At the Republican National Convention held in Chicago, a critical moment of political maneuvering took place inside the Blackstone Hotel, where influential leaders of the party came together to select a presidential candidate. The convention, which convened in June, was characterized by intense debate and negotiations among various factions within the party. As candidates vied for support, a select group of party officials, realizing the need for a consensus candidate to unify the party, retreated to a private room within the hotel. The negotiations were conducted under the haze of cigars and the smoke that filled the room, leading journalists to coin the phrase 'smoke-filled room' to describe this secretive and elite decision-making process. This phrase would go on to symbolize the behind-the-scenes power plays that are often critical in shaping political outcomes. In the end, Warren G. Harding emerged as the party’s nominee, a choice that was heavily influenced by the discussions held in that private meeting. Harding's eventual victory in the presidential election not only confirmed the importance of behind-the-scenes negotiations but also highlighted the political dynamics of the era, where party unity often required discreet dialogues among key leaders.