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Letter: Fireside chats versus tweets

Dennis Gallagher

Jan. 15, 2017 12:00 am

During the 4,422 days of his presidency, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took to the airwaves 30 times for his famous fireside chats. During each he informed, placated, and reassured the American people. After his February 1942 address, he responded to an interviewer, 'The one thing I dread is that my talks could be so frequent as to lose their effectiveness. Every time I talk over the air it means four or five days of long, overtime work in the preparation of what I say. Actually, I cannot afford to take this time away from more vital things.”

Gosh, a president who felt that the American people deserved thoughtful communication based on quality rather than quantity.

Dennis Gallagher

Marion

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