He also went to ludicrous lengths to conceal the fullness of his permanent disability, though, including forcing himself into what were effectively stress positions so he could be photographed standing.
The US public reacts very poorly to physical frailty and he was afraid of that.
It’s a very obscure question but I did some research and it turns out that the president who led us out of the Depression and kicked Hitler’s ass was actually in a wheelchair? Who knew?
And he was absolutely correct to do so, for exactly the same reason as any other public figure concealing a disability; it makes a real, measurable difference in the way you're perceived and treated.
