Wake Forest University

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address

First Critical Paper Revision Assignment

Laura Horton

COM 225- Rhetorical Criticism: Theory and Practice

Professor Andrew Leslie

November 2, 2019
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Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address

Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933

until his death in 1945. Roosevelt, often referred to as F.D.R., led the American people through

the Great Depression and is most famous for his series of programs and reforms known as the

New Deal. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address was during a pivotal point in American history.

After the 1929 crash of the financial markets and banking industry, the nation was in crisis.

There was widespread unemployment, life savings were wiped out, and there was a loss of faith

in the government’s ability to make economic decisions. His inaugural address was Roosevelt’s

first speech to the American people in this time of trouble. Roosevelt understood the social and

political situation of the time, in which the Democrats had won large majorities in both houses of

Congress, and the American people were both confused and afraid.

The purpose of his address was to show that he was a different president than Hoover and

to lay out the agenda for his new administration. He knew that he must first allay fear and calm

the American people, then create public support and motivate them to change their situation. In

his first inaugural address, Roosevelt gained the confidence of the American people and the

persuasive control of the Congress, as well as muffled Wall Street bankers through his effective

use of rhetorical style and ethical appeal. Roosevelt understood the sentiments of the American

people; therefore, he constructed a speech with powerful metaphors and phrases which they

identified with. He then relied on this support to threaten Congress to grant him broader

executive power. Furthermore, Roosevelt quieted many refutations from Wall Street bankers by

deeming them as the culprit of the Great Depression.

In drafting his speech, Roosevelt figured he “would have to contend with a badly stricken

and confused population” who had already heard too much of Hoover’s economic confidence
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and optimistic preachment ; therefore, he did not want to say anything that would lessen the

public’s impression of the critical realities (Houck and Nocasian). This led Roosevelt to use an

ethical appeal in which he demonstrated that he understood the public’s concerns and persuaded

them to trust him because of his knowledge of their problems. In his opening statement,

Roosevelt showed the American people that he would be honest and sincere with them, rather

than “sugarcoat” the issues as Hoover did. “I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on

my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the

present situation of our Nation impels” (Roosevelt 1).

Furthermore, Roosevelt sought to establish an “us vs them” relationship between himself

and the American people against the Wall Street bankers who caused the financial problems.

Roosevelt used the rhetorical scapegoat technique as a means to blame the bankers on Wall

Street for the Great Depression (Ryan). He channeled American’s anxieties and frustrations and

used language to denigrate the Wall Street bankers. Roosevelt also used biblical allusions to

imply that the economic crisis was a result of the dishonest actions of bankers, rather than

inadequacies of the American people. He argued that the problems were based on the collective

and individual sins of the corrupt “moneychangers,” the term being a biblical allusion which

refers to people who loaned money for interest (Roosevelt 3).

Roosevelt used biblical allusions throughout his speech in order to deliver his radical

message in a conservative package. He assured the American people, “we are stricken by no

plagues of locusts,” to counteract the widespread loss of hope and fear that the country was

destined for collective punishment (Roosevelt 3). Roosevelt comforted the public by claiming

that “God is on our side” and that each individual should be a “good neighbor,” referencing the

good Samaritan parable in the Bible (Roosevelt 10). He motivated Americans to take action by
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stating that the ability to recover didn’t depend on God, but rather the country’s own

determination and resourcefulness.

While Roosevelt was proposing a radical, unprecedented proposal to broaden his

executive power, he rested on notions of restoration and tradition from biblical metaphors that

were already in the public consciousness. Consequently, Americans viewed him as the messiah

and agreed to be disciplined and cooperative, and to make sacrifices (Johnson-Cartee).

Throughout his speech, Roosevelt used a religious and almost prophetic tone, and addressed

Americans as “my friends” like a preacher would to gain their trust (Doughton). He promised

active and moral leadership, and inspired courage and comfort. Furthermore, Roosevelt blended

these religious undertones with military metaphors to create an integrated image of a holy war.

