Author Topic: Great speakers in history...  (Read 256 times)

TheSheriff

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Great speakers in history...
« on: March 14, 2003, 05:00:13 PM »
Great series on BBC2 right now over here, called "Secrets of Leadership". It chronicles the skills and defects of four great leaders/speakers.

ADOLF HITLER-A truly mesmerizing performer. His downfall came when he began to micro-manage, instead of leaving it to his doctrine of Mission Control...Which, ironically, the Israelis used to such effect in the Six Days War.

WINSTON CHURCHILL-"We will fight on the beaches, we will fight on the landing bays, we will fight in the hills, and the streets...We will NEVER surrender."

Apart from Bush stealing speeches from him, he was a great wartime leader. In peace, he was an outcast, and in his two stints as First Lord of the Admiralty, he didn't show up too well, but as Prime Minister, his single-mindedness, his determination, and his sheer courage won through Britain's darkest hour. Once he learnt to trust his commanders (which Hitler has actually stopped doing, which led to Adolf's downfall), he couldn't help but win.

Lovely irony that the fiasco in Norway, which he caused, led to Neville Chamberlain's resignation; leaving the PM spot open for him.

next week...

JFK-"Do not ask what America can do for you; but what together, we can do for the freedom of man."

He may have a petty criminal and a love cheat, but this man stopped the Third World War. His leadership record is unblemished. He wrote his own speeches, and performed them to a tee. Even his accent helped him.

the week after next...

MLK-"I have a dream..." etc..Possibly the greatest political activist since his namesake. A great speaker, and a great man. Not a single redeeming defect.
 

infinite59

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2003, 06:06:53 PM »
Great post, how you mentioned Isreal using Hitlers "Mission Control" tactics against the Palestinians.  And how Kennedy prevented the 3rd world war.  Great commentary.

I think the best speakers ever are...

1.  El-Haj Malik El-Shabazz
2.  Jamil Al-Amin
3.  Louis Farrakkan


honorable metion:  Bill Clinton-  he was a good talker, even though like most poloticians 75% of it was lies.

 

TheSheriff

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2003, 06:13:13 PM »
Yeah, Malcolm X is certainly up there with the greats. Actually, Neville Chamberlain wasn't a bad speaker, he wa sjust naive enough to believe Hitler.

"I have in my hand a piece of paper..." A great speech.

Clinton, Bush and Blair are all top 50 speakers of the 1900s/2000s, and I'd say Stalin is too. Stalin was truly terrifying to hear, he was so scary.
 

Agua

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2003, 06:40:23 PM »
add walter ulbricht.... he was terrific... lol
 

Trauma-san

Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2003, 10:52:19 PM »
Def. Clinton for modern speakers.

Bush is getting better.  He was horrible when he became president, his speech today however about the middle east was beautiful.

How soon we forget.  The Ever Talented, Never Political, DON, THE MAN, King.  Don King.  One of the greatest speakers, although he's never said anything, that is alive today.  
 

Now_Im_Not_Banned

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2003, 11:40:36 PM »
Yea, Adolf was good at brainwashing people...
 

Jay ay Beee

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2003, 05:00:16 AM »
I still think Bush is pretty poor at speeches that are written for him.  In the Azures with Blair and Aznar the body language was all wrong, he did the slouch instead of being domineering and he timed it badly.  
  Clinton was a great speaker, the guy was just so likeable, you wanted to believe all his bullshit.
  Blair is only good at calm, relaxed speaking.  He would be awful if he tried to do a speech like Churchill.
  Khruschev was always good, he was really animated all the time.
  LBJ could hit some great speeches, Nixon was shit at public speaking, unless he was apologizing (Chequers and resignation).
 

Jay ay Beee

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2003, 05:01:25 AM »
Yea, Adolf was good at brainwashing people...

Exactly, which makes him one of the greatest, Goebeels propaganda together with his speeches were unstoppable
 

ontherise

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Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2003, 07:22:57 PM »
maya angelo
 

E. J. Rizo

Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2003, 10:53:27 PM »
Cesar Chavez!
 

Trauma-san

Re:Great speakers in history...
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2003, 10:59:18 AM »
maya angelo

She rapped on arsenio Hall one night.  It was tight, very tight.


Johnny Cochran, too.  He's gotten so many people off that it isn't even funny.  His "If the glove don't fit" speech was pretty awesome.