President-elect Obama (as I write) is preparing his inaugural, and it will doubtless display the same persuasive charm and intelligence that has characterised all his speeches. ‘Change’, ‘belief’ ‘opportunity’, ‘freedom’, ‘hope’, ‘equality’, ‘rights’ and ‘listening to the people’ will be qualified by ‘responsibility’ and ‘challenge’. ‘Yes, we can’ may become ‘Yes, we can, but only if…’.
In his Art of Rhetoric, Aristotle lays down the six prime topics of political oratory: revenue, war and peace, defence of the realm, imports and exports, legislation and (most important of all) the end to which they were directed. Under ‘revenue’, he says, the speaker must have mastered the sources of income, and indicate how he will increase it and/or save on expenditure. Under ‘war and peace’, the speaker must be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his own and others’ forces, so that they can make peace with stronger, and war on weaker, neighbours.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in