For her influence in the administration, some have described Edith Wilson as "the first female President of the United States."[249] Link states that by November 1919, Wilson's "recovery was only partial at best. His mind remained relatively clear; but he was physically enfeebled, and the disease had wrecked his emotional constitution and aggravated all his more unfortunate personal traits.[250]
Throughout late 1919, Wilson's inner circle concealed the severity of his health issues.[251] By February 1920, the president's true condition was publicly known. Many expressed qualms about Wilson's fitness for the presidency at a time when the League fight was reaching a climax, and domestic issues such as strikes, unemployment, inflation and the threat of Communism were ablaze. In mid-March 1920, Lodge and his Republicans formed a coalition with the pro-treaty Democrats to pass a treaty with reservations, but Wilson rejected this compromise and enough Democrats followed his lead to defeat ratification.[252] No one close to Wilson was willing to certify, as required by the Constitution, his "inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office.