Is it possible for a politician to make a sincere speech?
Spin. Insincerity. Soundbites. Media manipulation. Focus groups.
“We shall fight on the beaches...”.There is no end to it. But have we become too cynical? There is much to be cynical about modern politicians, probably about politicians of all ages. But there are some decent men and women in politics and they are between a rock and a hard place. How do they show sincerity without being derided? Has the expression “sincere politician” become an oxymoron?
“This is not a time for soundbites...I feel the hand of history upon our shoulders”
Call me credulous, but I believe that Barack Obama’s “A more perfect union” speech, though born of necessity, was sincere and inspirational. Maybe I am wrong.
A challenge for all, but in particular a challenge for two of our most outspoken commentators, the DK and Mr E
Can anyone think of a political speech made in either the UK or the USA since 1950 that they would defend to the hilt as truly sincere and inspirational?
++++++++++
Labels: focus groups, Political sincerity, spin
13 Comments:
chris said...
The problem is that political rhetoric is so overblown, it's impossible to take it at face value.
Of those left in the race, Obama is the least worst by a considerable margin.
Mad dog would lead us into WW3 without a 2nd thought. Just the other day, he was trying to pretend that Iran is training al Qaeda and that the Iraq war is going well.
Friday, March 21, 2008 12:29:00 AM
anonymous said...
A sincere, inspirational speech? Ronald Regan's 1984 address to Parliament about the the coming collapse of the Soviet Union.
Friday, March 21, 2008 12:33:00 AM
anonymous said...
McCain hasn't won yet. Hilary will still pull out a victory in November.
Friday, March 21, 2008 12:38:00 AM
anonymous said...
I think that this is an excellent speech. It is well crafted, it is well written but it is certainly not empty rhetoric. I think it's important to actually listen to this speech, really listen, with an open mind. Barack is intelligent, passionate and believes in what he is saying and as a result I believe in him. It's rare to be able to say this about a politician. We need to hear what this man has to say.
Friday, March 21, 2008 12:43:00 AM
fat lazy male nurse said...
How about Thatcher 1990:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6580000/newsid_6589400/6589499.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm&news=1&bbcws=1
Adios, Miss Morose!
Friday, March 21, 2008 12:44:00 AM
anonymous said...
Oh come on folks - http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
Friday, March 21, 2008 12:46:00 AM
I agree, I thought it was one of the few speeches in which a politician has spoken to us like we're adults and capable of more than sledgehammer judgments.
I would dearly love to see Obama win this election. Besides going a long way in establishing a post-racial America; and besides being someone of such mixed race and heritage that the rest of the world might be able to deal with him in a way they haven't for the last 8 years; besides these advantages, the man is smart, nuanced, respectful of the public and the institutions he serves, is capable of learning on the trot and most importantly is very credibly a man of integrity.
I haven't been this positively excited about politics for a long time, if ever.
How about "I have a dream" from Martin Luther King. It still resonates.
"Can anyone think of a political speech made in either the UK or the USA since 1950 that they would defend to the hilt as truly sincere and inspirational?"
I'm amazed at how arrid Dr C's brain must be if Martin Luther King's speech didn't immediately spring to mind.
OR talking of the early 60s, how about JFK's American Univ commencement speech (Summer 63) on nuclear mututally-assured destruction and nuclear testing - essentially his response to the previous year's Cuban Missile Crisis.
Plenty in there that would make salutory reading for contemporary US politicians.
"So, let us not be blind to our differences [with countries and ideologies that we see as our enemies]-- but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.
For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."
Reagan - the boys of pointe du hoc/tear down this wall speech.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganddayaddress.html
Simply remarkable!
oops, missed off the tear down this wall speech link!
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganbrandenburggate.htm
I thought politicos were rather like actors in the sense that words are put into their mouth by others ?
Shouldn't the question be 'is it possible for a political speech writer to make a sincere speech' - the answer, of course, is no, given the premeditated, and orchestrated nature of these type of situations.
Sincerity escapes when the political guard comes down, perhaps -and then there is feined sincerity which seems to come so effortlessly to hams like Bliar, and Hewitt.
'm amazed at how arrid Dr C's brain must be if Martin Luther King's speech didn't immediately spring to mind.
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Oooooooh David, that's not fair! I have several suggestions including Obama - but I was waiting to see what else came in.
Of course I agree about MLK
JOHN
If we define sincerity as being honest, genuine and not duplicitous or hypocritical then I believe that it is possible for a poilitical speech to be sincere. Even if politicians do receive help in formulating their speeches, that does not mean that they do not truly believe in what they're saying. As to the question of whether political speech writers can write sincere speeches, the answer also has to be yes they can. I don't think sincerity is dependent on spontaneity and in fact it's very dificult to actually be spontaneous and get across the full meaning of complex ideas that you might wish to express. If we think about what we're going to write before we write it and think about how we phrase things does that mean we're being insincere? I don't think so. If a speech writer wants to express ideas in a way that will touch people and influence people that should be ok. Lots of speeches and writings throughout time have influenced people positively and helped to effect change in the world. Language is a shared and powerful means we have to communicate with other people. Often politicians will be accused of using language to dress up falsity or compensate for a lack of real ideas. But language can also be an incarnation of passions and thoughts. The power of langauge can be harnessed in order to convey strongly held beliefs. The words alone are not enough unless the ideas and beliefs are behind them. If they are then the speech can be said to be genuine and sincere.
The writing of political speeches is collaborative and speech writers are supposed to compose a speech which is a reflection of the politician's policies and beliefs.
Does this mean that we should not critically assess and appraise what is being said? Absolutely not. We need to listen to what is being said and then think about it and decide for ourselves whether we agree with the sentiments expressed. A good political speech, in my view, will actively seek this audience interaction, it should not be merely didactic.
If we really believed that political speeches could never be entirely sincere then we would have to concede that nobody could be completely sincere when they write or speak, as we select what words we use and how we phrase things. We do not normally speak in an unrestrained and unfettered stream of consciousness. The fact that a speech has been edited, redrafted etc. does not exclude the possibility that it could in fact be sincere. This certainly doesn't mean that most political speeches are sincere, but we must not assume that by nature they cannot be. That would be a step too far I think.
I don't doubt that Powell's Rivers of Blood speech was sincere, and it was certainly inspiring. It's possible to dislike what it inspired, but that's quite a different matter.
Pick one of Churchill's wartime speeches - they were, of course, designed to support morale, but still.
JFK - "ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country" ... having said that, he was responsible for the Bay of Pigs disaster and America's involvement in Vietnam ... but I'm sure he was sincere at the time.
Fx
希望大家都會非常非常幸福~
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