Personal Life and Political Career
Rosenman was born in San Antonio, Texas, son of Solomon and Ethel (Paler) Rosenman. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and graduated From Columbia Law School in 1919. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Delta Sigma Rho.
He became active in Democratic politics, and was elected to the New York State Assembly (New York County 11th District in 1922-26); and the New York Supreme Court (1st District, 1936–43).
Rosenman was an advisor to Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. Under their administration he was a leading figure in the war crimes issue. He was also the first official White House Counsel -- then called Special Counsel—between 1943 and 1946.
He was a speechwriter under both presidents, helping Roosevelt with his speeches from his days as governor. While he was not heavily involved in speechwriting during FDR's first term, he started traveling to Washington to help out with important talks during the 1936 campaign and was a key speech aide for the remainder of FDR's life. He officially joined the White House after ill health forced him to have to choose between his judicial work and his presidential work.
He submitted his resignation as Special Counsel upon FDR's death but Truman asked him to stay on, initially through V-E Day, then through V-J Day, and finally into 1946. Even after leaving the White House he would periodically return to aid the president with major speeches, including his acceptance speech to the 1948 Democratic convention.
Read more about this topic: Samuel Irving Rosenman
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