February 22, 200818 yr We consider Lincoln to be a great public speaker, but his best speech, the Gettysburg Address, was actually panned by the critics of the day (yes, they had speech critics before there was TV.)
February 22, 200818 yr I enjoy a good ole "W" speech sometimes! I do too, if I need a good laugh. :laugh:
February 22, 200818 yr We consider Lincoln to be a great public speaker, but his best speech, the Gettysburg Address, was actually panned by the critics of the day (yes, they had speech critics before there was TV.) Okay, even if we throw out Gettysburg we still have "A House Divided" and the "Paramount Object"
February 22, 200818 yr Okay, even if we throw out Gettysburg we still have "A House Divided" and the "Paramount Object"My point wasn't that Gettysburg should be thrown out, only that the standards of great public speaking have changed over time. Another example, the great orators of the Greeks, the founders of rhetoric, would have trouble keeping an audience today.
February 22, 200818 yr Author This is the funniest thing that I have seen in a long time... What was the American people doing putting him in the office....
February 22, 200818 yr When I listen closely to Obama, I am not impressed. He has the voice and all of the mechanics of a great speaker but he spends too much time saying nothing, IMO. Obama is as good as the speech that he reads. To be a great speaker, I think you have to be able to think quickly on your feet and I do not believe that our political system produces many great speakers. The public speaking skills of Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, and Tony Snow have impressed me more than those of Sen. Obama. I think that the parliamentary system of government ensures that the British Prime Minister is an outstanding public speaker. Why? Almost all public speaking engagements are scripted for the most part so that no one has to "free lance" anything. Assuming the speech is written halfway intelligently (and it had better be if you're going to give it publicly!), the ability to be an engaging public speaker has more to do with voice intonations and inflectons, eye contact, non-verbals, appearance, and a general charisma and personal likeability rather than an ability to think quick on your feet.
February 22, 200818 yr Author Why? Almost all public speaking engagements are scripted for the most part so that no one has to "free lance" anything. Assuming the speech is written halfway intelligently (and it had better be if you're going to give it publicly!), the ability to be an engaging public speaker has more to do with voice intonations and inflectons, eye contact, non-verbals, appearance, and a general charisma and personal likeability rather than an ability to think quick on your feet. :thumb::thumb:
February 22, 200818 yr Why? Almost all public speaking engagements are scripted for the most part so that no one has to "free lance" anything. Assuming the speech is written halfway intelligently (and it had better be if you're going to give it publicly!), the ability to be an engaging public speaker has more to do with voice intonations and inflectons, eye contact, non-verbals, appearance, and a general charisma and personal likeability rather than an ability to think quick on your feet.Intelligent people can distinguish between a good speech reader and a great public speaker. Great public speaking involves much more than reading a script or making a good political ad. As good a speaker as Obama is, in 20 Democratic debates I cannot remember a single spontaneous sounding line that he has delivered. He is a very good script reader but he is not a great debater - although he probably will be given a few more years of experience.
February 22, 200818 yr Agreed, Hitler gets his point across even if you don't understand German. Definitely. I understood he was upset at the Cowboys getting beat even though I didn't understand a lick of German.
February 22, 200818 yr This is the funniest thing that I have seen in a long time... What was the American people doing putting him in the office.... He was and still is better than the two alternatives.
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