In The Words of our Time: Speeches That Made A Difference 2001-2011, I collected fifty speeches that have made a difference. But if I had collected fifty-six, the following would have made the cut. They deserve notice because they had a powerful impact.
1. George W. Bush, Speech at the Washington Cathedral after 9/11, September 14, 2001.
This was a big-time speech at a unique moment in history. Just days after the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, and the thwarted attack that ended in a field in Pennsylvania, Bush speaks again to the nation. Unlike an earlier, confusing and unfocused speech from the Oval Office, this time he has a compassionate, resolute, and determined set of remarks. He notes the pain, grief, confusion, and despair after the attack. He also highlights the courage, commitment, and optimism of a nation united in purpose and response. This is a speech swiftly crafted and capably delivered. In the best of circumstances it would have been a difficult speech to give. In the aftermath and chaos of 9/11, this speech is virtually a miracle of statesmanship and consolation.
2. Tony Blair, Speech before a Joint Session of Congress, July 17, 2003.
Some have said this is his best speech. I would agree. It certainly is his best-known speech in the USA, a masterpiece of intelligence and persuasion. Facing a hardcore audience he charms, enlightens, and motivates American legislators to rethink their positions on Kyoto, the Middle East peace process, global terrorism, the threat from Iraq, and the “special relationship” between the United Kingdom and the United States. It is a speech that defines considerable common ground between Republicans and Democrats, forging a bipartisan engagement. After this speech, some commentators said that Blair could have been elected president.
3. Barack Obama, Speech at the Democratic National Convention, July 27, 2004.
This is the speech that led to the presidency. It may be the best speech Obama has given. I did not include it in my book because it is widely available. Frankly, the case could be made that this is the best speech given in our time. Certainly, more has been written about this speech than probably any other speech in the last decade. It is a marvelous example of story-telling, both Obama’s own personal story and the stories of other Americans. It is an uplifting call for equality, justice, and tolerance. This is a speech that instantly made history. And historians and rhetoricians will continually come back to its words.
4. Evo Morales, Inaugural Speech, January 22, 2006.
This is a powerful, aggressive inaugural speech with a purpose. Morales explains the plight of indigenous people in his country. He condemns the international relations, economic system and class conflicts that left the Bolivian workers and indigenous people disenfranchised. He uses language and images that are new to presidential rhetoric. I included an earlier speech by Morales in my book. But this one is also valuable as he initiates a new era in South American politics.
5. Angela Merkel, Speech to the Youth Conference for the Christian Democratic Party, October 16, 2010.
Merkel argues that multiculturalism in Germany is dead. This was a speech that made global headlines. However, I am sure the attention surprised Merkel and her colleagues. The remarks are given at a youth conference in Potsdam, not exactly the big international venue for a major speech. Translations were unavailable. Because it is a party speech the German embassies did not have translations. But the speech demanded coverage because of its disturbing message: “multikulti” had “utterly failed” in Germany. Merkel discusses the problems of integrating immigrants, especially those with the inability to speak German. It was a preview of remarks later given by David Cameron (which are included in my book). I regret the exclusion of this speech more than any other. And, it shows the need in our time for the distribution of major speeches in several languages. I know from my own experience that a speech can be competently translated in a couple of hours. Many organizations have translators on contract or on staff. Simultaneous distribution of remarks in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and/or Arabic would greatly assist message dissemination in a global village. Later efforts, haphazard, days later, miss the news cycle.
6. Hosni Mubarak, Speech to the Egyptian People, February 10, 2011.
This is an amazing example of a speech that came too late. It reads well, with a carefully constructed set of ideas for reform…too late. The supposed target audience is the protestors in Cairo. Their presence in Tahrir Square brought Egypt to a turning point in history. But Mubarak refuses to resign. Instead, he offers a “road map” for reform. His ideas are dead on arrival. Imagine if this speech had been given a year earlier. He would have been hailed as a reformer in the western press. And he would have potentially saved himself. Now, Egypt is governed by the military, Mubarak is on trial (off and on) and under arrest, the country remains unsettled, and the future of Egyptian reform is unknown. Historians will examine this speech endlessly, noting what could have been if the timing had been different. While it was a failure in its original intent, this is a speech that will not go away.
And these are speeches that will stand the test of time. They are part of the words of our time.