Franklin Roosevelt actually said...

They are essential to the protection of the Panama Canal, Central America, the northern portion of South America, the Antilles, Canada, Mexico, and our own eastern and Gulf seaboards.

09/02/1940

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...

More Franklin Roosevelt Quotes

"This attack on the Greer was no localized military operation in the North Atlantic."
"No act of violence, no act of intimidation will keep us from maintaining intact two bulwarks of American defense."
"Now threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce."
"I do hereby create a board to be composed of 5 persons not pecuniarily or otherwise interested in any organization of railway employees or any carrier."

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