Summary

Harry Daugherty who was a lawyer and lobbyist was simply entranced with Warren G. Harding when he first met him. He looked like a president. He wasn’t concerned whether Harding was qualified to be president or not. He was one of his biggest supporters when Harding ran and won the presidency. Harding was not presidential material and was one of the nation’s worst presidents. But Daugherty wasn’t the only person impressed with Harding’s appearance and bearing. There were many others who thought he looked presidential and, therefore, believed he was intelligent, courageous and a man of principle. Harding’s allure is an example of the dark side of rapid cognition. We should learn to trust our gut feelings but look for the danger signs that could lead us astray.

Questions about race and gender both...