William Harrison started off as the oldest person to be elected president in American history, 68 (a spring chicken compared to St. Reagan, Orange Foolius & Grampa’ Brunch) and the first Whig. Within a month, being the first to die in office got added to his notoriety. To me, he was also the first Bush-esque candidate who probably got help from Lee Atwater and Karl Rove’s ancestors. Many were tricked into believing Harrison was born in a log cabin, was self-made and just a regular guy who’d put America on the right path instead of the elistist, “out-of-touch” Martin Van Buren. Hell, the incumbent’s first language wasn’t even English! It was Dutch!
Reality couldn’t have been more juxtaposed. Van Buren was the son of a tavern owner in New York and clawed his way up via his political savvy. Harrison came from a wealthy family in Virginia dating back to 1630 so much of his career was fueled by being connected to wealth and power. Sound familiar?
As for Harrison’s death. Most chalk it up to pneumonia which he may have contracted at his inauguration. March 4, 1841 in DC is often cold and wet. He wanted to show off his vitality by riding a horse in the parade and refusing to wear the appropriate weather-fighting clothing. His speech taking over two hours didn’t help. I am in the camp saying DC’s terrible water supply was a major contributing factor. Before germ theory was accepted, millions died from contaminated water and the doctors’ quackery helped d0 him in. Forty years after Washington’s death, doctors still believed bloodletting was a solution to what ailed people.
Harrison’s legacy was forcing the government to interpret Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the American Constitution and bringing in the youngest person to date into the job (John Tyler was a mere 51). On the former matter, did Veep Tyler become POTUS or did he just hold the job until a new election is called? Tyler got his wish with the backing of Harrison’s cabinet, the Chief Justice of SCOTUS and Congress solidified it by the following May. However, Tyler didn’t feel like enacting Harrison’s agenda so not much got done and it helped him earn the nickname His Accidency.
Given Grampa’ Brunch being 78, all eyes are on him to see if he croaks before he completes half of his first term. Conditions have improved over the last 170 years but I remain biased against people over retirement age being in important positions of power. They have a tendency not to give a crap about the future, unless it involves their sub-intelligent and sub-moral descendants.