Subject: Greatest speech of all-time?
Posted by: Cuish
Date: Jan 13 12
I'll nominate Lincoln's Gettysburg Address for the title of greatest speech of all-time.
Also, while not a speech, the Declaration of Independence of 1776 is something special aswell. Especially when read aloud, as JFK does here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poT5yr5lJCU
Posted by: Cuish
Date: Jan 13 12
I'll nominate Lincoln's Gettysburg Address for the title of greatest speech of all-time.
Also, while not a speech, the Declaration of Independence of 1776 is something special aswell. Especially when read aloud, as JFK does here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poT5yr5lJCU
35 replies. On page 1 of 2 pages. 1 2
Greatguggly
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FDR's "day that will live in infamy" speech definitely had the stirring effect it was intended to. I also like Reagan's shuttle disaster speech. You gotta put MLK at or near the top. Reply #1. Jan 23 12, 10:54 PM |
SisterSeagull 
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I'd like to nominate the following speeches: Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" and of course Churchill's "Finest Hour" speech. Reply #2. Jan 24 12, 6:48 AM |
paulmallon
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probably not Custer's rallying cry to his troops at Little Big Horn Reply #3. Jan 26 12, 8:16 PM |
daver852
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Lincoln's second inaugural address. Reply #4. Jan 26 12, 8:52 PM |
BxBarracuda
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From the sports world there are couple of good speechs. Lou Gehrigs "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech is great. The following is my favorite, from Jim Valvano at the 1993 ESPYs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E Reply #5. Jan 26 12, 9:13 PM |
| paulmallon
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(( Lou Gehrig's speech was great)) couldn't agree more , classy, courageous, and so sad Reply #6. Jan 28 12, 4:47 PM |
Cymruambyth
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I'll nominate: Winston Churchill's "Never in the course of human events has so much been owed by so many to so few." Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech. Any speech made by King George VI, knowing the courage it took for him to even attempt to make a speech! And I also throw in Edward VIII's abdication speech, not because it was a model of oratory but because with that speech Great Britain got a fine king instead of a Nazi sympathizer! Reply #7. Feb 05 12, 6:11 PM |
rustic_les
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I would lean towards 'I have a dream'. Never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Reply #8. Feb 12 12, 5:43 PM |
Bull_4
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I'd say "Adolf Hitler speeches" were great. Yes he was a bad guy, but he was a silver tongue devil and will show you how the devil will be talking when he comes to earth one day. He will have everyone cheering for him even those who without the devils power would not be the way they are. Be careful with people that talk like Hitler did. You will fall into there power. Reply #9. Jun 28 12, 5:52 PM |
| daver852
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People can make great speeches for the wrong cause. Witness William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech. He was absolutely wrong, but it was a great speech. Reply #10. Jun 28 12, 6:08 PM |
| sooz888
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"I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too." Not sure if this extract from Queen Elizabeth I's Tilbury speech qualifies as a great speech but it certainly stuck in my mind from my schooldays. A Spanish invasion seemed imminent and such a rousing oration was well timed. Reply #11. Mar 11 13, 10:42 AM |
diade68
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Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement address "Staying foolish" Deffinitely not the greatest speech of all times but a good and moving one. Reply #12. Mar 11 13, 12:37 PM |
jabb5076
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I'll second Churchill's "finest Hour" speech and add Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address." Reply #13. Mar 11 13, 1:59 PM |
playmate1111
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Nelson Mandela's inaugural speech in 1994. Reply #14. Apr 14 13, 6:45 AM |
eyhung
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Agree with Dave, Lincoln's second inaugural address. Reply #15. Apr 14 13, 9:33 AM |
DeepHistory
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Churchill's "Finest Hour" and Jefferson Davis' inauguration as President of the CSA. DeepHistory. Reply #16. Oct 19 14, 2:43 PM |
mountaingoat
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A speech by a radio comedian Mick Molloy at the Australian music awards where he said "The winning of the award stirred something deep inside that tells him to kill and kill again." until his partner Tony Martin dragged him off the stage. Reply #17. Oct 29 14, 11:57 PM |
HairyBear
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George H.W. Bush's speech on the re-opening of the Statue of Liberty... I can't remember a word of it, but I DO remember it was under 5 minutes long, and I stood and applauded the TV screen for him keeping it short and sweet. Reply #18. Nov 24 14, 9:30 PM |
scoops57
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Churchill's "finest hour" of course, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and also Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall" would be my top three. Reply #19. Aug 04 15, 2:24 PM |
HairyBear
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In addition to the above, I'll add a presentation given by a woman to a group of highly intelligent high school students participating in a college summer program at the University of Florida. The subject was primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. The only reason I remember that is because it was the best presentation I've ever seen, it being a combination of speech, slides, and visual aids rather than a pure speech. I wish I could remember the woman's name who gave it. But it held us all spell-bound. Reply #20. Sep 01 15, 2:35 AM |
35 replies. On page 1 of 2 pages. 1 2
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