Historians Ron Radosh and his wife Allis have written an excellent article for The Observer that looks at the contested GOP convention of 1920, where a superior delegate strategy by candidate Warren Harding allowed him to capture the nomination on the tenth ballot. Harding's campaign manager, Harry Daugherty, developed a plan that would deny the two frontrunners, General Leonard Wood and Frank O. Lowden of Illinois, a majority, while making Harding everone's second or third choice. How, then, did Mr. Harding get the nomination, proving all the pundits wrong? First, Mr. Harding and his campaign manager, Harry Daugherty, developed a strategy—based on making Mr. Harding everyone’s second or third choice. With that in mind, in addition to not challenging favorite son candidates in their states, Mr. Harding did not say anything bad about those running against him. Like Mr. Kasich today, he purposefully stood above the fray. Instead, Mr. Harding...(Read Full Post)