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Mon 21 May, 2012 03:10 pm
After reading over the original transcript for Roosevelt's Address to Congress on Yalta (March 1, 1945), and comparing it to the actual presentation by the "faltering old man," I began to wonder about some of the worst speeches in history.
I am trying to find any memorable historical speeches that were probably embarrassing for the speaker, not so much due to content and context (like Clinton's I Have Sinned speech, for example), but due to performance. Any ideas?
I am not implying that the many adlibs and errors in FDR's Yalta Adress put this speech in that category, but I am wondering if any speeches come to mind for you guys.
@k copelin,
Take a look at speeches by Lyndon Johnson.
@raprap,
Goodstuff, all three of those,rap.
Bill Clinton's
keynote address at the 1988 Democratic Convention was something of a disaster. It was too long, and people started getting antsy about two-thirds into it and gave him the biggest applause of the night when he stated "in conclusion..."
After giving his famous "
Checkers Speech," Nixon thought he did a terrible job of it. Viewers, evidently, had different opinions. There's some truth in both viewpoints.
I suppose the worst speech was
William Henry Harrison's inaugural address, which some still blame for killing him a month later.
@joefromchicago,
Edward Everett's speech at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburgh, Pa., which preceded the President's short address, runs a very close second to that.
@Lustig Andrei,
GWBush's "Brownie, youre doin a helluva job" Speech while GWB was standing amid the ruins of KAtrina.
Harrisons speech didnt affect but a small circle of friends and WH himself.
@farmerman,
You're right. I just never considered the "Brownie" comment as a 'speech.' More on the order of foot-in-mouth disease, on a par with constantly mispronouncing 'nuclear' as 'nucular.'
@Lustig Andrei,
Quote:mispronouncing 'nuclear' as 'nucular.'
===========
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuclear
Usage Discussion of NUCLEAR
Though disapproved of by many, pronunciations ending in \-kyə-lər\ have been found in widespread use among educated speakers including scientists, lawyers, professors, congressmen, United States cabinet members, and at least two United States presidents and one vice president. While most common in the United States, these pronunciations have also been heard from British and Canadian speakers.
=========
'Mispronunciations' That May Be Fine
http://www.merriam-webster.com/video/0034-mispron.htm?&t=1337657066
@JTT,
Quote:...Though disapproved of by many...
Yeah, alas, I am one of "the many."
W simply had a speech defect. He was rong. Ignore him.
Simply be guided by the spelling, unless u choose to change the spelling
to conform to the spoken language.
David
@Lustig Andrei,
Quote:Yeah, alas, I am one of "the many."
You "mispronounce" many words, Merry. Maybe you ought not to judge others.
@OmSigDAVID,
Quote:Simply be guided by the spelling,
That is truly hilarious, OmSigD.
@JTT,
JTT wrote:
Quote:Yeah, alas, I am one of "the many."
You "mispronounce" many words, Merry. Maybe you ought not to judge others.
That's very true, JTT. I do mispronounce words quite frequently. That's the problem with having a larger reading vocabulary than an oral one. But why ought I not judge others? Making fun of others -- particularly people like Dubya Bush --is great fun. I lay no claim to perfection or even superiority. Someone wants to make fun of my speech, they're quite welcome to do so and I'll laugh right along with them. But don't cramp my style by telling me I can't do the same.
@Frank Apisa,
Hehehehehe . . .
Picture says a thousand words, huh?
@Setanta,
Quote:Picture says a thousand words, huh?
Ain't that so!
Every time I look at that picture, I physically shake my head...and reflect on the fact that we actually elected that guy twice to the presidency (once with the help of SCOTUS).
But you gotta give him this: He was a master of lousy speeches!
@Frank Apisa,
And having his strings were pulled by the dark lord
Rap
@raprap,
I'd love to say that picture doesn't do him justice, but the fact is that it does.
In spades.
Thanks for posting it.
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