"What do you think of Franklin D. Roosevelt as president?"
(asked at the Kirkland Library on 04-23-97; published in the EJ on 04-27-97)

Betty Edwards, Librarian, Seattle


"I think he was a good president. And I don't think that some of the things we censure him for today -- the way he treated his wife, evidently he was unfaithful -- made a whole lot of difference to his political effectiveness."

Sally Polk, Assistant managing librarian, Bothell


"I think FDR did some pretty incredible things. I believe in all the programs he put together. And I think his wife, Eleanor, was one of the greatest human beings on the planet. I think she truly believed in all of us and our potential. She believed the government had to help, but she trusted us, and the government, to handle that wisely."

Will Ehrstron, Quality control inspector, Kirkland


"I think he was probably the greatest president we ever had. He was a man that we needed at that time in our history. They called him a 'traitor to his class' because he initiated Social Security, and public works projects... I think his original intent was to help people survive, but we have tacked on so many programs to Social Security that it's become hard for the nation to bear."

Berkley Bowersox, Retired railroad clerk, Kirkland


"I thought he was a good president. I was pretty young at the time he was in, though. He did a lot of good for the country. If I remember right, he was president when we had the CCC, the Civil Conservation Corps, and they fixed up a lot of the parks. I think he got the country back to work, back on its feet... I just heard on the radio that his memorial doesn't show him in a wheelchair. I think a photo should because he was an inspiration to this country."

Jim Roberts, U.S. Navy, Kirkland


"I thought he was a great president. So many things happened during his term. He was president when many of the great programs started and that are still in effect today... And I think Eleanor was a great person and she certainly contributed a lot to that team."

Phyllis Abraham, Retired manager, Kirkland


"I thought he was a wonderful president. I remember as a very little girl my mom crying when he passed away. I think he did a lot of good in very hard times. I think he was the right man for the right time in history. And I admired Mrs. Roosevelt very, very much."

© 1997 by the Bellevue, WA-based Eastside Journal (née Journal American) newspaper.

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