The Greatness of Coolidge’s Presidency John Calvin Coolidge was sworn into office upon the sudden death of President Warren Harding to become the 30th president of the United States. Coolidge served as vice president under Harding and entered his new position without a real plan or sense of direction. As president, Coolidge had little interest in engaging in foreign affairs, and directed his energy to internal improvements, most specifically, empowering business by limiting the government’s involvement in their affairs. Coolidge is not praised for his substantial achievements, but is revered for his unwavering honesty, integrity, and ambition in governing to ensure the good of the American people. Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872 in Plymouth, Vermont. His father was a village store keeper and introduced Coolidge to politics by bringing him to observe conflicts and resolutions within local courthouses. This instilled in him a perception of noble politics as well as …show more content…
He never pursued a cause because he thought it would boost his popularity or give him a place in history; he worked to benefit the public good. He was a man of few but selective words and wanted to appeal to the public. His speeches were brief and meticulous in their delivery. He spoke few words because he believed that the words of the president were powerful and should be used decisively (Greenberg 7). Although he obtained the nickname “Silent Cal”, the public understood him, and he understood them. Coolidge was an advocate for radio broadcasting and hosted a weekly broadcast. He acknowledged the fact that he was lackluster in his deliverance of speeches and used the radio as his platform for delivering messages. He would make more than forty radio broadcasts as president and was heralded as “the first President to communicate directly with all the people” (Wallace