ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY March 12, 1933 Eight days after his inauguration, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gives his first national radio address or fireside chat, broadcast directly from the White House. Journalist Robert Trout coined the phrase fireside chat to describe Roosevelts radio addresses, invoking an image of the president sitting by a fire in a living room, speaking earnestly to the American people about his hopes and dreams for the nation. In fact, Roosevelt took great care to make sure each address was accessible and understandable to ordinary Americans, regardless of their level of education. He used simple vocabulary and relied on folksy anecdotes or analogies to explain the often complex issues facing the country.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 10:09:37 +0000
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