FDR's Body Politics: The Rhetoric of Disability (Volume 8)

Presidential Rhetoric and Political Communication

by Davis W. Houck, Amos Kiewe

Franklin Roosevelt instinctively understood that a politician unable to control his own body would be perceived as unable to control the body politic. He took care to hide his polio-induced lameness both visually and verbally. Through his speeches—and his physical bearing when delivering them—he tried to project robust health for himself while imputing disability, weakness, and even disease onto his political opponents and their policies.

In FDR's Body The Rhetoric of Disability, Davis W. Houck and Amos Kiewe analyze the silences surrounding Roosevelt's disability, the words he chose to portray himself and his policies as powerful and health-giving, and the methods he used to maximize the appearance of physical strength. Drawing on never-before-used primary sources, they explore how Roosevelt and his advisors attacked his most difficult rhetorical how to address his fitness for office without invoking his disability. They examine his broad strategies, as well as the speeches Roosevelt delivered during his political comeback after polio struck, to understand how he overcame the whispering campaign against him in 1928 and 1932.

The compelling narrative Houck and Kiewe offer here is one of struggle against physical disability and cultural prejudice by one of our nation's most powerful leaders. Ultimately, it is a story of triumph and courage—one that reveals a master politician's understanding of the body politic in the most fundamental of ways.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really interesting. It did a great job of explaining the way disability was seen during FDR's time, how he felt about it, how his family and friends felt about it, and how society felt about. It also described how FDR was able to hide his disability from the public, and how still to this day, it is very difficult to find any pictures of FDR in his wheelchair. It was mentioned or written about. Great read. One of the most powerful passages was how today PWD are more integrated and accepted in societies, yet the possibility of a disabled president today is nearly impossible.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the least sensationalized takes on FDR. Thorough analysis of the rhetoric of his body, but the final chapter does indulge in the disability metaphor a little bit.

[Hafsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on a biography--explores the life of FDR through a very specific theme in his life--his polio and the ways he was able to hide his disability from the American public and use rhetoric to do so. He deployed rhetoric throughout his campaign and while he was president that was active, masculine, strong, etc to allow the American public to see him as "fit" for the job---despite the fact that he was many times, ill. Really fascinating use of sources--his speeches, news paper articles, etc. A short and quick read.