SpeecheS for AnAlySiS And diScuSSion B 453
should have listened. When Axelrod was asked why Obama did not address Romney’s
“47 percent” gaffe, he replied, “The president obviously didn’t see the appropriate
opportunity.” The appropriate opportunity? O’s opening statement could have
been, “Governor Romney is concerned about some of us; I am concerned about all
Americans, including the 47 percent.”
O’s talk petered out. My suggestion for an ending would have been: “We have
started the recovery from the disaster we inherited; with your support we will finish
it.” Michelle Obama’s convention speech was widely praised, and the audience came
away feeling that this good woman loved her husband. Necessary but not sufficient! I
would have added to her remarks: “The man I live with may look calm, but he spends
sleepless nights over our casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and agonizes over students
who can’t find jobs and unemployed workers whose insurance is running out.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his own sermons and speeches. John F. Kennedy’s
were written by Ted Sorensen, Ronald Reagan’s were by Peggy Noonan, Barack
Obama’s by Jon Favreau. Franklin Roosevelt corrected his own talks, but the first
drafts were written by skilled writers like Sam Rosenman, Robert Sherwood, Archibald
Macleish, and others. If you get help for a major talk, or have someone prepare a draft,
you are in good company. But writing your own material can not only be fun, but also
educational. E.M. Forster’s comment, “How do I know what I think until I hear what I
say?” states it clearly.
Plunge in and write your own; but remember Aristotle’s ethos, logos and
pathos; Cicero’s decorum; Demosthenes’ delivery; and the one attribute of all great
speeches—say something worth saying!elvIS^4
by Angelitta Armijo, Texas State University
Can you imagine being a singer with 150 different albums and singles that have been
certified gold, platinum, or multiplatinum? Neither can I. But according to Elvis.com,
that’s the reality for Elvis Presley.
Although Elvis is no longer with us, his influence on the rock industry remains
prevalent today. After all, he paved the way for groups such as the Beatles and Led
Zeppelin. I personally have been an Elvis fan for as long as I can remember. I grew up on
him, and I own many of his albums on CD, cassette, and vinyl. I also own every movie
that he’s ever starred in, including some of his TV specials, which I’ll talk about later.
Elvis Presley was an American kid who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks
and later became the King of Rock-n-Roll. To better understand Elvis, you need to
know about his early days of life before he was famous, his early career, and his shift in
career focus, which was prevalent until the end of his life.
Let’s begin with Elvis’s humble beginnings. Elvis was born into a poor family, but he
kept his eyes on his dreams and his love of music. Elvis Aaron Presley was born January
8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Gladys and Vernon Presley. Actually, Elvis was born
as a twin, but his brother, Jesse Garon, died at birth, leaving Elvis to be raised as an
only child, according to the A&E Network. Also according to A&E Network, Elvis was
very dedicated to his family and especially to his mother, whom he loved very much. His
family encouraged him to be active in church, and it was in church that he discovered his
love of singing and music. When he was ten years old, he received his first guitar, and
throughout his childhood and young adult life, he was involved in many talent shows.
According to Elvis.com, the family moved to Memphis in 1948 to seek financial
security and job security. Soon after graduating high school in 1953 in Memphis, Elvis
became a truck driver. It was during his truck-driving years that Elvis recorded a fewZ02_BEEB3981_05_SE_APPB_445-454.indd 453 11/13/14 5:31 PM