[lbo-talk] Query: Your favorite speeches and talks

Michael Smith mjs at smithbowen.net
Wed Jun 27 22:24:37 PDT 2012


On Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:28:19 -0500 "Carrol Cox" <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:


> See if Jesse Jackson's speech at the '88 DP Convention is available. It
> brought tears to the eyes of many people. I detest Jackson but at one time
> he was one hell of an impressive speaker.

Was that the one where he apologized for bleeding on Massa's carpet, after the great 'Hymietown' scandal? Or was that earlier?

Jackson, like Farrakhan, inherited a really wonderful tradition of pulpit rhetoric. Like the guy that embarrassed Obie so much -- the ladder Obie clumb on in Chicago, subsequently kicked away -- Wright. That's it. The aptly-named Jeremiah Wright.

Poor Jackson inherited the rhetorical tradition but not the heart of the matter. Wasn't that Cromwell's phrase originally?

-- --

Michael J. Smith mjs at smithbowen.net

http://stopmebeforeivoteagain.org http://fakesprogress.blogspot.com http://cars-suck.org

Some fine cliches there. Should be encouraged. Too many damn people trying to be different. Coining phrases when a good platitude would do and save anxiety.



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