On February 27, 1941, there was a radio address by president Roosevelt, broadcast nationally through speakers outside of the Biltmore Hotel. For about 6 minutes, Roosevelt lauded Hollywood for defense-raising efforts, and praised filmmakers for promoting “the American Way of Life” (whatever it meant). When Roosevelt was done, he was thanked by producer Walter Wanger and star Bette Davis, and Judy Garland sang “America.”
On February 26, 1942, Wendell Wilkie, Republican Presidential candidate, who had run unsuccessfully against Roosevelt in 1940, was the featured speaker. He saluted the film industry for being “among the first to appreciate fully truly American sentiment,” and “for disclosing the vicious character of Nazi plotting and violence.”