As I stood on the lawn to the left side of the Capitol in the yellow ticket section, I waited in anticipation of the swearing in. Roberts fumbled and they tried again. Got it done. Historic moment!
Obama took a deep breath and started his speech. After a few minutes I was feeling a little let down as he rattled off the troubles we are facing after Bush played “Nero” and watched our economy go up in flames. This speech was a wake-up call from Obama. Not uplifting, but certainly a sobering list of the problems we need to tackle with transparency and smart solutions. The list was overwhelming and the challenges daunting.
We know that political leaders from Cicero on through Lincoln to Ronald Reagan used rhetorical effectiveness to inspire and motivate people to follow their imperatives and agenda for change. Leaders mobilize others with their ideas, insights, words, presence and delivery of speeches. The way people speak and deliver words of praise and concern reveals their values, beliefs, mental priorities, and philosophy of life. Did Obama read the audience and moment correctly or did he miss an opportunity to inspire? Continue reading ‘Obama Message revisited–Strong but Sobering Rhetoric’
