ford was a clumsy oaf...

I wonder what credence the American population would have / should have given Harding had he not died in office? Especially those who supported him and then found out what he had actually done.

__________________
-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

Isn't morality, to some extent (maybe even fully-haven't thought about it), a matter of perception?

For example: The people that bomb abortion clinics and injure/kill people, believe that they are doing a good, moral thing. Yet, those affected by the bombing (spouses/relatives) think the bombers are demons from Hell (not moral).

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D