American Eloquence

What makes political speech powerful? How does eloquent rhetoric transcend ordinary language? Which stylistic choices allow effective orators to stir emotions and spur action? And in the age of Donald Trump, does political eloquence still matter?This book examines a wide swath of political discourse to shed new light on the meaning and significance of eloquence. Roderick P. Hart, a leading scholar of political communication, develops new ways of measuring persuasiveness and rhetorical power through the use of computer-based methods. He examines one hundred of the most important speeches of the twentieth century, given by presidents and politicians as well as leaders, activists, and cultural figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Lou Gehrig, Mario Savio, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Stokely Carmichael.Deploying the tools of the digital humanities as well as critical rhetorical analysis, Hart considers what distinguishes the linguistic properties of iconic oratory from those of more mundane texts. He argues that eloquence represents the confluence of cultural resonance, personal investment, and poetic imagination, providing empirical metrics for assessing each of these qualities. A quantitative and qualitative exploration of American political speech, this interdisciplinary book offers a powerful argument for why eloquence is essential for a functioning democracy.

This brilliant book was like taking a walk through US history with a good (and smart!) friend by my side. I was excited to see where many of my favorites, like Barbara Jordan, would land in Hart’s assessment. I truly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to all who care about our democracy and where it is going., In this eloquent analysis of eloquence, Roderick Hart pulls out all the stops to diagnose, to redeem, and even to measure. Eloquence can be unsafe and even illegal, but it can also save us. Itself a compendium of eloquent remarks by others (and the author), this book might be just what is needed as American democracy hangs in the balance., American Eloquence marshals Hart’s decades of experience as a rhetorical critic, bolstered by the calculative capacity of the digital humanities, to illustrate why “eloquence is an abiding human need.” Readers will find his Eloquence Index stimulating, and the author’s rapid-fire wit should keep everyone engaged., Democracy at once depends upon eloquence and treats eloquence suspiciously. The label can serve as praise, as denigration, even as a backhanded compliment or a self-own. Using a remarkable range of method, American Eloquence presents a compelling, sophisticated, and approachable account of what makes eloquence work and how it animates political discourse in the United States., One of our most adroit scholars of American political speech, Rod Hart wrests eloquence from all its contradictions--from its power to inspire the better angels of our nation to the dangers of disinformation, demonization and demagoguery. American Eloquence is thought provoking, fun, nostalgic, sometimes scary but always bracing.

Roderick P. Hart holds the Shivers Chair in Communication and is professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a fellow of the International Communication Association, a distinguished scholar of the National Communication Association, and the recipient of the Murray Edelman Career Award from the American Political Science Association. Hart is the author or editor of eighteen books, including most recently Trump and Us: What He Says and Why People Listen (2020) and Civic Hope: How Ordinary Americans Keep Democracy Alive (2018).