David Hirsch - Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the Structure of Reason

Our Founding Fathers were students of Greek philosophy and Greek history, drawing on Greek principles to guide our own nation in its earliest days.

Barack Obama, Reception Honoring Greek Independence Day (March 25, 2011)

2012 by David Hirsch and Dan Van Haften

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To Esther

Chronological List of Demarcated Barack Obama Speeches

Preface

Presidential power is the power to persuade. (emphasis in the original) Approximately 50 years after Richard Neustadt, advisor to four presidents, wrote that sentence, Barack Obama was interviewed by 60 Minutes reporter Steve Kroft. The November 4, 2010, interview took place shortly after the midterm elections:

KROFT: [T]here is this feeling particularly among people who are among your most ardent supporters, who feel a little disappointed that they think that youve lost your mojo. That youve lost your ability, that touch you had during the campaign, to inspire and lead. People have made the argument you lost control of the narrative. Youve let other people define you. That you havent sold your successes well enough.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think thats a fair argument. I think that over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that we stopped paying attention to the fact leadership isnt just legislation. That its a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone. And making an argument that people can understand. And I think that we havent always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And its something that Ive got to examine carefully as I go forward. [T]here are conservatives who are good people, who feel very strongly about their ideas that Im never gonna persuade on some issues. I think whats still fair to say is that I can do better than Ive done in painting a picture for people about where we need to go that pulls people together as opposed to drives them apart. And thats one of my central tasks over the next couple of years.

On June 4, 2011, at the Chicago Printers Row Lit Fest, journalist Jonathan Alter (who had been critical of Barack Obamas early presidential speeches) What happened that made 2011s oratory better?

Acknowledgments

Many people helped put this book together, and many resources went into doing so. The most valuable resource was www.whitehouse.gov. No matter who the president, this resource is rich with primary source material. It is easy to overlook the importance of prompt availability of not only text but video (for most speeches). The unvarnished and unedited words of a president, along with the dates and places they were uttered, reveal much about both that president and the country.

Nearly everyone likes Abraham Lincoln. That was not always so. When this book was written, not everyone liked Barack Obama. Kind of like Lincoln in his time, you either love him or you have a distaste for him. But you do not need to be an Obama aficionado to learn from the structural speaking system President Obama learned from Lincoln. Lincolns structure itself was first explained in the 2010 Savas Beatie publication, Abraham Lincoln and the Structure of Reason. This book, Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the Structure of Reason moves forward from the earlier book. Shorter and more focused, the Obama book is also easier to read because President Obamas English is simpler than Lincolns. Plus, it is generally easier to understand (or think one understands) events that happen during ones lifetime than the nuances of the politics of 150 years ago.

The most interesting comments from readers of early versions of the Obama manuscript came from those we knew were not Obama aficionados. But the most detailed comments came from Rod Mackler and Susan VanHaften. Rod and Susan took the manuscript apart, right down to the word level. It helps that both are retired, though at the time of his comments Rod was only 50% retired. Our thanks go equally to everyone who helped us. Ideas and insights from busy people who do not have time to critique on the word level is invaluable. Our thanks to Jerry Courtney, Jean Hirsch, Jennifer Klever-Kirkman, Greg Kirkman, Ed Schneider, and Anthony Gambone. Thanks to Marc Harding, the senior lawyer in the Des Moines law firm in which David Hirsch practices. (George Harding, Marcs cousinprobably a couple of generations removedassociated with Abraham Lincoln on cases in 19th century Peoria, Illinois.)

The person who deserves the most thanks is Theodore P. Savas, our publisher and the managing director of Savas Beatie. A man of solid values and unambiguous principles, he is fun to work with. Savas Beatie is an example of the kind of business that is important to any country, particularly in the current world. Thanks to developmental editor Rob Ayer. This is the second book he assisted us with. He is your advocate, making reading smoother and more enjoyable. Thanks also to Sarah Keeney and the rest of the Savas Beatie staff. It was a pleasure to again work with Lee Merideth on formatting.

Feedback from readers of Abraham Lincoln and the Structure of Reason helped shape Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the Structure of Reason . May the structural communication principles of Abraham Lincoln continue to push this country and world civilization forward. This charge is to our readers; our leaders will follow.

Visit our website at http://www.thestructureofreason.com

Introduction

This is a story about Barack Obamas presidential speeches. The speeches date from January 2011, but the story goes back to ancient Greece. It extends through three American presidents: Jefferson, Lincoln and Obama. It is an American story, framed by education and contrast.

Thomas Jefferson is regarded as a great writer and a poor speech giver. Jefferson, the founder of the University of Virginia, was highly educated and owned slaves.

Abraham Lincoln freed slaves. This self-taught man is known as a great speaker. He had virtually no formal educationless than a year.

Barack Obama graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude. He was president of the Harvard Law Review . His children are the descendants of slaves.

These three Presidents were attorneys. Jefferson disliked the practice of law; Lincoln loved it; and Obama taught it. In their argumentation, both as attorneys and statesmen, all three used a secret weapon emanating from ancient Greece: Euclids six elements of a proposition.