In late July, Harding, traveling from Alaska to San Francisco, suffers an attack of ptomaine poisoning and develops pneumonia. Although he initially appears to recover, Harding's health had been in decline for at least six months and the grueling schedule of his speaking tour appears to be too much for him. He dies with his wife by his side in a San Francisco hotel room on the evening of August 2. The scandals surrounding his presidency initially lead to rumors that foul play was involved in his death. While these claims will be disproved and Harding himself is never found to be directly involved in his administration's corruption, the scandals will nonetheless tarnish his presidential legacy.
President Harding Dies
On August 2, 1923, President Warren Harding died in San Francisco, California, while on a speaking tour. His death was most likely due to a heart attack.
In June 1923, the President set off on a cross-country journey to rally support for his “normalcy program” and to educate the public about the many accomplishments of the Republican Party in the first half of his term. Though tired--Harding had never really regained full strength after a bout with the flu in January--he made fourteen major addresses and countless informal stops and talks over two weeks. While scholars disagree over the extent to which the content of these speeches should be credited to Harding or to his advisers (especially Herbert Hoover), he seemed poised to take on a more assertive role as President in the late summer of 1923. With the simultaneous resurgence of the economy, it appeared that Harding's “Journey of Knowledge” would in fact revitalize the Republican Party and his own presidency.
It was not to be, however, as the grueling trip proved too much for the fifty-eight-year-old Harding whose health had been deteriorating for six months. He died in San Francisco in the early evening of August 2, as his wife, Florence, was reading to him. A popular President, his passing was a blow to the American public, and many people turned out to mourn Harding. Vice President Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as President.
Harding's death erased any possibility that the President could defend himself and his administration against the scandals and charges of corruption that came to light after he died. His presidency is most often remembered for its corruption, lack of vision, and lackluster leadership.