What an opening must accomplish
Constructing an effective opening is a challenge for the speech writer. An opening may, in a very short time, need to accomplish as many as half a dozen things:
First, the opening must establish a common ground, or a rapport, between the speaker and the audience. There are many ways to do this. Presidents of the United States almost always establish a common ground by addressing the audience as "My fellow Americans." This, of course, is the president's way of saying, "You and I share this one great attribute. We are Americans. We may have differing ideas. We may be of different political parties. We may be of a different race or creed. But we are Americans. This is our common heritage; and this is the common meeting ...
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