Warren G. Harding’s Poker Nights
Harding hosted wild card games in a smoke-filled White House study. During his 1921-1923 term, he gathered cronies for poker sessions fueled by illegal Prohibition whiskey. His gambling once went too far when he bet and lost White House china to a journalist, who kept the plates as souvenirs. These reckless games reflected the scandal-plagued nature of his brief presidency. Harding’s card table antics added to his reputation for poor judgment.
