Popular Culture Review 29.2
As he said , “ Black Care Rarely Sits Behind a Rider whose Pace is Fast Enough .” Certainly , TR ’ s pace�as man or president�was fast enough to keep well ahead of any pursuer .
FRANKLIN D . ROOSEVELT : SAILOR IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Polio changed FDR ’ s life . Given its severity , it could hardly have been otherwise . Changing his life certainly affected his presidency , which became so momentous that many scholars consider him to have established “ The modern presidency ,” and often disregard those who came before . However shortsighted such a view , the transformational nature of the Democratic Roosevelt ’ s presidency is clear , as is his stature among the greatest who have held the office .
Less well-known , however , is the continuity of his connection with the sea . This also was so influential on FDR the man , as to have had an inevitable effect on FDR the president , and thus on the presidency of this most remarkable figure . Researching Roosevelt and his connection with the sea is simpler than it might seem . After delving into FDR material , it became obvious that there was no need to search records at the FDR Library in Hyde Park . The librarian indicated that Robert Cross had studied all the Library ’ s relevant materials and had produced the definitive book , Sailor in the White House ( Cross 2003 ).
There is another book with a similar title , by William Rigdon ( with James Derieux ), White House Sailor ( Rigdon 1962 ). Despite the similarity of titles , the two books are quite different . Rigdon was a U . S . Navy sailor , originally a warrant officer , assigned to the White House . His book is interesting in its own right , and has relevance , but is not primarily directed at FDR and the sea .
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