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PHS
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
June 18, 1975
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM FOR:
ROBERT HARTMANN
BM
VIA:
PAUL THEIS OAT
FROM:
ROBERT ORBEN
R.o.
RE:
Observations on Recent Speeches.
The West Point and Holton-Arms speeches went very well and I thought
the press conference in the Rose Garden was excellent. The answers
were concise, the tempo of response was maintained, the comment
about the Rose Garden setting at the close of the conference was ap-
propriate, and mixing with the audience at the finish made for a very
good television picture. One of the best yet.
The Ft. Benning and National Federation of Independent Business
Conference speeches were well delivered. The President's pacing
has picked up and his voice is assuming more tonal variety which
makes for better listening. A little faster delivery would add a
crispness to the words -- but, as was evident from the audience
response, both of these speeches scored.
The business speech, in particular, was written with some built-in ap-
plause bids and I would suggest more of this in future speeches. The
use of vivid language -- "I will not let you suffocate!' -- is great.
This is the type of red meat most audiences thrive on.
(more)
- 2 -
The inclusion of the personal anecdote about the Ford Paint and Varnish
Company was also right on target. This makes for a bridge of under-
standing and empathy between the President and his audience. I think
we should make an attempt to utilize such personal illustrations wherever
possible.
The point I would emphasize now is the pace of the delivery of the
President's speeches. A slow delivery on certain sentences or
paragraphs is fine. It makes for contrast. But a consistently slow
delivery suggests uncertainty and lack of command. The President
has been increasing the speed of his remarks and this is fine.
It is particularly important that the words come out briskly and con-
fidently at the very start of a speech - when the audience's initial,
and sometimes final, judgement is made. The NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL
COUNCIL talk in the East Room started off very hesitantly. The
INDEPENDENT BUSINESS CONFERENCE at the Washington Hilton took
off from the first words. The President used just one sentence of
acknowledgement and right into the text -- and the audience knew right
away it was in confident hands.
# # #
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"ocrText": "PHS\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nJune 18, 1975\nADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nROBERT HARTMANN\nBM\nVIA:\nPAUL THEIS OAT\nFROM:\nROBERT ORBEN\nR.o.\nRE:\nObservations on Recent Speeches.\nThe West Point and Holton-Arms speeches went very well and I thought\nthe press conference in the Rose Garden was excellent. The answers\nwere concise, the tempo of response was maintained, the comment\nabout the Rose Garden setting at the close of the conference was ap-\npropriate, and mixing with the audience at the finish made for a very\ngood television picture. One of the best yet.\nThe Ft. Benning and National Federation of Independent Business\nConference speeches were well delivered. The President's pacing\nhas picked up and his voice is assuming more tonal variety which\nmakes for better listening. A little faster delivery would add a\ncrispness to the words -- but, as was evident from the audience\nresponse, both of these speeches scored.\nThe business speech, in particular, was written with some built-in ap-\nplause bids and I would suggest more of this in future speeches. The\nuse of vivid language -- \"I will not let you suffocate!' -- is great.\nThis is the type of red meat most audiences thrive on.\n(more)\n- 2 -\nThe inclusion of the personal anecdote about the Ford Paint and Varnish\nCompany was also right on target. This makes for a bridge of under-\nstanding and empathy between the President and his audience. I think\nwe should make an attempt to utilize such personal illustrations wherever\npossible.\nThe point I would emphasize now is the pace of the delivery of the\nPresident's speeches. A slow delivery on certain sentences or\nparagraphs is fine. It makes for contrast. But a consistently slow\ndelivery suggests uncertainty and lack of command. The President\nhas been increasing the speed of his remarks and this is fine.\nIt is particularly important that the words come out briskly and con-\nfidently at the very start of a speech - when the audience's initial,\nand sometimes final, judgement is made. The NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL\nCOUNCIL talk in the East Room started off very hesitantly. The\nINDEPENDENT BUSINESS CONFERENCE at the Washington Hilton took\noff from the first words. The President used just one sentence of\nacknowledgement and right into the text -- and the audience knew right\naway it was in confident hands.\n# # #"
}