Some comments from Grenville Kleiser’s "The Training of a Public Speaker"

The orator should consider what the subject is upon which he is to speak, before whom, for whom, against whom, at what time, in what place, under what conditions, what the public think of it, what the judges may think of it before they hear him, and what he himself has to desire, and what to apprehend. Whoever makes these reflections will know where he should naturally begin. But now orators call exordium anything with which they begin, and consider it of advantage to make the beginning with some brilliant thought. Undoubtedly many things are taken into the exordium which are drawn from other parts of the cause or at least are common to them, but nothing in either respect is better said than that which can not be said so well elsewhere.

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.

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

I find that listening and/or watching a great speech always helps me do better in my public speaking.  Check this site out -
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/