Wit of Franklin Roosevelt (FDR)

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: Few would accuse FDR of excessive humility. His ego and self-confidence were enormous. They had survived a rocky marriage, electoral defeat, years in the political wilderness, and above all, the deep depression after poliomyelitis gave him a pair of almost useless legs. His supreme confidence in the face of adversity was a powerful source of encouragement to many in a nation people felt was handicapped by the Great Depression. One of the ways he lifted peoples’ spirits was through humor. Often the targets of his humor were conservative Republicans.