Great American Speeches: 80 Years of Political Oratory

Before the advent of TV produced sound bites, America had a great tradition of political oratory. This double cassette video gathers some of the most memorable speeches of the last eighty years, ranging from Progressive Robert LaFollette to perennial presidential non-candidate Jesse Jackson. Each section is briefly and clearly introduced by Carter press secretary Jody Powell, with perceptive commentary on different oratorical styles. FDR's paralysis forced him to rely on head gestures and a conversational speaking cadence. Before FDR, many speakers used florid gestures and theatrical mannerisms handed down from the old Chautauqua days. Some of the speeches are quite familiar, such as Kennedy's inaugural address or Douglas MacArthur's "old soldiers" speech to Congress. Unfamiliar gems include Malcolm X's "ballot or the bullet" ultimatum, a rare speech by General Patton (most of his talks were too profane to be shown publicly), an early speech by Reagan (later dubbed simply "The Speech"), and Robert Kennedy's eloquent impromptu plea for peace at a campaign rally the night of Martin Luther King's murder. Libraries will find it valuable to have mostly complete versions of the Nixon "Checkers" speech, the late Barbara Jordan's remarks before the Watergate impeachment hearings, or Barry Goldwater's declaration that "extremism is no vice" before a boisterous 1964 Republican convention. Picture and sound quality are mostly good, though some older footage is understandably grainy. At four hours, this video should be sampled or used selectively. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)