21 January 2005

The Freedom Speech

W's second inaugural address is the "freedom speech" according to William Safire. It's a really beautiful speech—one of the best modern political speeches I've ever read. Unfortunately, the President sounded like a rube when he gave it (video here). Can you imagine rehearsing a big speech like this with him? The speechwriters give you this wonderful piece of prose and you have to try to help W do justice to the text. I don't hate W, but he is a bad public speaker. I read that speech and I can hear the cadence in my mind, the rhythm that the writer intended. Then I listen to W's delivery and it sounds like a remedial reading class.



No comments: