William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States (1909-1913) and later the 10th Chief Justice of the United States (1921-1930). He is the only person to have served in both of these offices. Taft rode the coattails of fellow Republican Theodore Roosevelt to an easy victory in his 1908 bid for the presidency. In his only term, Taft’s domestic agenda emphasized trust-busting, civil service reform, strengthening the Interstate Commerce Commission, improving the performance of the Postal Service and passage of the Sixteenth Amendment. Abroad, Taft sought to further the economic development of foreign nations through “Dollar Diplomacy,” and showed decisiveness and restraint in response to the Mexican Revolution. After leaving office, Taft pursued world peace through his self-founded League to Enforce Peace. After World War I, he was appointed Chief Justice of the United States and served in this capacity until shortly before his death in 1930. Taft was born on this day in 1857.
Note: The almost-6′ Taft is often remembered as being the most obese president. His weight peaked at 335-340 pounds toward the end of his presidency. The truth of the often-told story of Taft getting stuck in a White House bathtub is unclear. However, Taft did erect a sleeping porch on the roof of the White House. This is 8-bit U.S. president #19 of 43.
