Eleanor Roosevelt and the Campaign Climax Guest: David Pietrusza Book Title: Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal The 1936 campaign saw the emergence of Eleanor Roosevelt as a political star. While Republicans

Eleanor Roosevelt and the Campaign Climax Guest: David Pietrusza Book Title: Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal The 1936 campaign saw the emergence of Eleanor Roosevelt as a political star. While Republicans hid Landon's wife and some Democrats feared Eleanor was "too much" for the public, she became an indispensable asset on the campaign trail. She was particularly vital in securing the African-American vote in Northern cities. While the President refused to support an anti-lynching law for fear of alienating Southern Democrats, Eleanor campaigned for it, effectively allowing the administration to "cover the bases" separately. This outreach was crucial, as African-Americans were the hardest-hit demographic and relied heavily on New Deal relief programs. The campaign reached a fever pitch in October 1936. Despite early polls showing Landon leading, the momentum swung heavily toward Roosevelt by late summer. At a massive rally at Madison Square Garden on Halloween night, Rooseveltdelivered a speech that "would peel paint today," declaring of the "economic royalists" that "I welcome their hatred." The speech was a masterpiece of class warfare; observers noted that the violence and "naked demagoguery" of his delivery were even more powerful than the written words. This aggressive stance countered the Republican argument that the public was tired of the New Deal. Despite an unemployment rate still hovering at 13.9%, Roosevelt's ability to frame himself as the protector of the working class against oppressive wealthy interests solidified his lead heading into election day. (7)