Seventy-seven years ago today, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave the first of over thirty radio addresses, to which he spoke to the American people about the state of our nation and its current direction. With the country in the midst of the deepest part of the Great Depression, the “fireside chats,” as they were called, where intended to keep the American people abreast on Roosevelt’s decisions, while bringing comfort to the nation’s fears and anxieties. With this, Roosevelt established an intimacy between himself and the American people—one which begat trust among politician and citizen, and has yet since been duplicated.
The “fireside chats” gave President Roosevelt an open invitation to enter into the homes of the American people and speak directly to them about the issues facing the nation. Roosevelt believed that the people had a right to know how their president was going to ameliorate the nation’s suffering, and the “fireside chats” provided the people with answers, while also noting the nation’s current progress and future policies.
What sets Roosevelt aside from other presidents—save Jimmy Carter—was that he attempted to level with the American people. The fireside chats weren’t peppered with fancy political jargon, nor did the president speak in circles, leaving the nation to decipher what was actually intended by his words. The chats were written in such a manner that each citizen, regardless of education level or socioeconomic status, could comprehend the policies and decisions made by President Roosevelt.
There is, and has been, a growing distance between politician and citizen; but providing the American people with truthful information, progress reports, and future plans, would surely break down the wall between the “us and them” mentality that is currently held by the majority of the nation; however, integrity must accompany this intimacy. While presidents currently deliver a regular address, the intimacy and trust that resulted in the “fireside chats” has never been resurrected, thus integrity continues to lie dead.
Today, Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” still provide us with important lessons—lessons that can be embraced by politician and common citizen alike: honesty, integrity, respect, care, and concern bring people—sometimes a nation—through the most difficult times. The “fireside chats” helped establish a relationship between Roosevelt and the American people and displayed his genuine concern for each American. Roosevelt’s dedication to the duties demanded by his position were made apparent with each address, and it awarded him an amazing twelve years in office, while granting the American people a bit of ease through a most difficult time.
The author of this article, John Flagler, welcomes feedback: john.flagler@tango-echo.com
