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For Want of a Miracle
By Paul Bacon
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Hoover's relief work was credited with saving millions of lives, and later he became known as "The Miracle Man" for his ability to fix any problem in America. Appointed as secretary of commerce during the Harding and Coolidge administrations, the resourceful, self-made millionaire extended his responsibilities to governing aviation, farming, child hygiene, and regulation of the airwaves.
As president, Hoover called for a public-private partnership on behalf of broad social reforms. Alas, seven months into his presidency, the stock market crashed and took with it all Hoover's hopes to make his mark. The Great Depression proved too immense even for his talents, and his unwarranted optimism came off as glib and unrealistic. His name became synonymous with the crisis itself, with poverty-stricken shantytowns frequently called "Hoovervilles."
Unlike many vilified presidents who opted out of re-election, Hoover was determined to "fight it out to the end." Not surprisingly, he lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who would save America by carrying out many of Hoover's plans under the mantle of a different political party.