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Chapter 13: Roosevelt Directs a "Fireside Chat"
"Air force?" Leo asked. "You mean we need media support?"
"Yes, but not the kind you’re thinking of," Roosevelt replied.
Leo’s first instinct was to reach out to Pittsburgh’s local newspapers and TV stations.
He believed the story of the community center had significant news value and would surely pique their interest.
"A foolish idea," Roosevelt swiftly shot it down. "Child, never fight on the battlefield chosen by your enemies or play by the rules they’ve set."
"The mainstream media—newspapers, TV stations—are all propped up by corporate advertising dollars. Their shareholders belong to the same class as the mayor and Summit Development Group. If you go to them, the best-case scenario is that they’ll twist your words, edit you into a populist agitator, or worse, simply ignore you entirely, silencing your voice forever."
"So what do we do? Keep posting on Twitter?" Leo thought of what Sarah was already doing.
"That’s not enough," Roosevelt said. "Words are cold, lacking emotional impact. People need to see your face, hear your voice, feel your anger and sincerity. They need to connect with a living, breathing person—not a username on the internet."
"When I faced the Great Depression, what stabilized public morale was radio. Through my Fireside Chats, I spoke directly to every American household, bypassing the hostile newspaper magnates."
"You need your own broadcast platform—a way to speak directly to the people of Pittsburgh."
Roosevelt paused, then offered a solution tailored to the 21st century.
"Start a YouTube channel."
Leo froze.
YouTube?
He only used it to watch gaming videos and movie commentaries.
He had never imagined this entertainment platform could become a weapon in political struggle.
"Yes, YouTube," Roosevelt’s tone left no room for argument. "It’s the cheapest and most powerful amplifier of our time. And most importantly, here, we make the rules."
Without delay, Leo approached Sarah and explained the idea.
Sarah’s eyes lit up.
As someone familiar with online ecosystems, she immediately grasped the brilliance of the strategy.
She quickly registered a new channel.
"What should we name the channel?" Sarah asked.
Leo paused to think.
Roosevelt provided the answer.
"Call it The Heart of Pittsburgh."
"Our focus won’t be on abstract national policies or the nonsense of Democrats and Republicans. We’ll concentrate on local issues in Pittsburgh—the everyday concerns of ordinary people. The community center, public transportation, potholed roads, rising rents… these are the things people truly care about."
The channel was set up.
Now, they needed to film the first video.
Just as Leo prepared to record using his laptop’s webcam at his desk—cluttered with books and instant food packaging—Roosevelt stepped in with unprecedented enthusiasm, taking on the role of director.
"Stop! Leo, do you want everyone to think you’re a failure living in a garbage dump?"
Roosevelt’s tone was sharp.
"The image of a political leader must be established from the very first second. We need a setting that conveys stability, reliability, and approachability."
Leo glanced around his cramped apartment, struggling to find any corner that matched those descriptors.
"Take the only decent piece of furniture in your apartment—that armchair—and move it in front of the fireplace," Roosevelt instructed.
"But that fireplace is fake; it’s just decorative," Leo protested.
"No one will notice. What matters is the symbolic meaning of home and warmth it conveys."
Struggling, Leo moved the chair into place.
"Now, look at the bookshelf behind you," Roosevelt continued. "Throw away all those instant food packages cluttering it. Only two books should remain on the shelf."
"Which two?"
"One: the Bible," Roosevelt said.
"The Bible? I’m not a Christian," Leo replied, confused.
"But many of the voters you’ll serve are, especially the older, conservative working-class individuals. This book isn’t there to express your faith—it’s to send a message: you respect their traditions and values. It’s a strategy for political unity."
"And the other book?"
Leo immediately understood Roosevelt’s intent.
This book represented his stance.
He wasn’t a traditional politician; he stood with the people.
One book symbolized unity; the other, his principles.
A perfect backdrop was now in place.
Next came the script.
Leo drafted an outline based on the materials he’d compiled over the past few days.
Roosevelt meticulously helped him revise it word by word.
"Delete this term, 'procedural justice.' It’s too academic—nobody understands it. Just say the city government’s auction process is flawed."
"This sentence is too long; break it up. Use short sentences, employ parallelism to give your words power and rhythm."
"Here, you need a metaphor. Tell people the community center is like the old oak tree in their backyard—imperfect but sheltering generations. Now, someone wants to cut it down to build a lifeless swimming pool in its place."
The script was polished.
Finally, it was time for performance coaching.
Leo sat in the chair facing the used DSLR camera Sarah had set up, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
"Slow down your speech, Leo," Roosevelt’s voice echoed in his mind, like a strict drama teacher. "Imagine you’re not giving a speech—you’re chatting with a friend who’s worked hard all day at the steel mill, sitting by the fire. Your tone must be sincere, steady."
"Lean slightly forward, look into the camera as if looking into their eyes. Don’t avoid it—let them feel your confidence."
"When speaking about the city government’s inaction, furrow your brow, show your anger and disappointment through your expression!"
"When discussing the struggles of the community residents, lower your voice, convey empathy and understanding."
Leo practiced again and again.
From stiff and awkward beginnings, he gradually found his rhythm.
He was no longer just Leo Wallace. He became the host of The Heart of Pittsburgh.
He became the fighter giving voice to the community.
In the first video, he focused on one issue:
The story of the Steelworkers Community Center.
Using the simplest language, he clearly laid out the entire sequence of events, exposing the shady dealings between Summit Development Group and Mayor Cartwright.
He wove in the stories of George, Rosa, and Mike throughout the narrative.
This wasn’t just a story about land and taxes—it was a story about people.
The video was recorded.
Sarah spent the night editing it, adding subtitles and key informational graphics.
Then, she clicked "Upload."
The first episode of The Heart of Pittsburgh was officially live.
The results on the first day were discouraging.
The video garnered only a few hundred views.
Most likely, they were from Frank and his union buddies.
In the comments section, aside from a few encouraging words from community members, there were more sneers and jeers.
"Another wannabe influencer trying to get attention by bashing the government."
"Who is this guy? His slow speech almost put me to sleep."
"Talks a good game, why don’t you run for mayor if you’re so smart, loser?"
Reading these comments, Leo felt disheartened.
He had hoped the video would explode like a bomb in Pittsburgh’s media landscape.
But reality was different—it felt more like a pebble tossed into the ocean, failing to even create ripples.
"Have we failed?" he asked Roosevelt.
Roosevelt’s voice remained eerily calm.
"Don’t rush, child."
"Political propaganda isn’t a quick fix. We’ve planted the seeds."
"Now, we just need a little gust of wind."
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