مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART A

Tall, Dark and Handsome

Was he sitting next to one of the most powerful backroom fixers in US politics? Well, yes, he was sitting next to a man who would become one of the most powerful backroom fixers in US politics.

Harry Daugherty was an Ohio lobbyist and a shrewd power broker.

Was Harding an Ohio lobbyist? No, Harding wasn’t an Ohio lobbyist. Daugherty was an Ohio lobbyist. Was Daugherty also a shrewd power broker? Yes, Daugherty was also a shrewd power broker.

He took one look at Warren Harding, and he saw an opportunity.

What did he see in Harding? In Harding he saw an opportunity.

While Harding was a man of unremarkable intellect and ambition, he looked like a man of power and influence.

Did Harding have a remarkable intellect? No, Harding didn’t have a remarkable intellect. How did Harding look? Harding looked like a man of power and influence.

He was classically tall, dark and handsome. He spoke with a deep, warm voice; his skin was tan; his shoulders were broad, and he was tall.

Was he tall, dark and handsome? Yes, he was tall, dark and handsome. How did he speak? He spoke with a deep, warm voice. How did his skin look? His skin was tan. What about his shoulders?

His shoulders were broad. Was he tall or short? He was tall.

Despite Harding’s lack of ambition, Daugherty pushed him from local politics to national politics.

Who pushed Harding from local politics to national politics? Daugherty pushed Harding from local politics to national politics.

Harding’s career as a US senator in Washington D.C was equally unremarkable.

Was Harding’s career as a US senator remarkable or unremarkable? His career as a US senator was unremarkable.

He was absent during votes on two of the most important issues of his time: the ban on alcohol and women’s right to vote.

Did he vote on the ban on alcohol? No, he didn’t vote on the ban on alcohol. Did he vote on women’s right to vote? No, he didn’t vote on women’s right to vote.

Despite this, as he grew older and his hair greyed, he started to look more and more the image of a distinguished politician.

What happened as he grew older and his hair greyed? As he grew older and his hair greyed, he started to look more and more the image of a distinguished politician.

One of his supporters once yelled, “Why, the son of a bitch looks like a senator.” What did one of his supporters yell? One of his supporters once yelled, “Why, the son of a bitch looks like a senator.”

Not only did he look like a senator, but he also looked like a president.

What did Harding look like? Harding looked like a senator and a president.

Not unlike today, backroom fixers like Daugherty controlled much of US politics.

Who controls much of US politics? Backroom fixers like Daugherty control much of US politics.

While Harding was an unremarkable politician, Daugherty and the other Republican party bosses saw an opportunity in Harding.

Who saw an opportunity in Harding? Daugherty and the other Republican party bosses saw an opportunity in Harding.

Here was a man who was mild enough to be easily manipulated and good looking enough to become president.

What did they think about Harding? They thought he was mild enough to be easily manipulated and good looking enough to become president.