At its heart, Out of the Tub is a story of conflict, sacrifice, and service, a personal, behind-the-scenes look at “Big Bill” whose goodwill, hearty laugh, and good humor endeared him to the public, together with the events and choices that shaped his life. Both progressive and conservative in his thinking, Taft stood firmly behind the Constitution and the rule of law, earning himself both applause and criticism. Admittedly thin-skinned, the harsh words hurled his way cut deeply but neither stopped nor embittered him. No wonder then that the New York Times described him as “the most human President who ever sat in the White House.”