Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - October - 2004 Issue
American Historical Autographs<br>From Joseph Rubinfine
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For those who think presidential sex scandals are something new, you might want to read up on Warren Harding. Harding had two notable extramarital affairs, one with Carrie Phillips, the wife of a good friend, and another with Nan Britton, thirty years his junior. It's possible that Harding had others. Item 52 is a letter to his friend Jim Phillips, Carrie's husband, encouraging him to convince her to tone down certain public comments. Harding had written the same to Carrie herself, apparently with little success. Carrie was pro-German, and had even threatened to reveal her affair with then Senator Harding to get him to vote against going to war. She was not successful. Voting against entering World War I at that time would probably have been even more damaging to Harding's political career. In this letter Harding states, "She is under the eye of government agents, and it is highly urgent that she exercise great prudence and caution." The nation was by then at war, and any signs of sympathy to Germany would cause great suspicion. Harding goes on to say "I feel you must cooperate and save her from herself..."
In time Carrie Phillips would use their affair to squeeze money out of Harding. When Harding ran for president in 1920, the Republican Party would provide Mrs. Phillips with $20,000 in hush money and send her off on a trip to Europe. Supposedly, she ended up having an affair with the Kaiser. With Mrs. Phillips gone, Harding could take up with Ms. Britton in the White House, sort of a "return to normalcy" for him. Harding would go on to run one of the most corrupt administrations in history (although it appears that it was only his "friends" who benefited, not the inept and apparently clueless Harding) and die in office three years later. Mrs. Phillips would live for another three-plus decades, though she would never appear on Larry King Live nor receive high fees to discuss her private affairs in public. $7,500.
You may reach Joseph Rubinfine by telephone at 561-659-7077 or by email at Joerubinfine@mindspring.com
