by Jim Cathcart
www.cathcart.com
A couple of hours ago I listened as Gov. Mitt Romney addressed the Conservative Political Action Committee in what was his "concession" speech for his candidacy for President of the United States. As a professional speaker I tend to listen with a different ear than others. What I heard today was a very impressive speech. Even if I didn't like the man I would have been impressed with today's presentation.
Governor Romney, as you may know, is not only a successful political leader but also a very astute leader in business and civic affairs. He proved that with his own business and then with the Olympics as he turned around a failing international event and created a notable success. But let's look at Romney the speaker.
He made two speeches during this campaign that impressed me more than most others I heard, either from him or his opponents. His first was when he addressed the issue of Faith. Many in the press had made an issue of his Mormon faith and he was forced to address it publicly. It was not only his delivery that got me but also his content focus. He talked not so much about what the press was featuring but about what mattered. They were featuring the fears and dangers of having one faith dominate the political decisions. He, realizing how divisive and superficial that is, spoke to what mattered most; the importance of one's beliefs. He even raised the debate to a higher level by addressing the essential nature of belief in a Higher Power and freedom of religion as part of what makes America strong. He turned the debate away from his personal church selection to the importance to all of us of having that same choice available. A brilliant approach and an inspiring speech. By the way, he delivered it with conviction and humility. It was not a scolding speech but rather a reassertion of what mattered to all of us.
Note that I have not highlighted his eloquence nor the use of catchy phrases though a case could be made for both. Instead his eloquence comes from his choice of message and his tone of delivery.
His second "great" speech was the one he gave this morning. His task was to concede from the presidential race while still advancing the causes he believes in. His audience was CPAC, a Reagan legacy organization that espouses Conservatism. The speaker who would soon follow him on the platform was his primary opponent John McCain. Many in the audience were his supporters and many were not. He also knew that the world was listening. So that's the setting. Now let's look at the speech.
This one belongs in the "great speeches of the day" lists. From the opening to the close Governor Romney lifted us up. He spoke of our country, its place in the world, and our uniqueness as the only country in history who, after winning a war, doesn't take away their opponent's lands. He pointed out what makes us strong and great, and then he enumerated many of the profound threats we are facing. He named names and was clear in his meaning. He highlighted the fragility of our culture and how vital it is that we preserve its fundamentals: two parent families, individual freedom, small government, low taxes and a very strong military. He noted the current and looming dangers that we will face and our children will face. All of this reinforced our belief in the vital importance of choosing the right president.
At that point in his speech we were one. We all felt like Americans, not party members. We realized how great it was to have the privilege to choose our leaders and to practice our faith. We recognized the horrible dangers of allowing radical Islam to gain strength and we saw the ultimate challenges that will come from China and others. We understood and felt, a key word there "felt", the importance of rising above our political preferences and we were ready to do what works. At that point he noted that he was doing what he was asking us to do; he was putting his personal preferences aside so that we could focus together on taking the right actions.
Whether you loved or hated John McCain at that point was irrelevant. What mattered was the outcomes represented by McCain vs those that were probable under a Hillary or Obama presidency. In other words, he brought us together as an audience. Then he concluded crisply and courteously. He came to do a job, he did it well and then he stepped back into the crowd who would work together to do the job before them. A brilliant speech, beautifully delivered.
I congratulate Governor Romney and thank him for his contributions to all of us. We will continue to see him in a leadership role. He wasn't campaigning for himself but rather for our country and we could prove it with his speech today as our example.
God I love this country! And I love the freedom of speech.
A proud and grateful public speaker,
In the Spirit of Service,
Jim Cathcart
Professional Speaker and Author
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