452 B SpeecheS for AnAlySiS And diScuSSion
Aquinas and Martin Buber—his citing Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s refusal to
obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar—and his portrayal of the terror and despair of black
children throughout the South, should be required reading in every American school.
When we gave our contribution to help plan the Washington protest for later that
summer, I hid my fear that bringing together vast numbers of Civil Rights activists and
red-necked southern police could result in a counterproductive riot. The Reverend
was certain that the event’s tone would be spiritual. And his “I Have a Dream” speech
became one of our nation’s greatest orations. “I Have a Dream” has been called the most
important and influential speech of the 20th century. Addressing a transfixed audience,
standing resolutely, his back to the Lincoln Memorial, King began his speech with, “Five
score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed
the Emancipation Proclamation.” What a man, what a setting, what an opening!
After evoking the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as
“promissory notes,” he declared that America had defaulted, the check had come
back marked “insufficient funds”; and he proclaimed (like Amos in the Old Testament)
that he would not be satisfied until, “justice rolls down like waters and righteousness
like a mighty stream.” He went on to describe his dream (“deeply rooted in the
American Dream”), echoing the powerful resonance of the Biblical Isaiah. He cited
“My Country ’tis of Thee” and finished with the old Negro spiritual refrain “Free at last!
Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” And the nation responded by
supporting Lyndon Johnson’s Civil Rights legislation.
In the classical world, Aeschines warned the Athenian Assembly of threats from
Philip II of Macedon, and everyone commented on how eloquently Aeschines spoke.
Demosthenes then rose to give his Philippic, and the Assembly shouted, “Let us march
against Philip!”
Studying memorable speeches can be helpful, and educational as well.
The greatest secular speech of all time, Pericles’ Funeral Oration, as reported by
Thucydides 2,600 years ago, conveys ideas we would do well to ponder today.
Think of our Millionaires’ Congress: Pericles says, “Advancement in public life falls to
reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit;
nor does poverty bar the way. If a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by
the obscurity of his condition.” Consider the mega yachts of our hedge funders on the
political right, as Pericles notes, “We cultivate refinement without extravagance and
knowledge without effeminacy; wealth we employ more for use than for show.” How
many on our political left could dispute his point that, “The real disgrace of poverty is
not in owning to the fact but in declining the struggle against it.”
Lou Gehrig’s “Farewell to Baseball,” at which I cried as a young boy, expressed a
modesty, a gratitude for the good things life had given him, that is unthinkable from our
gladiators of today.
Studying failures—or lost opportunities—may be even more helpful to mistake-prone
amateurs. Studying great “saves” can be instructive, too. Richard Nixon’s emotional
“Checkers” speech, for example, effectively ended talk of the embarrassing “Nixon Scandal
Fund.” Mitt Romney’s self-confident, authoritative manner in the first Presidential debate of
2012, his eye-contact with the audience and his smiling gazes at his adversary, did much
in the audience’s view to overcome the weakness of his argument.
The failure of Obama’s advisors and “handlers” to prepare him adequately for the
first debate will be notable in political history. David Axelrod, Obama’s chief advisor,
noted after the debate, “The president showed up with the intent of answering
questions and having a discussion. Romney showed up to deliver a performance, and
he delivered a very good performance.” As Reagan’s speechwriter Peggy Noonan
said years ago, “A speech is part theater and part political declaration,” and AxelrodZ02_BEEB3981_05_SE_APPB_445-454.indd 452 11/13/14 5:31 PM