Listening to Roosevelt's first fireside chat, I was very intrigued by the intent of his speech. Ostensibly, the president's first large-scale radio communication was intended to inform the public about changes within the banking system. In his rhetoric, he made no implications about what people knew and demonstrated empathy toward the concerns of others in conveying this understanding. I could tell, however, that the real knowledge he wished to impart was not so much an understanding of banking, but rather its attunement to the thoughts and emotions of the American people. His repetitive use of intimate expressions such as “my friends” reinforces the idea that every statement the president uttered concerned the diverse interests of all citizens. When Roosevelt addressed the nation about the planned judicial package bill on March 9, 1937, he took a similar approach to implementation. In reality, spending more time recognizing the intricacies of his subject would have helped very little: FDR was a politician, not a college professor. His decision to speak briefly about such complex topics was of course deliberate. I was struck by his talent for sticking to general topics and never weighing down his message with details. To overcome the lack of analysis, Roosevelt used language that reflected the intent of government operations. We can see this when he compares the American government to a team of “three horses” who plow the fields of the people. Whenever Roosevelt sought to instill faith in the American people, he often used highly visual and figurative language to anchor his message. During the fireside chat of December 9, 1941, Roosevelt's true influence as a politician and orator became apparent. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the president was faced with tragedy and ultimately an important decision. Noticing his repetition of key phrases as well as an unusually motivating choice of words, I got a sense of the suddenness and surprise of such an attack to the public and to Roosevelt. With the country transfixed by such a crisis, the media became the message. Whatever words Roosevelt spoke, he spoke with great lightness. Although his language inspires optimism and strength, the content of the speech pales in comparison to the force of his speech. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Aside from a few references to Christianity, which were judiciously used in an effort to better connect listeners on an interpersonal level, the only surprise in listening to Roosevelt's fireside chats was the difference in form between the speeches of FDR and the presidential speeches delivered today. Such a desire to educate Americans in the president's name would seem a strange gesture today. In my interpretation, the complexity of politics seems to underlie the chosen content of presidential speeches today. Educating leaders would simply involve addressing the varied understanding of too many demographics for such an effort to have a measurable impact. Another difference is how FDR capitalizes on the use of the first person (“I”). This speaks to the way Americans viewed the functioning of government as the result of choices made by people, not as mysterious, anonymous areas of control. Even if the point of view..