Some of Harding's appointees fell victim to bribery, and his administration became riddled with scandal. In the summer of 1923, during a trip west to get away from the scandals, Harding suddenly died.
Coolidge stepped up and took over. Alice Roosevelt Longworth said of Coolidge's face, " ... looked as though he had been weaned on a pickle." However, political leaders, including Supreme Court Justice and former president William Howard Taft came to respect the new president.
Charles Evan Hughes, Secretary of State, after visiting the White House, noted that while Harding favored group discussions, Coolidge made decisions himself. An even greater distinction was though that Harding's favorite word was "yes," Coolidge's favorite word was "no."
And one of his only words. He was like the anti-Shakespeare, and just as powerful. Not that one was good and the other evil or anything. It's good for wordy people like me to be reminded of the power of a few words.
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