The award for dumbest presidential decision might as well go to William Henry Harrison who, on March 4, 1841, gave the longest inauguration speech in history...and perhaps died from it. The facts are well documented. His speech of more than 8,000 words took about two hours to deliver, and in a snowstorm, no less. Worse, he wasn't wearing a hat or overcoat. Four weeks later, on April 4th, the hero of Tippecanoe died from complications that began with a cold. Whether delivering his lengthy speech in such conditions led to his illness, there's no telling. But who wants to hear someone talk for two hours anyway? Today, Harrison's claim to fame is the shortest presidency. At least it's something. If you care to read the mammoth speech,
you can find it here.
If you were president and were looking for a way to lose election to a second term, a place to start might be to become well known for excessive drinking. Wait...that's been done already. Ask President Martin Van Buren. When he was younger, his heavy drinking earned him the nickname "Blue Whiskey Van." During the election of 1840, his opponent, William Henry Harrison, used this nickname as a weapon against him, which helped Harrison defeat Van Buren. Harrison's campaign also mocked Van Buren for his diminutive size. At just 5 feet 6 inches, Van Buren was the second shortest president, beat out only by James Madison, who was 5 feet 4 inches tall.
