William Howard Taft
The only person to serve as both President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court — and by most accounts, he preferred the Court. Taft actually busted more trusts than TR but got less credit for it, and his split with Roosevelt led to Wilson's election.
Pantheon Standing
| List Name | Rank | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Greatest U.S. Presidents of All Time | #1 | 96.0 |
The Age Divide
Voters under 30 and over 35 rank William Howard Taft significantly differently across lists.
The Cultural Record
Discography
No entries on record.
Awards & Recognition
No Grammy data on record.
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27th President
only person to serve as President and Chief Justice
more antitrust suits than TR
16th Amendment (income tax)
17th Amendment (direct Senate election)
split with TR led to Wilson
350 lbs (bathtub story is myth)
Philippines Governor-General
The Case For William Howard Taft
“The longevity argument alone puts them in a category of one. While others burned bright and faded, this figure consistently reinvented and dominated across decades, eras, and cultural shifts that would have destroyed lesser talents.”
“Technically unmatched. The craft here is evident in every performance, every work — the kind of effortless execution that only comes from thousands of hours of mastery made invisible. They make the impossible look inevitable.”
“Commercial success should never be held against artistic legacy. The ability to dominate charts while maintaining critical respect is a skill unto itself — one that this figure has mastered better than any peer in the conversation.”
Rank History
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for William Howard Taft.
Often Compared To
William McKinley
#2President / Republican — Niles, Ohio · 1897–1901
The president who turned the U.S. into a global empire — McKinley's victory in the Spanish-American War gave America Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and set the country on a path of overseas intervention it's never left. He was assassinated at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.
Warren G. Harding
#3President / Republican — Blooming Grove, Ohio · 1921–1923
The most corrupt administration before modern times — Teapot Dome, the Veterans Bureau scandal, and a series of Cabinet appointees who stole everything not nailed down. Harding was personally popular but intellectually limited, and he knew it. 'I am not fit for this office,' he reportedly said.