With everything that is going on these days, I thought this classic piece of oratory was worth pulling out.  It is also the speech where the phrase "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" originated.  Give it a listen.  You’ll be glad you did.

Click here to listen

Or go to - http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrfirstinaugural.html

As we do every year,  we have put together a special selection of Thanksgiving speeches and toasts.  For details visit:
http://www.occasionalwords.com/ow/thanksgiving-toasts-special.html

Steve Job’s Stanford University commencement speech has all the hallmarks of great oratory. Check out the speech text and audio here:
 http://www.wiredatom.com/jobs_stanford_speech/

You’ll enjoy it, and learn a thing or two about speech writing and public speaking.  Guaranteed.

Politics is an arena where public speaking plays a key role and where some of the greatest speeches ever written are delivered.   The History Channel does a great job of presenting these including behind the scenes information.  You can check these out here.