Franklin Delano Roosevelt

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Franklin Delano Roosevelts Rhetorical
Contributions

• Alexis Ginsberg

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Background Information

• DOB January 30, 1882
• Place of Birth Hyde Park, NY
• Education
• -Groton School (NY)
• -Harvard University
• -Columbia Law School
• Family Married Eleanor Roosevelt and had 5
  children.
• Political Affiliation Democrat
• U.S President (1933-1945)

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FDRS Rhetorical Techniques

• Persuasive Delivery
• Connected directly with his audiences
• Conveyed sincerity goodwill to his audiences
• Gestures
• Spoke over the Congress to the people

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FDRS Rhetorical Innovations

• Frequent use of radio
• Motion Picture Newsreels
• White House Press Conferences LIVE

• Fireside Chats
• Annual Messages to Congress
• LIVE Convention Acceptance Speech

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1932 Convention Acceptance Speech

• Let it be from now on the task of our party to
  break foolish traditions. We will break foolish
  traditions and leave it to the Republican
  leadership, far more skilled in that art, to
  break promises. -FDR

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Rhetorical Importance of Speech

• Presence at the convention was symbolic
• Broke with party tradition
• Foreshadowed his future rhetorical innovations
• Focused on his opponents unpopular policies
• Emphasized partisan differences between the two
  parties
• Identified himself with past presidents

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(No Transcript)
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1933 Inaugural Speech The only thing we have
to fear is fear itself.
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Rhetorical Significance

• Persuasiveness
• Emphasis on personal leadership
• -They have made me the present instrument of
  their wishes. In the spirit of the gift I take
  it.
• Acknowledgment of dire problems
• -Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark
  realities of the moment.
• Promise for government action
• Ubiquitous references to Congress
• -I shall presently urge upon a new Congress,
  detailed measures for their fulfillment

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FDRS FIRESIDE CHATS
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Reasons for Success

• LIVE
• Announced prior broadcast
• Interrupted daily programming

• Absence of media congressional censorship.
• Going public.
• Reach out to new constituencies

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Rhetorical Techniques

• Friend-next door
• Psychological focus
• Public Opinion Surveys
• Catching Up time
• Personal Pronoun Use
• -I
• -You
• -We
• Slow speaker

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The War Years

• 1936 Isolationist Rhetoric
• 1937 Recognizes prospect of war and calls for
  quarantine of aggressors.
• 1940-1941 Salesman-in-Chief of War Rhetoric

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War Message Rhetorical Significance

• A day which will live in infamy.
• FDR's response galvanized the American people.
• Direct with declarative phrases.
• Uncluttered by convoluted language.
• United the nation in the pursuit of unconditional
  victory against the Japanese.