Roosevelt used military metaphors throughout his speech to garner the support of the

American people. He compared the Great Depression to a wartime crisis to justify his use of

broadened executive power. In his opening statement, Roosevelt claimed that fear “paralyzes

needed efforts to convert retreat into advance” (Roosevelt 1). Then in his closing statement,

Roosevelt asked for “broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as

the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe” (Roosevelt 13).

The Great Depression was the foe, and he argued that the country needed to come together

behind him to attack the problem. Roosevelt cemented that the United States was in a war-like

situation, which according to the Constitution would grant the President additional power.

The American people needed a way of looking at their situation that would enable them

to act, and to act productively. By drawing on the image of a “holy war” against the Great

Depression, Roosevelt implicated both civic and religious elements of society, reinforcing these

values and urging for action. He conveyed that solving the Great Depression would be an ordeal,
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rather than a quick solution. Roosevelt also gave Americans a sense of control over events in

their lives and persuaded them to play an active role in solving the crisis. He argued that

“compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered” the Great Depression was solvable.

Roosevelt reminded the nation that overcoming problems was part of American heritage and that

they would not give up without a fight. Furthermore, his choice of precise and confident

language conveyed a firm, warlike resolve to triumph over adversity, encouraging the American

people to unite behind his leadership (Doughton).

Throughout his speech, Roosevelt used careful word choice and figures of speech to

connect with the American people while separating himself as a strong and humble leader. In the

first sentence, Roosevelt used “them” to reference the audience of the American people to

separate himself from them to demonstrate that he knew that Americans had expectations of him

as a leader. He then used “we and our” throughout the rest of the first paragraph to suggest that

he was part of the American people and to demonstrate his belief that they should face the

challenges ahead of them together.

Halfway through his speech, Roosevelt repeated the phrase “it can be helped” five times,

then ended, “but it can never be helped merely by talking about it” to instill confidence in his

ability to address the problems at hand and emphasize the need to act (Roosevelt 7). Later in his

speech, Roosevelt stated, “If I read the temper of our people correctly, we now realize as we

have never realized before our interdependence on each other” (Roosevelt 10). “If” served as a

qualifier which strengthened his assertions because it added humility (Doughton).

Throughout his speech, Roosevelt used the word “common” as an emotional appeal to

American’s sense of community. In the second paragraph, Roosevelt discussed the “common

difficulties” that Americans faced in an effort to show individuals that they were not alone. In the
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seventeenth paragraph, he explained the “common discipline” which Americans must share

when facing challenges together. Then, in the eighteenth paragraph, Roosevelt talked about the

“common problems” to emphasize how the nation would address the issues together to improve

the health of the country as a whole.

The purpose of an inaugural address is “to officially introduce and inform the audience

about the president’s plans and intentions as a leader of the United States,” and explain how he

will enhance the wellbeing of the country as president (Weber). Roosevelt’s speech is a good

example of an inaugural address because it fits the five criteria established by Campbell and

Jamieson. These five requirements function to create a sense of unity within audience members

by identifying them as “the people” of the United States; reinforcing previously established,

communal values; identifying the political practices that will be used by the administration;

specifying that the president acknowledges and is in agreement with the limitations of his

position; and focusing on an “eternal present” (Morris).

In his opening statement, Roosevelt used the phrase, “my fellow Americans,” to unify the

people of the United states (Roosevelt 1). He then claimed, “the joy and moral stimulation of

work no longer must be forgotten” to reinforce traditional values (Roosevelt 5). Roosevelt stated,

“hand in hand with this we must frankly recognize the overbalance of population in our

industrial centers and, by engaging on a national scale in a redistribution, endeavor to provide a

better use of the land for those best fit for the land” to identify the political practices that would

be used by his administration (Roosevelt 7). In his inaugural he asserted, “It is to be hoped that

the normal balance of executive and legislative authority may be wholly adequate to meet the

unprecedented task before us. But it may be that an unprecedented demand and need for

undelayed action may call for temporary departure from that normal balance of public
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procedure” (Roosevelt 13). Therefore, Roosevelt acknowledged his limitations as President

while recognizing that times were desperate and may call for temporary, unprecedented action.

