President Franklin Delano Roosevelt: A Great Communicator

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A person needs to know how to use their resources well. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the President a new resource was beginning to make its way in to people’s homes, radio. FDR had polio and to some that could be seen as a weakness. Radio made it so that any prejudgments made about him were irrelevant. When they heard his voice over the radio Americans felt reassured when they listened to their president. He referred to all Americans as “friends” whenever he spoke. Usually he used his “fireside chats” as his forum for speaking to Americans. Americans would gather around their radios to listen to him speak about the nation. He gave them hope through out the depression. Of course FDR’s “Day in Infamy” speech about Pearl Harbor was broadcast over the radio. Speaking over the radio allowed FDR to connect with the American public in a way that was never possible for any other president before him. In theory he could talk to every American out there. Any one with a radio or who had a friend or family member with a radio could listen to their President speak to them. They felt connected to the President like he was right there in their homes. FDR told the people exactly how he felt about world events and the people listened to him, including children. Children began to revere him and later they would vote for him due to his radio talks. Remember this man was elected 4 times so many people would have grown up listening to FDR as kids. Also since radio was just beginni...

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