"To some generations, much is given. Of other generations, much is expected. THIS generation of AMERICANS [pause] has a RENDEZVOUS with DESTINY."
I liked the first two sentences, felt they were leading up to something. Then the third sentence, although it contained the memorable phrase, "rendezvous with destiny," didn't seem to flow naturally from the logic of the first two sentences. I always had the feeling that FDR had suddenly abandoned his train of thought and then just thrown in a phrase that he had been waiting to toss off all along.
About 20 years ago I met a stripper named Destiny, and quoted FDR's little speech for her, with the appropriate inflections and emphases. I don't think she got it.
