William Taft
William Howard Taft served as the 27th President of the United States (1909–1913) and later as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1921–1930)—the only person to hold both offices.
He is remembered for his large physical size, his trust-busting policies that exceeded Theodore Roosevelt's, and his preference for the judiciary over the presidency: Taft called his time as Chief Justice the greatest honor of his career.
Formal beginning ceremony
- Oval OfficePresident's formal workspace
- White HouseOfficial presidential residence
- commander-in-chiefHighest military authority holder
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
executive · Republican Party · antitrust · trust-busting · Panama Canal · Philippines · Secretary of War · Roosevelt
Heavyset, especially around waist
- rotundRound and plump
- corpulentExcessively heavy-bodied
- heavysetThick-bodied and sturdy
- largeOf great size
bathtub · stout · big · massive · weight · girth · imposing · physical presence
Presiding judge, highest court
- Supreme CourtNation's top tribunal
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- benchShared seating surface
robe · opinion · dissent · precedent · certiorari · appellate · docket · court reform
Adherent to established customs
- RepublicanGOP party member
- status quoExisting condition of affairs
- limited governmentOfficially bounded political authority
- pro-businessFavoring commercial interests
fiscal restraint · establishment · cautious · moderate · judicial restraint
inauguration
Formal beginning ceremony
- Oval OfficePresident's formal workspace
- White HouseOfficial presidential residence
- commander-in-chiefHighest military authority holder
administration · executive · Republican Party · antitrust · trust-busting · Panama Canal · Philippines · Secretary of War · Roosevelt · successor
portly
Heavyset, especially around waist
large · bathtub · stout · big · massive · weight · girth · imposing · physical presence
chief justice
Presiding judge, highest court
- Supreme CourtNation's top tribunal
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
bench · robe · opinion · dissent · precedent · certiorari · appellate · docket · court reform · Harding
traditionalist
Adherent to established customs
- RepublicanGOP party member
- status quoExisting condition of affairs
- limited governmentOfficially bounded political authority
pro-business · fiscal restraint · establishment · cautious · moderate · judicial restraint
- Chief JusticesJohn Marshall, Earl Warren, John Jay
- 19th Century LeadersLincoln, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Napoleon III, Victoria
- GOP HistoryAbraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, GOP, Richard Nixon, Theodore Roosevelt
- OhioRock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cincinnati, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Akron, Columbus
- Progressive EraTheodore Roosevelt, progressivism, Woodrow Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt, trust busting
William TaftTheodore Roosevelt
Twenty-sixth American president
Franklin D. Roosevelt · Andrew Jackson · Abraham Lincoln · George Washington · Ronald Reagan
William TaftJames Madison
Abraham Lincoln · Calvin Coolidge · lean · slight · Woodrow Wilson