The Health History of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

With the election season in full swing, I believe it's time to look behind all the promises and hype to one side of the presidency that is underreported and left out of many history books: the health of the president. It's been said that the job is one of the most stressful position in the world, and with the media observing your every movement, you better be in top health to survive the office. I'd like to look at a few residents of the White House who not only held the trust of the media but were most likely the sickest men to hold power in this country. This article will look at the best known president to have serious health issues, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the longest-serving president in American history, serving at least a part of four consecutive terms. During his tenure in office, Inauguration Day was moved from March 4 of the year after the presidential elections to January 20 of the year after the elections, due to the progress made in the speed of transportation (one could get to Washington, DC more rapidly in 1940 than one could in 1740). He was also responsible for what he called the New Deal - a variety of social welfare programs designed to pump up a depressed economy. (Social Security was a part of the New Deal, as were a variety of different job programs such as the Works Progress Administration.)

He was also responsible for shepherding our country through the Great Depression and World War II - we have all heard him declare December 7, 1941 "a day which will live in infamy." Despite his health problems, he wanted to run in the 1944 elections, in order to provide continuity of leadership. I mention his death later on; his fourth term in office was interrupted by his death, making the continuity of leadership he so craved impossible. As a direct result of his serving of four terms, an amendment was passed limiting the US President to a total of ten years in office - two terms plus two years (just in case the President was serving as Vice President midway through the previous President's term).