Warren G. Harding audio collection

Warren G. Harding was born on November 2, 1865 near Marion, Ohio. When he was 19 he and a partner purchased the Marion Daily Star newspaper, of which he became the editor. His political career began at age 21 when he became a member of the Marion, Ohio Republican County Committee. In 1888 he went to his first national convention and campaigned for Benjamin Harrison. Harding gained a reputation as an effective orator. In 1902 he gave the eulogy for his fellow Ohioan and friend President William McKinley. In 1912 Harding delivered the speech at the Republican Convention nominating William Howard Taft as the Republican candidate for President. He was elected to the United States Senate himself in 1914. In 1920 Harding was nominated for the Presidency. He won and took office in early 1921. Though he was President for a short time, he eliminated wartime controls, cut taxes, created the Federal budget system, restored high tariffs, and imposed immigration limitations. In July of 1923 he gave his last speech. On August 2, 1923 Warren G. Harding suffered a heart attack while trip touring the western United States. He died in San Francisco, California.