-Source- -Quote of the Day- The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.-President Franklin D.Roosevelt How was FDR elected four times when the limit was two terms? -Source- Quora- There was no only two terms rule/law. It was only an unspoken convention. FDR wasnt the first one to contest for a third term. His distant cousin Teddy Roosevelt did that too for instance (though he lost to Woodrow Wilson) When FDR decided to run for third term he wasnt sure himself if that would go down well with public. But he had already built a reputation for i do as i deem right approach ever since his New Deal programs were scrutinized sometimes scrapped by the Supreme Court. So frankly the man wasnt too touchy about issues like reputation. At the time FDR got into his third term 1941 it was clear that US would inevitably have to play a wider role in WW2. FDR thought and I agree there that in face of an isolationist congress a shrewd politician like him would be reqd to supply the Brits with arms and keep them fighting (lest America be forced to jump in formally for theor defense which happened not before Pearl Harbour) FDR was also one of few mainstream politicians who had the experience of fighting a world war. He was in charge if Navy under Wilson administration. Arguably he was the most experienced man to lead the nation in event of a seemingly inevitable World War.