For the first time 78 years ago today on Jan. 20, 1937, a U.S. President was sworn in on Jan. 20 instead of Mar. 4, when Franklin D. Roosevelt began his second of four terms. FDR is our only President to be inaugurated more than twice -- his fourth and final inauguration occurred 70 years ago today on Jan. 20, 1945. No parade, he said. Who is there to parade?, he asked. Americans were fighting the last battles of World War II and not available. His speech, at 559 words less than 5 minutes long, was the shortest Inaugural Speech since George Washingtons second one in 1793 -- that one is the shortest of them all, only 135 words. Said FDR: Today, in this year of war, 1945, we have learned lessons at a fearful cost, and we shall profit by them. We have learned that we cannot live alone, at peace; that our own well-being is dependent on the well-being of other nations, far away. We have learned that we must live as men and not as ostriches, nor as dogs in the manger. We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community. We have learned the simple truth, as Emerson said, that the only way to have a friend is to be one. Three months later, the President was dead, worn out after 12 grueling years in the White House. https://youtube/watch?v=AvgF-KsHCHo
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 21:06:47 +0000
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