In the period between his election and his inauguration, there was an attempt on FDR’s life on Feb. 15, 1933. (This was before inauguration day was moved to January.) He had landed in Miami after a cruise of the Bahamas and was at a meeting with the Mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak. After the meeting, FDR got in his limousine and gave a speech from the back seat to a crowd at Miami’s Bayfront Park. The gunman fired six shots at the president-elect but hit Cermak and four others instead. Giuseppe Zangara was an insane unemployed brick layer. He yelled “Too many people are starving!” as he opened fire. He hated all government officials and rich people. FDR was both, although Zangara claimed it was nothing personal. He also claimed he had stomach problems, which I assume made him really cranky. As the crowd wrestled him to the ground and probably would have killed him, FDR demanded that the people let justice prevail. FDR ordered his driver to stay for Cermak to be picked up and taken to the hospital. He cradled Anton as they sped to the hospital. FDR: “Tony, keep quiet – don’t move. It won’t hurt if you keep quiet.” At the hospital, FDR insisted on staying until Cermak was out of surgery. Unfortunately, the mayor died a few days later. In speed that seems incredible today, Zangara was executed on March 20, 1933.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-escapes-assassination-in-miami
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FDR speaking right before the shooting. Cernak is seated next to him.
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