The relationship between the presidency and the press has transformed-seemingly overnight-from one where reports and columns were filed, edited, and deliberated for hours before publication into a brave new world where texts, tweets, and sound bites race from composition to release within a matter of seconds. This change, which has ultimately made political journalism both more open and more difficult, brings about many questions, but perhaps the two most important are these: Are the hard questions still being asked? Are they still being answered? In Columns to Characters, Stephanie A. Martin and top scholars and journalists offer a fresh perspective on how the evolution of technology affects the way presidents interact with the public. From Bill Clinton's saxophone playing on the Arsenio Hall Show to Barack Obama's skillful use of YouTube, Twitter, and Reddit as the first "social media president," political communication appears to reflect the increasing fragmentation of the American public. The accessible essays here explore these implications in a variety of real-world circumstances: the "narcotizing" numbness of information overload and voter apathy; the concerns over privacy, security, and civil liberties; new methods of running political campaigns and mobilizing support for programs; and a future "post-rhetorical presidency" in which the press is all but irrelevant. Each section of the book concludes with a "reality check," a short reflection by a working journalist (or, in one case, a former White House insider) on the presidential beat.

You know that person: the one with that certain something. And you've probably dismissed that something as unattainable, simply innate. But it's a myth that some are born with "it" and others aren't. Everybody can have that presence-and the peaceful self-acceptance that powers it. Patsy Rodenburg reveals that the secret is learning to inhabit "the second circle": the optimal state between the first circle of introversion and self-doubt and the third of aggression and narcissism. She provides exercises to help you break the habits that constrict your real power and to better cope with the negative behaviors and attitudes of those around you. With wisdom and patience, Rodenburg teaches you how to communicate effectively at home, work, school, and-most important-with yourself. The Second Circle will empower you to meet life's most extraordinary trials with brio and to embrace the joys and challenges of every single day.

Citizens, political theorists, and politicians alike insist that political or partisan motives get in the way of real democracy. Real democracy, we are convinced, is embodied by an ability to form collective judgments in the interest of the whole. The Rhetorical Surface of Democracy: How Deliberative Ideals Undermine Democratic Politics, by Scott Welsh, argues instead that it is our easy rejection of political motives, individual interests, and the rhetorical pursuit of power that poses the greatest danger to democracy. Our rejection of politics understood as a rhetorical contest for power is dangerous because democracy ultimately rests upon the perceived public legitimacy of public, political challenges to authority and the subsequent reconstitution of authority amid the impossibility of collective judgment. Hence, rather than searching for allegedly more authentic democracy, rooted in the pursuit of ever-illusive collective judgments, we must find ways to come to terms with the persistence of rhetorical, political contests for power as the essence of democracy itself. Welsh argues that the impossibility of any kind of public judgment is the fact that democracy must face. Given the impossibility of public judgment, rhetorical competitions for political power are not merely poor substitutes for an allegedly more authentic democratic practice, but constitute the essence of democracy itself. The Rhetorical Surface of Democracy is an iconoclastic investigation of the democratic process and public discourse.

Citizens, political theorists, and politicians alike insist that political or partisan motives get in the way of real democracy. Real democracy, we are convinced, is embodied by an ability to form collective judgments in the interest of the whole. The Rhetorical Surface of Democracy: How Deliberative Ideals Undermine Democratic Politics, by Scott Welsh, argues instead that it is our easy rejection of political motives, individual interests, and the rhetorical pursuit of power that poses the greatest danger to democracy. Our rejection of politics understood as a rhetorical contest for power is dangerous because democracy ultimately rests upon the perceived public legitimacy of public, political challenges to authority and the subsequent reconstitution of authority amid the impossibility of collective judgment. Hence, rather than searching for allegedly more authentic democracy, rooted in the pursuit of ever-illusive collective judgments, we must find ways to come to terms with the persistence of rhetorical, political contests for power as the essence of democracy itself. Welsh argues that the impossibility of any kind of public judgment is the fact that democracy must face. Given the impossibility of public judgment, rhetorical competitions for political power are not merely poor substitutes for an allegedly more authentic democratic practice, but constitute the essence of democracy itself. The Rhetorical Surface of Democracy is an iconoclastic investigation of the democratic process and public discourse.

