CHAPTER 1THE SPEECH THAT STARTED IT ALL

On a night of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama stepped onstage and electrified America with his keynote address. His discourse, widely hailed as inspiring and eloquent, provides a valuable snapshot of the excellent communication practices Obama employs as he harnesses the power of speaking with purpose and vision. Through his delivery, we learn how substance and style can work together to increase the effectiveness and impact of communication.

This chapter presents the 2004 keynote address in full. Obama’s written words are annotated with references to some of the gestures, tone, and pacing techniques he employed in delivering his career-accelerating address. Let’s look at what made ...

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