Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Douglas Chandor, 1949 White House Historical Association

Most Americans had no idea that the president they elected in 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had polio. He took any measure to deceive the public in his appearances, and Eleanor Roosevelt played a great role in overseeing her husband's health. From the polio's inception in the early 1920s, she moderated Roosevelt's therapies, supported his political goals, and stood in for him when he was unable to make appearances. While FDR was busy with the terms of the New Deal, the White House staff tripled in size and the addition of a West Wing created enormous activity in the mansion. Roosevelt arrived to the White House during the Great Depression' and in his first hundred days as president he instituted measures to provide immediate social and economic relief while soothing Americans' worries with his famous "fireside chats," broadcast from the White House over the relatively new medium of radio. With such a busy schedule, Roosevelt hardly had time for his family. On one occasion, his son needed to talk to his father and had to make an appointment. Despite this, Roosevelt was still too involved in his presidential duties to pay attention to his son's concerns. Eleanor Roosevelt recalls "If they [the children] wanted to really talk to their father, they had to ask for an appointment. And even when they got the appointment, sometimes affairs of state would be so important that they didn't get the full attention of their father. And this is a very difficult thing for youngsters to accept." It is little wonder that Eleanor once wrote, "From a personal standpoint I'd give anything to leave Washington and, if Franklin is elected, I wonder if the amount he can do will be worth the sacrifice that all of us have to make." Eleanor's activities as first lady for 12 years kept her busy as she served as her husband's eyes and ears on public opinion and instituted regular White House press conferences for women. She was the first first lady to become an active politician and after her husband's years in office became a major voice for the Democratic party.