At the end of his speech, Roosevelt expressed, “We aim at the assurance of a rounded and

permanent national life” to emphasize the transcendent power of the United States government

(Roosevelt 15).

Roosevelt’s speech also follows the typical arrangement of an inaugural address (Liu).

He began with a greeting addressing the American people, then confirmed his role as president,

next articulated the sentiments of Americans and their challenges, then called for change, next

aroused patriotism, then announced his plans, and finished by calling on the American people to

act. In his opening paragraph, Roosevelt referred to the American people as “my fellow

Americans” to kindly greet them (Roosevelt 1). He confirmed his role as president by

expressing, “I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical

days” (Roosevelt 1). Roosevelt addressed the problems of the United States beginning, “In such

a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties” (Roosevelt 2). He then called

for change claiming, “Recognition of the falsity of material wealth…” (Roosevelt 5). Roosevelt

aroused patriotism and united Americans stating, “The basic thought that guides these specific

means of national recovery is not narrowly nationalistic” (Roosevelt 9). He announced his plans

for the future sharing, “I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures

that a stricken nation in the midst of a stricken world may require” (Roosevelt 12). Roosevelt

concluded by calling on the American people to act, stating, “In their need they have registered a

mandate that they want direct, vigorous action” (Roosevelt 15).

According to published responses, Roosevelt’s address was extremely successful. The

press supported Roosevelt’s assertions that the corrupt practices of the moneychangers had
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caused the banking crisis. The bankers on Wall Street, as a whole, did not speak out to reject

Roosevelt’s plans. The Congress passed Roosevelt’s Emergency Banking Act only five days

after the address. Shortly after reopening the banks, the American people redeposited large

quantities of previously hoarded money. Furthermore, many Americans wrote letters to

Roosevelt in which they commented favorably on the speech and wished the president well

(Houck and Nocasian).

The three predominant reactions of the American public were responses of confidence,

religion, and dictatorship. The majority of Americans believed that in his address, Roosevelt had

restored the nation’s confidence in the government. Clifford L. Maxwell of Waco, Texas wrote

to Roosevelt, “Tears came to my eyes while you delivered your inaugural address. It was

wonderful, breathing confidence and the dawning of a new day!” (Johnson-Cartee). An

overwhelming number of Americans also regarded his mandate to lead as a divinely sanctioned

one in which Roosevelt was God’s chosen vessel to save the nation. Mrs. Peter Gaskins of Rhode

Island summarized the thoughts of many Americans when she wrote to Roosevelt, “I firmly

believe that the Almighty, in his goodness, has placed the right man in the right place at the right

time” (Johnson-Cartee). Countless Americans had so much confidence in Roosevelt that they

believed he could and should arrogate great powers for himself, even dictatorial powers. Joseph

D’Angelo of Long Island encapsulated the beliefs of these Americans when he wrote to

Roosevelt, “May I suggest, that what America needs today is a dictator, which I believe you can

be while not hurting people. We all have faith in your judgment” (Johnson-Cartee).

While the immediate response of the American public was overwhelmingly favorable

towards Roosevelt’s address, more recent critics argue that Roosevelt endangered the freedom of

speech or opposition and demonstrated an authoritarian-like quality (Doughton). Roosevelt

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successfully gained the confidence of the American people and the persuasive control of the

Congress, as well as muted the Wall Street bankers through his effective use of audience-

centered rhetoric in which he utilized ethical and emotional appeals, scapegoat techniques,

biblical allusions, war metaphors, and repetition. Therefore, this speech is important to critically

analyze to understand how a relatively unknown man transformed himself into the messiah who

saved the American people during the Great Depression, through the power of rhetoric.

Roosevelt persuaded the majority of Americans to advocate for an unprecedented, dictator-like

executive power during their time of desperation. Perhaps one should fear this capability of

rhetoric as it could lead to the creation of an authoritarian government in the United States. But,

as Roosevelt said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

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