I don’t watch or listen to speeches usually. I try to find the transcript and read because I retain more and it’s much faster when you’re not dealing with pause and applause. I enjoyed reading Obama’s last speech – https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/us/politics/obama-farewell-address-speech.html?_r=0 and Donald Trump’s first – https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/20/donald-trumps-full-inauguration-speech-transcript-annotated/
Technically, this was Obama’s last – http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/full-text-obama-farewell-speech-transcript-233916 spoken on his last day in office.
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Reading these speeches in one sitting, I’m reminded of this NerdWriter video from last year. “How Trump Answers a Question”. Donald Trump speaks in a way that is easy to understand, a lower reading level, smaller words and he highlights specific things that resonate with the public. Comparing how he and Obama speak is night & day. George W. Bush spoke like a Texan, not a Yale Graduate. Obama had a more collegiate vocabulary paired with a Southern Baptist Reverend. Donald Trump has a straight shooter business-man speak but with a vocabulary that a 5th grader could understand. It’s interesting how the words we choose and how we convey them affects how a president is perceived.
One final note, can Presidents please stop calling it “America” Canada, Mexico and the entire body of countries making up South America hate when we do that. USA is not America. There are dozens of countries in America. We are one of dozens. When I’m abroad and say “I’m American” most Europeans with a bit of snark, ask me “which one?” They should because I’m American but technically I’m from the US of A.