Why Obama Won a Grammy


15 Feb 2008 11:20 Africa/Lagos


Why Obama Won a Grammy

Barack Obama won the 2008 Grammy Award for the Best Spoken Word Album

Where will his speaking skills take him next?

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --



Since 1959, the Grammy Awards have included a category for the spoken word. Actors usually win this category, which is why Obama's win this year is noteworthy. The handful of politicians who were well-spoken enough to win a Grammy in the past have also found success in their political aspirations. Toastmasters International looked at presidential candidate Barack Obama, as well as some past politically-inclined winners, to define elements of their speaking techniques that helped each win a Grammy.


Obama follows in the footsteps of other well-known politicians who have been awarded the Grammy. In fact, fellow candidate Hillary Clinton won for her book, It Takes a Village, in 1997. Also, Republican U.S. Congressman and Senator from Illinois, Everett Dirksen, highly regarded for his resonant voice, won in 1968 for a recording of Gallant Men. All these lawmaker-speakers share some aspects of public speaking technique. "Obama makes powerful use of the rhetorical device, repetition, building messages that resonate with the cadence of speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King," says Chris Ford, Toastmasters International President. As it happens, Dr. King won the same award in 1971, posthumously, for a recording of Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam. Obama and Dr. King repeat key words and phrases for effect.


Toastmaster Patrick McClure of Coto de Caza, California, says Obama uses "good vocal variety," and that he "varies the volume and pace to draw the audience in and then push them back."


McClure says that Obama "waits for applause instead of rushing on," which shows a "good use of pauses in the speech." In fact, Obama is known for his use of strategically-placed pauses. "Each pause adds emphasis to both the message that precedes it and the words that follow," says Ford. "It's like watching an Olympic gymnast march across a balance beam, then pause before flying into an impressive leap."


"Obama's speaking performance shows simple but eloquent and powerful language, and a strong yet optimistic, friendly delivery," says Ford. This style proved valuable in winning the Grammy despite competition from two former presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Bill Clinton's presentation skills contain a similar affable style that helped him win the award in 2005 for his audio book, My Life.


If others have gone from the Grammys to the White House, will Obama follow in their footsteps? Time and votes will tell.


For Toastmasters evaluations of speeches by politicians, actors (ie
Oscars) and others, contact Suzanne Frey at sfrey@toastmasters.org or call
949-858-8255x231
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:


Source: Toastmasters International

CONTACT: Suzanne Frey of Toastmasters International, +1-949-858-8255,
sfrey@toastmasters.org


Web Site: http://www.toastmasters.org/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Addax Petroleum Announces Federal Government Approval of Nigeria Gas Utilisation Initiative

1 Aug 2008 14:21 Africa/Lagos Addax Petroleum Announces Federal Government Approval of Nigeria Gas Utilisation Initiative CALGARY, Canada, August 1/PRNewswire/ -- - International Consortium Formed for Investment in Gas Development - Including the Potential Monetization of OML137 Gas Addax Petroleum Corporation (TSX: AXC and LSE: AXC) ("Addax Petroleum" or the "Corporation"), together with its partners Chrome Oil Services Limited ("Chrome") and Korea Gas Corporation ("KOGAS"), announces today that it has received the approval from the Federal Government of Nigeria, for its proposed implementation of an integrated gas utilization project in Nigeria. Addax Petroleum has also entered into a heads of agreement with Chrome, a leading Nigerian oil and gas company, and KOGAS, South Korea's national gas company, forming an international consortium (the "Consortium") which, upon finalization of the necessary project development agreemen...
Read more

Terrorist Attacks on America Before Osama Bin Laden Was Born : 1920 -2005.

Image
This is a record of all terrorist attacks in America and in countries with American interests and on American Embassies and citizens abroad. Osama bin Laden did not create the demons of terrorism. He is only one of the most diabolical and destructive of them all. The devil is the author of Terrorism in his capacity as the Son of Perdition and the father of chaos. It is very important to clarify these issues for the benefit of those who are ignorant and naive and have been jumping to erroneous conclusions. Terrorist Attacks (within the United States or against Americans abroad) 1920: septa. 16, New York City: TNT bomb planted in unattended horse-drawn wagon exploded on Wall Street opposite House of Morgan , killing 35 people and injuring hundreds more. Bolshevist or anarchist terrorists believed responsible, but crime never solved. 1975 Jan. 24, New York City: bomb set off in historic Fraunces Tavern killed 4 and injured more than 50 people. Puerto Rican nationalist group...
Read more

Let Us Talk To Boko Haram - Nigerian Professor

Image
A Commentary Direct Talk and Psychological Accessibility to the Boko Haram Group Is worth the Trial in Nigeria It is now obvious that the nation is now fully plagued by terrorism which is so widespread and monumental that it is hard to unravel. At a time when the Nigerian air is filled with the festivities of Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, which in a supposed way should involve the slaughter sheep and cattle, and not the near-sacrifice of a son, as in Abraham’s case, but the reverse is the case.Human slaughter is in our face on a daily basis in Nigeria due to the Boko Haram wrath. Violence in Nigeria, a country of more than 150 million with an almost equal split between the Christian south and the Muslim north is affecting public safety and national security. Nothing appears to be stopping the inflammable and untamed-able torment, fear and worry across the country. There appears to be a legitimate state of distress nationally, and the cause of the state of distress is growing d...
Read more