William Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft

William Howard Taft never wanted to be president, but won resounding victory in the election of 1908 as Theodore Roosevelt's handpicked successor. The only man to serve as both president and chief justice on the Supreme Court, Taft played a crucial role in shaping how American balances populism against the rule of law. Rosen shows how Taft approached every decision in constitutional terms, defending the Founders' vision of limited government.