I’ve been reading the obits and watching videos of speeches of the late Sen. Robert Byrd, and I think he has something to teach us about the art of speechmaking.
He was definitely of the old school. His style has been described as reminiscent of the 19th century Senate, when giving speeches was the only way to communicate with fellow senators and constituents.
To me, he sounded like an old fashioned evangelist, punctuating his words with long pauses and bursts of booming rhetoric. Instead of a Bible, he wielded a small, red-bound copy of the Constitution, which he often waved while lecturing his colleagues.
Byrd read his speeches, which meant he didn’t have good eye contact with his listeners. But he made up for that deficit with skillful use of body language and gestures.
He was fond of quoting the Constitution, the Bible, Shakespeare and classical poetry. He was not college educated, but he had a commanding knowledge of history and used that expertise to add richness and depth to his speeches.
“How that man loved to speak,” said The Associated Press in its obituary of the 92-year-old senator.
Byrd firmly believed that senators should be allowed to talk as much as they want in their deliberations. He affirmed that position many times, especially in 1964, when he filibustered against the Civil Rights Act for 14 hours and 13 minutes – one of the longest filibusters in Senate history.
Musings and information about key speeches and public discourse. Historical perspectives and guidelines on effective communications.
