Octang Frye

I don't think you can beat Ronald Reagan for his ability to deliver a speech. Watch how he addressed the nation (and NASA and schoolchildren in particular) in his address following the Challenger disaster.
It's considered a classic.

Oakvillian

Indeed. He was, to be fair, an actor, so delivering prepared lines well in a controlled environment in front of a camera was pretty much his stock-in-trade. He even has the sympathetic-head-tilt thing down to a tee.

None of this "thoughts and prayers" nonsense. A very well written speech, impeccably delivered: considered and meaningful words, spoken in a tone of respect, even as they were making a very Cold-War-focused political point ("We don’t hide our space program. We don’t keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That’s the way freedom is, and we wouldn’t change it for a minute.")

How very different from the puerile and barely coherent twitterings of the current incumbent.

Octang Frye

Just the whole tone is crazy currently. The lack of respect - all round. Trump says something inflammatory. Maxine Waters counters, "shut your mouth". To the POTUS. Wow.
Can you imagine someone saying that 20 years ago? Even 10?

Octang Frye

Btw, I think this is the first time we have ever agreed on anything. Pat yourself on the back, you commie pinko Marxist Leninist tootle-bag.

Leslie

I don't have to imagine. Nine years ago ago, Joe Wilson shouted "you lie" at President Obama during a joint session of congress. I was shocked when that happened ... nothing shocks me any more.

BritInParis

The quality of the political debate has been in decline for a long time in the US.

Reagan was indeed the Great Communicator. I personally rate ‘A Time for Choosing’ as one of his best, the last five minutes in particular. JFK also was very memorable; his inauguration speech (“Ask not what your country can do for you...”) and his address to Rice University regarding the Apollo space programme. In retrospect Obama was not a particular great orator, despite being lauded as such at the time, it’s just the bar had been set so comparatively low by Bush Jr.

dakota44

In all fairness, Trump makes George W look like an oratorical genius. Just sayin. ������

BritInParis

No disagreement here. It is curious how much Bush looks like the elder statesman with the Donald in the West Wing.

scrubbedexpat099

I see Alexandria is not happy about the new Amazon operation in NY.

2020?

The new Obama?

Steerpike

I hate to say it, but I agree we can learn something from old Ronnie!

Steerpike

What really disturbs me is how Trump gets down and dirty with his tweets the moment anything happens, without any regard to facts and without any thought to how 'inappropriate' it is for POTUS to be making such comments. I think in the past, ALL presidents have held back pending better information, and then have offered measured comments. The most recent example would be the Arizona Senate election. The minute the Republican (McSally) started to fall behind in the post-Nov 6 count, he was spouting left and right about 'fraud'. In the end, it was reasonably agreed that everything was above board, so the President lashing out like that was totally inappropriate. I wonder if this will be the new normal, or if future Presidents will return to a level of civility.

Relative to the current topic (2020), one thing that Trump just may have changed for good is the stupid focus on the personal lives / morality of the candidates. Not that I approve of Trump grabbing p**sy or anything, but maybe from now on, we can stop worrying about whether a candidate smoked pot when he was young, or had a mistress while in the governors mansion, or if she's (shock!) an atheist! That would be the day.

BritInParis

She’s not very bright, or at least not in control of her brief. She’s sprouted some complete nonsense on the economy despite being an economics graduate. Maybe she can improve? We’ll see.

Lion in Winter

I remember watching him use those techniques to effectively tell a slew of deliberate lies about what was happening in Central America and the role of the US there. His delivery seemed so reasonable - and yet there were so many dead, tortured and disappeared, with the US in it up to the neck.

robin1234

She won't be qualified by age to run in 2020. Let her serve in Congress, then judge her abilities and potential.

BritInParis

Good point. She’ll turn 35 just in time for the 2024 election.