Main story
Assist the husband
Since 1905 married Franklin, Eleanor has had an indissoluble bond with politics. During Franklin's gradual efforts to reach the peak of political power, she also became interested in politics and began to participate in political activities. In this regard, she said: "I always consider everything from the perspective of what I should do, and rarely follow my own wishes. Therefore, I became interested in politics. The wife's duty is to be consistent with her husband's hobbies, whether he likes politics, books or a dish. " Therefore, as a politician's wife, Eleanor fully supports all her husband's activities. 19 10, she supported her husband's successful election and was elected to the Senate of Dachis County, New York. Her husband's victory promoted the deepening of Eleanor's relationship with politics. By participating in more political activities, Eleanor gradually learned to correctly evaluate all kinds of people and complex social relations, and gradually understood how politics really works. At the same time, these activities enriched Eleanor's mind, made her feel the value of her existence, and urged her to participate in political activities more actively. 19 12. Eleanor attended the Democratic National Congress for the first time, which made her have a further understanding of politics. In the same year, Franklin was appointed assistant secretary of the navy for helping Wilson win the general election, and his political future was bright. At this time, Eleanor thought that she should lend a helping hand to her husband and be his political assistant.
Break through the traditional role
1905 ——1918: The first time I set foot in politics.
On the surface, their marriage is perfect, one is engaged in politics; A master-assisting her husband, who sings with her, can be described as a perfect match. Nevertheless, their marriage still went wrong. In 19 18, Eleanor found that her husband fell in love with a woman named Lucy Peggy Messer. She was extremely shocked and disheartened at that time. The crisis in marriage is mainly due to their different personalities. Franklin was confident, charming and sociable. Eleanor, on the other hand, is sincere and upright, stressing principles and ideals. These qualities make them fall in love and unite, but now, these qualities have become the root of their conflict. But neither of them will change themselves for each other, so after living together for more than ten years, their marriage has cracked. Lucy's incident dealt a great blow to Eleanor's self-esteem as a wife. She was suddenly at a loss about her future. She said, "At this moment, my whole world turned upside down. For the first time in my life, I really faced myself, everything around me and my world. " This incident ended the close relationship between the Roosevelt couple and replaced it with political and career cooperation. In this regard, their son Jimmy Roosevelt commented: "For the sake of social status, children and future, they agreed to continue their marriage, but as business partners, not husband and wife." Their marriage continued, but for Eleanor, it was a brand-new road, which meant that she got some relief and no longer needed to blindly cater to Franklin's needs. She can devote her precious energy to the career she is interested in, instead of being confined to her husband's political activities.
This is the period when Eleanor first set foot in politics. Before the marriage crisis, although she began to participate in politics, she never got satisfaction from it. For a time, she could not break through the traditional role of a young wife and get rid of the shackles of customary forces and her husband. After discovering her husband's extramarital affairs, she can establish a new partnership with him that is different from the past and freely pursue a new road to success. This is a gradual process, a process of gradually giving up the past and gaining self-confidence, a process of gradually establishing an equal political partnership with her husband and having her own political career.
Tacit partner
1919-1932: the period of bravely climbing the peak.
Although Eleanor and Franklin have different personalities, they are a pair of political partners with tacit cooperation. After the marriage crisis, they are still running for political career. 1920, Eleanor took part in Franklin's campaign for vice president. During the campaign, she showed unique sensitivity and meticulous analytical ability on many issues. During this period, her political talents made public opinion and political circles start to look at her with new eyes. Unforeseen things happened. Franklin suffered from myelitis at 192 1 and once fell into despair. For Eleanor, this is undoubtedly a severe test. She knows that the only way to cheer her husband up is to let him continue to be in politics, because he will never want to live in obscurity. Moreover, she believes that what politics needs is a person's mind, wisdom, eloquence, adaptability and the way of governing the country, and the body is second. Eleanor's life has changed obviously because of her husband's illness. To some extent, she became closer to him, first as his caregiver, and later as his political spokesperson, taking his place in various meetings and activities. As a member of the Democratic Party, Eleanor participated in the work of the Women's Department of the Democratic State Committee and delivered her first political speech in the spring of 1922. From 65438 to 0924, Eleanor participated in Alfred Smith's campaign for the governor of New York as the head of the Women's Department of the Democratic Party. Her organization and management ability in the election left a deep impression on professional politicians, so that Smith wanted to use her strength to run for the 1928 presidential election. As a result of this series of activities, Eleanor surpassed her husband in the Democratic Party when she accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for the governor of New York. Eleanor later recalled this experience: "My husband's illness forced me to be self-reliant, which changed my attitude towards his life, my life and my children." Eleanor described the winter from 192 1 to 1922 as the most severe test of her life. She stood the test and gradually became a new star in politics. 1928, with the help of Eleanor, Franklin was elected governor of New York. During the seven years from Franklin's paralysis to her election as the governor of New York, Eleanor's political contributions and excellent organizational skills made her one of the most influential politicians in new york, and her pragmatic spirit attracted the attention of the Democratic Party and women's political organizations. The New York Times trumpeted her influence, calling her "a woman with political mind and attraction".