I bring this question up because we have just left the administration of a president that was always (and at times, unfairly so) criticized for his ham-fisted performances in formal speeches and every day speaking opportunities and have just entered the administration of a president that is often (too much, at times) lauded for his performance in those very same endeavors.
I guess the answer to the title question seems to depend on who is leading each party, now doesn’t it?
If you ask this question to supporters of each president, I will guarantee you that more supporters of President Obama will say that good oratory skills are important than President Bush supporters would.
So back to the question at hand, do they actually matter?
Obviously, there has to be some intelligence, knowledge and savviness behind the words, but I do believe that the oratory skills of a president are incredibly important and matter a great deal.
I know some may argue that the ability to give a good speech does not qualify someone to be president and that the inability to do so should not disqualify someone as well.
I would wholeheartedly agree with the first statement and agree with the second one...but only to a certain point.
A president could have incredibly brilliant and well thought out policies, but if they cannot articulate them to the public or to other members of the government what good would they be?
For an example of this, take President Bush’s plan to restructure Social Security.
To me, this was a brilliant plan. The plan would divert some of your Social Security withholdings to a personal account that would be invested in Wall Street. This would have done wonders for the market and created substantial wealth for every person that contributed to the fund. Moreover, it would have solved the budgetary shortfalls the system faces in the not too distant future.
We all know what happened to that plan; it failed because the American people didn’t buy into it.
Why was that?
Well, it was because President Bush simply could not properly communicate it to the average citizen. He tried using graphs and charts, speaking to the public through the press; even campaigning around the country trying to gain support for this plan. In the end, it just didn’t work…he couldn’t close the deal. The message was solid, the messenger…not so much.
The importance of oratory skills is not a new phenomenon that is a byproduct of the 24-hour news cycle.
Think about the basic foundation of our country. What is it?
It is not a crop or a good that can be bought, traded or sold.
It is not a political system or a ruling dynasty.
It is an idea and that idea is freedom.
How did this idea of freedom take root? It was founded in the streets of
So you see that strong political oratory predates the founding of our country and played an incredibly vital role in its founding.
Plus, can anyone really remember what a president wrote in any of their official documents?
Of course not, but can anyone remember any speeches given by our presidents?
Of course you can!
“Four score and seven years ago…”
“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country…”
“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall…”
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself…”
“I am not a crook…”
“It depends on what the meaning of “is” is…”
Sorry about those last two, but I couldn’t help myself.
Having sound oratory skills is an invaluable weapon in a president’s arsenal. They help a president look more focused, sure of himself, prepared…in short, presidential.
So when someone says, “All Obama can do is give a good speech”, don’t shrug that off as some inconsequential skill…even if it is aided by a teleprompter.
That’s all for now folks. Until next time, take care and be well.
-John
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1 comment:
Personally, I care more about what a president says than how he says it. Politics attracts plenty of silver-tongued conmen, but their words and promises are often as empty as their actions when it comes to actually fulfilling those promises. Currently, Obama is under fire from his opponents (of course), but also many, many of his supporters - such as auto workers who are facing income cutbacks or total job loss - who feel he is selling them out in favor of banking and Wall Street interests. They believed his glittering campaign rhetoric of being solidly behind the middle-class working man, and now they're finding out that no one - democrat or republican - can deliver on all the promises they make in the quest for elected office. (Another Bush point is that his Guest Worker program made a lot of sense, too. Get the illegals registered, let them make money and pay taxes for a few years, then get then OUT of here and let in a new batch of temporary workers. But, there again, Bush just couldn't sell the plan, so the illegal immigrant onslaught continues unabated.) Anyway, I'd rather a president speak to me man-to-man as Americans, and not speak down to me in glib, but emotionally soothing, tones.
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