Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 333) – Barack Obama

“It’s important to make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.” Barack Obama
Barack Obama's Farewell Speech

Yesterday, 10 January 2017, President Barack Obama gave his farewell speech in Chicago. It is the end of an era. Obama brought intelligence, dignity and character to the White House. Embed from Getty Images As the first black President, Obama broke a barrier that seemed impenetrable not so long ago. In so doing, he not only faced a […]
Barack Obama's Speech on Gun Control

President Barack Obama began the final year of his presidency with a speech on gun control. In it, he discussed a number of measures that he proposes to take by Executive Order to reduce gun violence in the United States. It was a solid speech on many levels. Obama usually speaks with a teleprompter but as far […]
Rhetorical Devices: Tricolon

This post is part of a series on rhetorical devices. For other posts in the series, please click this link. For a comprehensive, step-by-step overview of how to write a speech outline, please see this post. Device: Tricolon Origin: From the Greek τρία (tria), meaning “three” and κῶλον (kôlon), meaning “member” or “clause”. In plain English: A series […]
Speeches from the 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions

The hoopla is over, the streamers and confetti have been swept up and the delegates have returned home. Yes, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in the United States have concluded, but not before treating us to a Smörgåsbord of speeches. The speeches were full of stories of personal triumph over adversity, rhetorical barbs directed […]
Great Souvenir (and Excuse) from a Presidential Speech

Here’s a great story. Eleven-year-old Tyler Sullivan from Minnesota skipped school last week to go with his father to see President Obama deliver a speech at a local plant. After the speech, Tyler met Obama. The President realized that Tyler was missing school in order to come listen to his speech. And so, Obama did a […]
Reading a Speech

If you can deliver a speech without reading it, that is the best scenario. However, if you must read your speech or use notes, here are some tips to help you out.
Nothing Like a Pint of Guinness!

I enjoy a pint of Guinness from time to time. So, in honour of the delicious beer from Ireland, something on the light side today. A few days ago, I published a post analyzing Conan O’Brien’s terrific commencement address at Dartmouth College. Today I came across a clip from Conan’s TV show in which he […]
The pause that refreshes

Today’s post is inspired by a 1929 ad from Coca-Cola. In that year, the company came up with a truly great slogan that you still sometimes hear today: “The pause that refreshes.” As speakers, we can learn a lot from that slogan. Knowing when and how to pause is a great skill, and one that will […]
And so it begins

One of the greatest public speakers of ancient Athens was Demosthenes (384 – 322 BC). His speeches have been studied for centuries. Not only do they provide insight into the culture and society in which Demosthenes lived, they also provide wonderful examples of his oratorical skills. As a young boy, however, Demosthenes was the very antithesis […]
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