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Individual:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Howard_TaftHe was born on September 15, 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio toAlphonso Taft and Louisa Torrey. A prominent Republican, Taft'sfather served as secretary of war under President Ulysses S.Grant. Like his father, the younger Taft went to college at YaleUniversity, where he was a member of Skull and Bones, a "secretsociety" co-founded by his father. After college, he attendedCincinnati Law School. He subsequently began his politicalcareer in Ohio shortly after joining the bar in 1880.In 1892 Taft was appointed associate judge by President BenjaminHarrison for the newly created Sixth U.S. Circuit Court ofAppeals, a post which he held until 1900. In 1900, PresidentWilliam McKinley appointed Taft chair of a commission toorganize a civilian government in the Philippines which had beenceded to the United States at the close of the Spanish-AmericanWar. From 1901 to 1904 Taft served successfully as the firstcivilian Governor-General of the Philippines. In 1904 TheodoreRoosevelt named Taft as Secretary of War.Taft was also overweight, to the point that he became stuck inthe bathtub in the White House several times, prompting theinstallation of a new bathtub capable of holding all of the menwho installed it. At 6 feet, and weighing over 300 pounds, Taftwas the largest and heaviest President. There is some evidencethat his mother started calling him "my pudgy-wudgy boy" beforehis fifth birthday. This may have led to his disdain for theword "pudgy." In fact, it was said that an aid blacked out"pudgy" from his morning newspaper.[edit]PresidencyAfter serving nearly two full terms, popular Theodore Rooseveltrefused to run in the election of 1908. Instead, he promotedTaft as the next Republican president. With Roosevelt's help,Taft handily defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan.Throughout his presidency, Taft contended with dissent from moreliberal members of the Republican party, many of whom continuedto follow the lead of former President Roosevelt.Taft fought for prosecution of trusts, further strengthened theInterstate Commerce Commission, established a postal savingsbank and a parcel post system, expanded the civil service andsponsored the enactment of two amendments to the Constitution.The 16th Amendment authorized a federal income tax; the 17thAmendment, ratified in 1913, mandated the direct election ofsenators by the people, replacing the system whereby they wereselected by state legislatures.Yet balanced against these achievements was Taft's acceptance ofa tariff with protective schedules that outraged liberalopinion; his opposition to the entry of the state of Arizonainto the Union because of its liberal constitution; and hisgrowing reliance on the conservative wing of his party. By 1910Taft's party was divided.Progressive Republicans openly challenged Taft in theCongressional elections of 1910 and in the Republicanpresidential primaries of 1912. When Taft won the Republicannomination, the Progressives organized a rival party (the UnitedStates Progressive Party, a.k.a. "Bull Moose") and selectedTheodore Roosevelt to run against Taft in the general election.Roosevelt's Bull Moose candidacy split the Republican vote andhelped elect Democrat Woodrow Wilson.Evidence from eyewitnesses and from Taft himself stronglysuggests he had severe obstructive sleep apnea during hisPresidential term of office, a consequence of his 300+ poundweight. His legendary tendency to fall asleep in almost anycircumstance, an open secret and source of embarassment for hisintimates, is now understood to have been the most obviousmanifestation of the disease. The effect of sleep apnea on hisPresidency has not been systematically evaluated. Within a yearof leaving the Presidency Taft had lost approximately 60 poundsand his hypersomnolence resolved.Chief JusticeFrom 1921 until 1930, Taft served on the Supreme Court as ChiefJustice of the United States. He was the only President to doso, and the only former president to swear in future presidents.He gave the oath of office to both Calvin Coolidge and HerbertHoover. He was also the first chief justice not to have anyprevious court experience. In an effort to make the Court workmore efficiently, he advocated passage of the 1925 Judges Actenabling the Supreme Court to give precedence to cases ofnational importance.Taft retired as chief justice on February 3, 1930, due to illhealth. He died five weeks later on March 8. Three days later,on March 11, he became the first American president to be buriedat Arlington National Cemetery. His wife, Helen, believed hisservice as secretary of war qualified him for burial there. Itdid because he oversaw the armed forces. In fact, anyone whoserved as president is entitled to burial at Arlington, ascommander-in-chief of the armed forces.A third generation of the Taft family entered the nationalpolitical stage in 1938. The former president's oldest son,Robert A. Taft I, was elected to the United States Senate. Avociferous critic of the New Deal, Robert Taft was a Republicanleader in the Senate from 1939-1953. His other son, CharlesPhelps Taft II served as Mayor of Cinncinati, Ohio from 1955 to1957. Two more generations of the Taft family later enteredpolitics. The President's grandson, Robert Taft Jr., served aterm as a Senator from Ohio from 1971-1977; the President'sgreat-grandson, Robert A. Taft II, is the current Governor ofOhio. William Howard Taft III was U.S. ambassador to Ireland.William Howard Taft IV is a high official in the United StatesDepartment of State.
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