In what ways was Franklin D. Roosevelt a new kind of U.S. President in the 1930s and 1940s? Describe how he changed the presidential office and its powers, and evaluate how these changes might have been good and/or harmful to the country.

Roosevelt was a very media-savvy president. He cultivated the press by giving them "off the record" material and allowing them to quote an "anonymous source" in the administration. Of course, if a reporter betrayed this trust and leaked something, he could find himself ostracized at the next press briefing. Roosevelt also reached out directly to the American people with his Fireside Chats. Roosevelt made the office of the president more visible to the American people—this has been a tradition of the presidency ever since.
Roosevelt also shaped foreign and domestic policy personally. With his Brain Trust, he authored the New Deal. Presidents ever since have sought out experts to serve as advisers on complicated issues. Some would argue that it is dangerous to allow the Executive Branch a great deal of power in shaping legislation, but this allows the president to cement himself as a party leader. Roosevelt overstepped his bounds with his attempted court-packing scheme, but presidents ever since Roosevelt have tried to be more active in getting their agendas through Congress. Roosevelt met with world leaders more than any president before; his own charisma proved to be both a blessing and a curse as his successor, Harry Truman, could not relate to Stalin the way Roosevelt did. Presidents today meet with world leaders all the time and often serve key diplomatic roles.