Who better to compare to FDR than FDR himself? Any president will give hundreds of speeches during his time in office, but Roosevelt's most memorable ones were delivered directly to the American people via his fireside chats.

The first of his 30 chats was delivered March 12, 1933, less than two weeks after his inauguration. FDR insisted on keeping in contact with the public to let them know just how his bold plans were unfolding. It was the first time in history that so many people could directly hear their leader speak to them.

Not only was speaking to the people important, but the specific words he used were crucial as well. Since his goal was to convey information to as many citizens as possible, he spoke in a simple manner to get his complex ideas across. Like his inaugural address, the chats also sought to bolster the public's confidence in the nation so discussions of fears and perseverance were commonplace. And while none of the individual chats was as powerful as FDR's inaugural address, taken together they offer insight into appealing directly to the American people.

Maybe it's time to bring back the radio addresses…