The Roosevelts/PBS

A radio programme to which I always listen is Great Lives on radio 4 at 4.30  every Tuesday.

It is presented by ex-Conservative MP Matthew Parris who has made an easy transition from politics to broadcasting.  Generally somebody well known advocates a Great Life and an expert fills in the detail.

As is the way with the BBC some subjects, notably high-achieving women are featured, worthy no doubt, but I have never heard of them.

A question I always ponder is  what are the elements of  a Great Life?

I would submit four:

1) Achievement

2) Legacy

3) Leadership

4) Overcoming adversity

If my four are correct and justified there can be no greater life than that of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

His achievements were the New Deal, ending years of Depression, defeating Hitler and others too numerous to list: his legacy as a four-time President was to redefine the role of Presidency and its relationship with the people; his leadership was cheerful; he was almost perpetually smiling,optimistic but cool and shrewd too; and the adversity he overcame was polio, sustained aged 39, which denied him the use of his legs without braces.

This brilliant documentary PBS series directed by Ken Burns gives you much more as it features all three Roosevelts: Theodore, Eleanor and Franklin.

Eleanor who married Franklin was the beloved niece of Theodore, whose father Eliot an alcoholic depressive, died tragically from his own hand.

Theodore had a huge life force: he was well-read, a hunter and leader of expeditions who confronted the big heads of Corporate America like JP Morgan; he was the first President to entertain a black native American for lunch (Booker T Washington); the first to have a motor car; and the first to enter a submarine.

Yet, bereft of politics after his term was over, he was lost and his Bull Moose party never acquired traction.

His fifth cousin Franklin was a undistinguished lawyer who went into politics as a Democrat – unlike Theodore, a Republican, whose family opposed Franklin’s policies.

He was Assistant Secretary of the Navy in World War One, in which he met Winston Churchill who was first Sea Lord, but neither had much recollection of this, though in the next War were fast friends.

When they met mid-World War Two in mid-Atlantic, Franklin hit on the idea of each signatory to the Atlantic Charter becoming the United Nations. He wheeled his chair excitedly to Churchill’s room and was startled to see him emerge naked from the bath. In typical Churchillian way he was greeted with:

“I have nothing to conceal from the President of the United States.”

Eleanor Roosevelt, who died in 1962, devoted herself energetically and selflessly to good works and produced the first declaration of Human Rights.

Ken Burns engaged the finest historians, like Doris Kearns Goodwin, and actors – Paul Giamatta as the voice of Theodore, Edward Herrmann as Franklin, Meryl Streep as Eleanor, plus Billy Bob Thornton, Ed Harris and Eli Wallach.

Rather sadly I thought if a documentary was made here about Winston Churchill, Sir Mark Rylands and Sir Patrick  Stewart would probably refuse to participate.

Which of the two – Winston or Franklin – was  the greater?

Winston did not have to overcome too much adversity and most of his difficulties were caused by his own poor judgment over major issues, except Hitler of course.

 

Churchill was perhaps the finer orator but more florid, whilst Franklin could reduce issues to a form the public could understand.

He compared lend-lease to lending your next door neighbour your fire hydrant to put out his fire.

 

Extraordinarily the American public were mainly unaware of his polio. Indeed many have stated in meeting him he stood up to greet them, a manoeuvre that was impossible for him.

Every photo of him is either in a chair or being balanced.

There were so many anecdotes about Franklin Roosevelt but I will end with just one.

At his funeral cortège, one admirer passed straight out. His companion asked him when he came to:

“ Did you know Roosevelt then ?”

” No he replied. “But he knew me”

When Labour have their review and reflection they could do worse than learn the lesson of Franklin D. Roosevelt.