Herbert Hoover
(Not to be confused with The Presidents of the United States of America)
Calvin Coolidge ← Herbert Hoover → Franklin D. Roosevelt
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With impressive proof on all sides of magnificent progress, no one can rightly deny the fundamental correctness of our economic system.
—Herbert Hoover in 1928, one year before The Great Depression began.
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For six years that man has given me unsolicited advice—all of it bad.
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A good person who got caught in a unworkable situation, Herbert Hoover was President from 1929-1933. As mentioned before, he had The Great Depression happen during his watch, but didn't cause it.
While well known as being blamed for the Great Depression, prior to his presidency he was known as something of a miracle man, especially with his humanitarian aid. He served during World War I to help make sure the United States was able to send food to where it was needed, such as America's war allies. And his humanitarianism was such that it was reported a letter addressed to 'Miracle Man, Washington DC' was delivered straight to him. He lived a long time, and after his presidency rehabilitated this reputation through his work in the Third World and with the Boy Scouts of America, and by publicly denouncing the draconian Morgenthau Plan, as well as providing aid for a near-destroyed post-World War II Germany; by the time of his death he was once again one of the most admired men in America, but nobody seems to remember this. By the way, his equivalent up north was R. B. Bennett.
During the Depression, though, America needed to blame somebody. Damn near every major sign of poverty a person could have around them was branded irrevocably with Hoover's name. Turned-out pockets were "Hoover flags." Shanty towns set up for the influx of homeless (like a well-known example in Central Park in New York City) were called "Hoovervilles."
He didn't just outlive all of his predecessors; he also outlived two of his successors, dying 32 years after his term was over in late 1964. (Conspiracy theorists who whisper about the Presidential Guard rehearsing a funeral just before Kennedy's assassination forget that the Guard was actually rehearsing for Hoover, whose death had been expected. As it turned out he held on for a year.)
Hoover was in charge of recovery efforts after the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. More humanitarian laurels, but he also struck an unfortunate deal with African-American leaders where he promised to champion black causes during his upcoming presidential run in exchange for patience with the (lack of) assistance going to black flood victims. Hoover never delivered on his promise; this is how the Party of Lincoln lost the black vote. Hoover's first two years were the last that Republicans had total control of the US government, having the Presidency, House, and enough Senators to avoid a filibuster. Republicans would not control all 3 branches again till 2003 under George W. Bush, over 70 years later. Even then the majority in the Senate was by a single digit count of seat and even if the majority were unified (they weren't) wouldn't be able to avoid a filibuster [1].
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(Oh yeah; that Ironic Echo you're probably equating with president George W. Bush?) |
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- Principles Zealot: He once got flack for helping Russians who were reeling from famine in the 1920s, due to the fact they were (at the time) communists. Hoover refused to stop, saying regardless of their politics, they would be fed.
- He was a huge believer that private charity was far better than the government dole. This came back to haunt him when the Great Depression hit.
- Vindicated by History: Somewhat. History still tends to show him as the guy who was out of his depth when the economy went to pot, but it's generally acknowledged it was a situation so unique it was just not feasible for someone of his knowledge and character to have reasonably expected or known how to deal with it at the time. Some of the more objective historians are also willing to acknowledge his successor would actually build on a few of Hoover's better ideas as well.
Literature
- In Harry Turtledove's TL-191, Hoover is elected as VP for Calvin Coolidge, but Coolidge dies before taking office and thus Hoover becomes President. Though the Depression started before his rule, he's essentially condemned as a do-nothing and unseated by the Socialists at the next election.
Live-Action TV
- In the 1990s version of The Untouchables, the series' premiere story used the urban legend that it was Al Capone's noisy partying one night which disturbed Hoover's sleep that convinced the President to sic Eliot Ness on the gangster.
- All in The Family famously references him in their Theme Song.
Theatre
- There's a song in the musical Annie titled "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover". Sarcasm Mode abides.
Western Animation
- A brief "imagination" gag in Arthur places class clown Buster in the role of Hoover, attempting to appease the starving and out-of-work Americans with a "rubber chicken in every pot" routine. It doesn't go over well.