PRESIDENTIAL DRAMA
July 9th in history:
On July 9th, 1850, Zachary Taylor became the second U.S. president to die in office. Taylor became sick after eating at a 4th of July celebration – and, to this day, some historians believe he was deliberately poisoned. His body was exhumed for testing in 1991, but the coroner did not find sufficient evidence of poisoning.
Another man who wanted to be president made a famous speech on this date in 1896. William Jennings Bryan delivered what was known as the “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic Convention in Chicago, opposing the gold standard. The speech helped propel Bryan to the Democratic nomination that year.
Actor Jimmy Smits played President-elect Matt Santos in the final episodes of The West Wing. Smits, also a star on “L.A. Law” and “NYPD Blue”, was born July 9th, 1955.
