William Howard Taft served as the 27th president of the United States prior to being appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. He took over the office from Theodore Roosevelt, who was widely regarded as a reformer with a dynamic approach to his duties. Taft was neither of these things. From his early childhood, Taft had been raised under pressure to do great things. He was raised a Republican and quickly entered political contests once eligible, yet he achieved few successes. Trained in the law, Taft often spent too much time attempting to look at a situation from all possible angles, rather than simply taking action, as most citizens expected from a leader. Further, his obese appearance did not resonate with voters, especially when coupled with ...