Echoes From The Past in Obama Victory Speech

I love the journey I am on as a keynote speaker on business and communication topics. As well as keynote speaking on communication, I am a deadly serious student of the process. I have learned so much. One other person who has learned so much and who knows how to use that education better than probably any other living politician is President-Elect Barack Obama.

I thought the delivery of his victory speech last night was a little flat but the core message, the word-smithing and the sentiments expressed were excellent. I don’t know when Obama gets the time to craft his speeches. I am sure much of his material is written by professionals but the man has fantastic skill as a wordsmith.

Obama’s acceptance speech contains echoes of many other fine speeches. “(A) government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth,” evokes Lincoln’s Gettysburg address while “We may not get there in one year or even in one term” has echoes of Martin Luther King’s final speech in Memphis, the night prior to his assassination.

JFK’s inaugural request to “Ask not what your country can do for you” is mirrored in “It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.” And of course, Obama referenced Lincoln directly saying “As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”

When Obama said “To those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you,” he again reminded one of Kennedy’s inaugural “To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required—not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

Obama struck the right tone last night. We can only hope that a wonderful orator becomes a wonderful President.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT SPEECH?

Following his Gettysburg address, Abraham Lincoln said that he thought his speech “did not scour.” Reports of crowd reaction on the day (November 19th 1863) suggest that the very short speech generated a pretty muted reaction. Today of course, the address is regarded as one of the finest and most effective pieces of communication in history.

Why do I raise a speech made many years ago? Well, as a keynote speaker and business humorist, it is a real challenge to satisfy all of the audience, all of the time.

Reaction to Barack Obama’s speech last night was a microcosm of this challenge. It was interesting to see seasoned observers reaction to the speech. Reaction was all over the place and not based on partisan politics. On Fox News, NPR’s Juan Williams was obviously disappointed with the speech. Yet neo-conservative Bill Kristol ( who was scathing about Hillary Clinton’s speech earlier in the week) raved about the speech. On MSNBC, Peggy Noonan (a former Reagan speech writer) thought it a weak effort, while fellow GOP supporter and political strategist Mike Murphy thought it was a great speech!! So what gives?

These are all experienced commentators yet see the same speech differently. The difference might be in what was expected from the speech. Those who were expecting a soaring work of oratory, something to lift the audience in higher than the Mile High stadium would have been disappointed. Those who were looking for some content and “red meat” got what they wanted.

Obama’s speech will not be remembered as a great speech, but the occasion WILL be remembered as a great occasion. It was historic, it was brilliantly staged and over the next few weeks we will have commentators constantly speaking about the historic events in Denver while on screen you will see the 80,000 people going crazy. From a marketing and communications point of view, that is a strong and positive message to play over next few months.

From a communications and branding point of view, the Democrats had a great week. I'm looking forward to John McCain and Sarah Palin next week to see if they can match the impact.