When historians call Warren G. Harding one of America’s worst presidents, they’re not exaggerating—they’re just being polite. Harding’s administration in the 1920s was less a government and more a frat house with oil money. His so-called “Ohio Gang” filled Washington with poker-playing cronies, bootleg whiskey, and some of the biggest corruption scandals in U.S. history.
In this episode, comedians Robert Bacon and Mike Kauffman unpack the hilarious—and horrifying—story of how Harding’s cabinet became a carnival of incompetence. From the Teapot Dome scandal (the OG government oil grift) to secret affairs and backroom bribes, this is the story of what happens when you put your drinking buddies in charge of the country. Spoiler: it does not end well.It’s a political roast from the 1920s that proves one thing—America’s been electing questionable dudes since day one.
Keywords:
Warren G. Harding podcast, Teapot Dome scandal, Warren Harding cabinet, Ohio Gang history, presidential scandals, Mistakes Were Made podcast, comedy history podcast, corrupt presidents, American history podcast, funniest history podcast, political corruption history, U.S. history disasters.