The Right Words: Great Republican Speeches That Shaped History - Hardcover

by Wynton C. Hall (Author)

Award-winning presidential scholar and speechwriter Wynton Hall brings together the Republican Party's greatest oratorical gems, from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Teddy Roosevelt's the Man with the Muckrake to Ronald Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" and George W. Bush's "our mission and our moment" speech after 9/11. Hall examines the historical context of each of these great addresses and reveals the persuasive secrets that make each speech truly outstanding.

Front Jacket

From its earliest days, the Republican Party has been distinguished by its leaders' abilities to explain their ideas, inspire their followers, and shape their nation through clear, bold, and uplifting oratory. Many Republican speeches stand as rhetorical landmarks in American history. Others, however, have been overlooked and even downplayed, some argue, by a liberal elite intent on dismissing conservative voices. No more.

In The Right Words, the award-winning presidential scholar and speechwriter Wynton Hall celebrates the GOP's greatest oratorical gems, from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Teddy Roosevelt's the Man with the Muckrake to Ronald Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" and George W. Bush's "our mission and our moment" speech after 9/11.

More than a simple reprinting of great speeches from the past, this meticulously documented compendium draws on a massive reservoir of research as it examines the historical context of each of these great addresses and reveals the persuasive secrets that make each speech truly outstanding.

Beginning with America's--and perhaps history's--greatest speaker, Hall presents Abraham Lincoln's profoundly moving Gettysburg Address as well as the speech Lincoln considered his greatest: the second inaugural. Other major addresses presented include: Ronald Reagan's thrilling "tear down this wall" speech and stirring "Challenger" addressTeddy Roosevelt's muscular presentation on the Strenuous LifeWilliam F. Buckley's challenging, though never delivered, 1950 address to the Yale alumniBarry Goldwater's speech accepting the 1964 Republican presidential nominationDwight D. Eisenhower's brilliant Atoms for Peace speech as well as his address to the nation before sending troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957Everett Dirksen's passionate words in support of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Complete with memorable contributions from John McCain, Newt Gingrich, President George W. Bush, and others, The Right Words is a veritable gold mine of Republican and conservative political theory, strategy, and action delivered by the party's most outstanding leaders. Hall's careful analysis of the technical elements that make each of these masterful presentations so effective will be particularly useful to anyone interested in public speaking, communications, or advocating for a political cause.

Back Jacket

Advance Praise for "The Right Words"

"These absorbing, oft-stirring speeches are made even more fascinating by Wynton Hall's deft, always insightful commentaries that place these masterpieces in their historical context."
--Steve Forbes, President and CEO of Forbes and Editor-in-Chief of "Forbes Magazine"

"When President Reagan gave the Berlin Wall speech, I was standing between the podium stand and the wall. Someone told us that East Berliners were silently gathering on the other side. When Reagan finished speaking, and the applause died down, we could hear a rustling sound on the other side of the wall, like cattle moving restlessly before a storm. But indeed, a storm of freedom was coming. Thank you, Wynton, for "The Right Words" to establish the record."
--Marlin Fitzwater, White House Press Secretary under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush

"Aimed at Republicans, "The Right Words" will hit a much bigger audience: everyone who cares about American history, the presidency, and the hard work of using words well."
--Peter Robinson, former Reagan speechwriter and author of "How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life"

"Wynton Hall is a rising star among those who study conservatives and he has written an important and fascinating book about how Republican words have shaped and molded American history. For those interested in the history of the conservative movement and the Republican Party, this is not to be missed."
--Peter Schweizer, research fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University and author of "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy," "Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Triumph Over Communism" and "The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty"

"In this stimulating book, Wynton Hall underscores a few of those Republicans who have done the job better than anyone, rightly beginning with Abraham Lincoln and continuing with a few notable surprises. This book is a must for the bookshelf of not just any well-informed Republican, but anyone interested in effective communication."
--Paul Kengor, professor, Grove City College, and author of "God and Ronald Reagan: A Spiritual Life" and "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism"

Author Biography

Wynton C. Hall is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. An award-winning presidential scholar, speechwriter, and author, Hall holds an M.A. from Texas A&M University in speech communication with an emphasis in presidential rhetoric and public affairs. In 2003, he was appointed to the eight-person National Task Force on the Presidency and Public Opinion, which is composed of some of the top presidential scholars in the United States. Hall is the coauthor of "The Greatest Communicator: What Ronald Reagan Taught Me about Politics, Leadership, and Life" (Wiley). His work has been published in "The New York Times," "USA Today," The "Washington Times," "Presidential Studies Quarterly," "National Review Online," and elsewhere.