This was an inspirational type speech where the languages of ‘action’ and ‘feeling’ prevailed. Without credibility (ethos) this speech could not have succeeded; it offered security in a time of uncertainty. It is one of the most famous pieces of oratory in the Cold War years. More than a million West Berliners turned out to […]
Profile of an Orator: John F. Kennedy
This essay is a profile of John Kennedy as an orator and on his communication skills in general. It is not a political biography. Unlike Ronald Reagan or Margaret Thatcher who were conviction speakers with ideological messages, John Kennedy’s platform was more inspiring, pragmatic and liberal. His Inaugural Address and his speech at the Berlin […]
Obama: can his actions match his rhetoric?
We can all remember the last U.S. Presidential elections when commentators daily compared Barrack Obama and John McCain in not only their policies, but also their speaking styles. Although George W. Bush was not running in the election, the comparisons were extended to him as well. Remarks were made about Bush’s many grammatical mistakes and […]
