ABSTRACT

The famous, Greek philosopher, Aristotle, once said,” Politicians have no leisure, because they are always aiming at something beyond political life itself, power and glory, or happiness”. This statement is given credence with a mere observation of the politician and the political mind. The politician has the unenviable task of leading the masses, a task that few are willing to do and even fewer are able to have. This is due to the nature of their selection, namely the democratic process that we enjoy. The politician does not usurp control through force, but through the coercion of the people to select the individual to lead. This is where the importance of political speech comes in. The politician’s simplest tool for getting the votes of their potential constituents is their rhetorical ability, the words they say and the actions that these words promise. Political speech is the tool of leadership and numerous historical examples can attest to this fact. Be it the oratorical prowess of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, or Barack Obama, the politician’s words create history. This statement brings up a number of questions regarding political speech. What does the politician wish to achieve? How does the politician achieve it? Lastly, how does the politician rectify calamity when their words have destroyed what they’ve attempted to build?