He was also talking about how the New Deal created jobs — which was true (government jobs), but it killed more jobs than it created, and the jobs it created were mostly taxpayer-funded.
The unemployment rate when Roosevelt took office was over 20% and these were primary wage earners.
The banking system was collapsing, taking customer’s savings with it. 30% of the money supply simply vanished, there was no FDIC to protect them. “Demand” disappeared, no one had the money to buy anything. Businesses wouldn’t hire or expand.
Programs like the Civilian Conservation Corp were a better option than the dole, which was pretty much the only alternative. There simply were no jobs to be had in the private sector with the economy caught in a deflationary spiral.