Roosevelt's first inaugural: A study of technique

Presidential rhetoric in times of crisis: A textual analysis of speeches by franklin roosevelt and ronald reagan

“…Roosevelt used a rhetorical tool that is essential in a powerful presidential speechmood. He had the ability to set the tone early on in a speech and then change it (Ryan, 1979). In his inaugural speech, he spent the first half of it lamenting the state of the nation-the economy and unemployment-and he set a tone to which the audience could relate.…”