Sitting there goggle-eyed in our living room and listening to the grown-ups talk, and comparing that with now, it all sounds a bit familiar. Those who advocated voting Republican kept talking about "wasteful spending" and predicting economic collapse (what did they think had just happened!??). The country was doomed! Those who voted for yet another term for Roosevelt had a pretty optimistic outlook, based on the fact that they were now working and making a living again as a direct result of Roosevelt's programs. Not just WPA jobs. The economy was turning around as Roosevelt said it would, and there were jobs to be had again.

When I heard Obama's inaugural speech, I also heard echoes of FDR's "fireside chats." It sounded to me (and still does) that now the country has a President.

Don Firth