“Defund the Police” – A good idea but a terrible slogan
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, there has been a powerful backlash against racism and police brutality. I hope it finally leads to permanent, meaningful change. But one of the main slogans of the movement – “Defund the Police” – is terrible and counterproductive. First, let’s be clear. The murder of George […]
Don't make the same mistake as Donald Trump
You’d be forgiven if, after reading the title of this post, you asked, “Which one?” Don’t worry, we’re going to leave politics aside, so that narrows it down, at least somewhat. Instead, I want to discuss a mistake that the President made during his 2018 address to the United Nations. Many speakers make the same mistake, […]
Rhetorical Devices: Symploce
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: Symploce (pronounced sim-plo-see or sim-plo-kee) Origin: From the Greek συμπλοκήν (simplokeen), meaning “interweaving”. In plain English: Repetition of a […]
Analysis of Donald Trump's Inaugural Address
On 20 January 2017, Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. He takes office at the end of the most acrimonious campaigns in recent history, and with Americans deeply divided, as witnessed by the protests that erupted across the country (and the world) the next day. Embed from Getty Images […]
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 […]
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton: An analysis of their speeches
The 2016 Presidential election in the United States is over and Donald Trump has emerged as the winner. As I write this post, the votes are still being counted in some states, but the results will not affect the outcome; Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. The campaign between Donald Trump and […]
Rhetoric for Persuasive Speaking
Dukascopy Bank is a Swiss online bank that provides trading services, particularly in the foreign exchange marketplace. One of its subsidiaries, Dukascopy TV, broadcasts shows about business matters on the Internet. I have been interviewed there a few times, for example here and here. persuasive speaking Recently, the team at Dukascopy invited me for an interview […]
Analysis of a Speech by Khizr Khan
Of the 204 speeches that were delivered at the 2016 Republican and Democratic Conventions in the United States—71 by Republicans and 133 by Democrats—one has stood out. I refer to the speech by Khizr Khan, the father of a Muslim-American soldier who was killed in Iraq. Mr. Khan spoke on the final day of the Democratic Convention. With his wife standing […]
The Potent Simplicity of Donald Trump
As election year 2016 rolls along in the United States, we can no longer ignore the very real possibility that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for President. I did not think that American politics could get much more bizarre, but this election cycle has proven me wrong. As Trump’s support grows and as the Republican […]
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