In Elements of Persuasion, we suggest that if you want to polish your public speaking, you watch the experts. With the coming of campaign season it is easy to catch a world-class stump speech at a location near you. Check them out.
Or tune into CSPAN. This weekend I caught all the Dems in one sitting at the Tom Harkin Steak Fry. What I was looking for in each speech was what the samurai master Miyamoto Mushashi called “hitotuse nouchi” – “winning with one blow.” The single sentence that fires up the faithful and sends them to get out the vote.
Hillary played it beautifully. Speaking softly she told of Mothers who brought their young daughters up to shake her hand and told them, “See, honey, you can grow up to be anything you want,” and a of ninety year old woman who said, “I was born when women couldn’t vote and I will live to see the first woman president!” Inspiring identity politics. I was moved.
Edwards speaking in a clipped populist cadence promised health care to every American. “And unlike other candidates I’ll tell where I’ll pay for it. It won’t be cheap. But I’ll get the money rolling back the Bush tax cuts for people making over $200,000 a year!” The crowd cheered back on cue. It was unabashed class warfare. William Jennings Bryant would be proud. It is three days later and Hillary has now scheduled a major address on her health care plan. Clearly Edwards drew blood.
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