October 19, 2024

Political speech is important to campaigns, as noted by Hart (2000, 2020, 2022). Effective oratory comprises both the message (the words) and delivery of the message.

With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.

There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There’s the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America, and Latino America, and Asian America. There’s the United States of America. The pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue states, red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome god in the blue states, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the red states. We coach little league in the blue states, and (yes) we’ve got some gay friends in the red states.

These were inspiring words from inspiring speakers.

Once an entertaining and (sometimes) convincing speaker, Donald Trump is no longer an effective communicator. His 92-minute acceptance diatribe at the Republican National Convention was angry, dark, and disorganized. The delivery was lethargic rather than uplifting.

In numerous appearances on the campaign trail, Trump has failed to deliver meaningful, uplifting speeches. His message is often unclear. His words sometimes slurred. As noted in the August 26–31 news posting, Trump’s psychological disorders and cognitive impairment could lead to his losing the election.

Kamala Harris’s performance on the campaign trail stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump.

Prior to Biden’s endorsement, most people knew Kamala Harris as vice president in the Biden-Harris administration, but few knew about her extensive background and skills. Fewer still had heard her deliver a campaign speech.

People now realize that Harris is a disciplined, effective, and (yes) inspirational speaker.

Harris’s’ message is uplifting, aspirational, and future-looking. Her friendly, sometimes jovial, tone, is welcoming to all people. More than highly rehearsed, her words come from the heart, making for an effortless, but effective delivery.

Kamala Harris is joining long list of capable orators across the history of the Democratic Party, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy, Geraldine Ferraro, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

Harris is among today’s most capable Democratic leaders, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Jasmine Crockett, Hakeem Jeffries, Jared Moskowitz, Katie Porter, Jamie Raskin, and Bernie Sanders.

Americans pine for inspirational speakers and leaders. They may have found one in Kamala Harris.

Books about political speech: #

• Hart, Roderick P. 2000. Campaign Talk: Why Elections Are Good for Us. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. [ISBN-13: 978-0691001265] Publisher link.

• Hart, Roderick P. 2020. Trump and Us: What He Says and Why People Listen. New York: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN-13: 978-1108796415] Publisher link.

• Hart, Roderick P. 2022. American Eloquence: Language and Leadership in the Twentieth Century. New York: Columbia University Press. [ISBN-13: 978-0231209076] Publisher link.

As we approach November 5, The Virtual Tout® will do what have been doing throughout this election season: Following the data and leading with science.

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