rallied people to the banner of his program

[keannu]

Does it mean "he actually gathered people to the placard of his program at some concrete place" or Is it an abstract meaning of "gathering people to follow his program"?

ex)In 1933, President Franklin D.Roosevelt brought an air of confidence and optimism that quickly rallied people to the banner of his program, known as the New Deal....

[Gillnetter]

Does it mean "he actually gathered people to the placard of his program at some concrete place" or Is it an abstract meaning of "gathering people to follow his program"? Through his confidence and optimism he was able to get people to accept the New Deal. He didn't really gather people in the sense of them meeting at a particular place. He gathered them in the sense of having them agree to a certain way of proceeding.

ex)In 1933, President Franklin D.Roosevelt brought an air of confidence and optimism that quickly rallied people to the banner of his program, known as the New Deal....

Gil