Blog #8

Compare and contrast Barack Obama and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as presidents. Be sure to cover topics such as their responses to the economy, their interactions with the American public and their relationships with other elements of the US government (feel free to write about more, too!).
Your writing should come in the form of an editorial in which you take a side—you cannot write "as you can see they are similar and different!"
Your writing should also feature direct primary-source evidence from speeches and/or writings by both BHO & FDR.NOTE: This blog is important...if you choose not to do it, you might find yourself less prepared for the quiz on Friday.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was the first president to communicate with his public so often, and in so many new ways! For example, FDR created these radio shows called "Fireside Reports", where he would talk about the most recent issues, and reassure citizens all over America. Americans trusted him, especially after their last president, Herbert Hoover, who was much more of a hands-off style leader. Roosevelt's involvement with the community turned out to be much more effective in the depression. This, along with his inspiring words ("We have nothing to fear but fear itself") charmed everyone and earned their trust.
Obama seems to be in a very similer situation to the great FDR. George W. Bush would be, in this situation, the Herbert Hoover. Hoover was a Republican, and FDR was a Democrat. Noticing a pattern? Durring the 2008 election, people were desperate for change, and that was exactly what Obama was offering. He, much like Roosevelt, had a way with words that would charm the audiance (ex: "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."). America is currently going through "The Great Recession", which is just a little better than The Great Depression. Everyone is still struggling in one way or another, but nothin is instant. Obama's communication is also substantionally more frequent than recent presidents. So does this mean that Obama is the new FDR? How true can the saying "history repeats itself" be in such situations? Only time will tell.