September 05, 2004

A Rebirth of the Art of Public Speaking Took Place at the Republican Convention

I believe it was Jimmy Carter who introduced a dispirited style of public speaking to the highest campaigns in America politics. Take this speech of his—the most marked example, the famous July 15, 1979 “Malaise” speech:

Good evening. This is a special night for me. Exactly three years ago, on July 15, 1976, I accepted the nomination of my party to run for president of the United States.

I promised you a president who is not isolated from the people, who feels your pain, and who shares your dreams and who draws his strength and his wisdom from you.

During the past three years I’ve spoken to you on many occasions about national concerns, the energy crisis, reorganizing the government, our nation’s economy, and issues of war and especially peace. But over those years the subjects of the speeches, the talks, and the press conferences have become increasingly narrow, focused more and more on what the isolated world of Washington thinks is important. Gradually, you’ve heard more and more about what the government thinks or what the government should be doing and less and less about our nation’s hopes, our dreams, and our vision of the future.

Good heavens. He’s talking about the first years of his own administration (1977-1981), and he’s saying that during that time the people have heard less and less about their own hopes and dreams. What could possibly be more dispiriting?

Anyone listening to the speech (video is here ) will note the depressing, downbeat nature of the style of speaking as well as the content. Listen to the pejorative way he says the word “government.” Listen to his plaintive, despairing, hopeless tones.

That style of speaking was at odds with a thousands-of-years-old tradition. Just contrast it to this audio of John F. Kennedy to see an example of the bold tones that were traditional before Carter. Contrast it to Shakespeare’s great political speeches (“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”)

After Carter, few Presidential candidates spoke out with the ringing, stirring tones of John F. Kennedy, of FDR (“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”) Reagan came closest, but his warm, calm, avuncular manner fit right into the quieter style Carter had established. And Clinton’s aw-shucks, I-feel-your-pain approach fit right in with Carter’s.

But this week at the Republican Convention in New York, we saw a different style of oratory. Again and again, speaker after speaker—McCain, Giuliani, Schwarzenegger, Miller, Cheney, and others, and capped off by Bush—spoke out with courage, calling us to bravely achieve more than ever before. It was a rebirth of the great art of ringing, stirring, inspiring public speaking.