How did an American immigrant without a college education go from Venice Beach T-shirt vendor to television's most successful producer? How did a timid pastor's son surmount a paralysing fear of public speaking to sell out Yankee Stadium, twice? How did the city of Tokyo create a PowerPoint stunning enough to win them the chance to host the Olympics?

They told brilliant stories.

Whether your goal is to sell, educate, fundraise or entertain, your story is your most valuable asset: 'a strategic tool with irresistible power', according to the New York Times. Stories inspire; they persuade; they galvanize movements and actuate global change. A well-told story hits you like a punch to the gut; it triggers the light-bulb moment, the 'aha' that illuminates the path to innovation. Radical transformation can occur in an instant, with a single sentence; The Storyteller's Secret teaches you how to craft your most powerful delivery ever.

In his hugely attended Talk Like TED events, bestselling author and communications guru Carmine Gallo found, again and again, that audiences wanted to discover the keys to telling a powerful story. The Storyteller's Secret unlocks the answer in fifty lessons from visionary leaders - each of whom cites storytelling as a crucial ingredient in success. A good story can spark action and passion; it can revolutionize the way people think and spur them to chase their dreams. Isn't it time you shared yours?

Frederick Douglass, once a slave, was one of the great 19th century American orators and the most important African American voice of his era. This book traces the development of his rhetorical skills, discusses the effect of his oratory on his contemporaries, and analyzes the specific oratorical techniques he employed. The first part is a biographical sketch of Douglass's life, dealing with his years of slavery (1818-1837), his prewar years of freedom (1837-1861), the Civil War (1861-1865), and postwar years (1865-1895). Chesebrough emphasizes the centrality of oratory to Douglass's life, even during the years in slavery. The second part looks at his oratorical techniques and concludes with three speeches from different periods. Students and scholars of communications, U.S. history, slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and African American studies will be interested in this book.

He reviled the rich for their cupidity and they found his rhetoric repulsive. Plebians believed him their champion and patricians knew he was their bete noire, remarks Halford Ryan in his eloquent foreword to this definitive survey of Clarence DarroW's development as orator and unique American myth. As a writer, lecturer, debater, and trial lawyer Darrow spoke for the have-nots and cultivated an image of mythic proportions as the underdog's advocate. Many of the more than 2,000 trials in which he was active reflected the major social and philosophical issues of the last quarter of the nineteenth and first third of the twentieth centuries in America. Read today, DarroW's speeches still ring true both as political statements and as models of persuasive pleading and pathos--reason enough to study the work of this uncommon advocate who stood perpetually opposed to the great and powerful of the earth. Richard J. Jensen has written a clearsighted volume that documents how Darrow created and then enlarged his personal myth through speeches, writings, and actions. Each chapter focuses on particular segments of that creation. Half of the book consists of authoritative texts of several of DarroW's most influential and rhetorically brilliant speeches, and a speech chronology simplifies the work of researchers.

The study opens with a brief biography, an overview of DarroW's rhetoric, along with the forces that affected it, and some initial comments on the elements that make up the myth. The next chapter, Schoolmaster of the Courtroom, chronicles the origins of DarroW's image as a defender of the downtrodden and his early trials in defense of labor unions and their leaders. What is considered to be one of the most famous speeches in American legal history, that given by Darrow at the conclusion of the 1924 Leopold and Loeb trial, is the focus of Chapter Three. Chapter Four centers on the Scopes Trial, perhaps the most famous trial in recent American history, during which the dramatic confrontation with William Jennings Bryan occurred. The penultimate chapter explains the arguments Darrow used to defend the poor, radicals, Blacks, and other less fortunate members of society. Finally, DarroW's rhetoric as a writer and as an active speaker and debater on the lecture circuit is examined. Part II contains the authoritative texts of seven speeches including those given during the Leopold and Loeb Trial and the Scopes Trial, among others. The Chronology of Speeches, Bibliography, and Index close the volume. The speeches along with Jensen's intelligent, readable analysis and criticism will be an important resource for those teaching and studying Legal Rhetoric and the History of Public Address.

Is it the greatest fear of all? Numerous surveys attest to the now well-known fact--the vast majority of people are more afraid of public speaking than any other experience, even death. With its unique approach, Scared Speechless turns your fear around by providing a step-by-step guide to successful speech making. To help prepare you for your next speech, some of the topics Rebecca McDaniel explores are nervousness and fears; persuasive, informative, impromptu, and extemporaneous speaking; topic choice; and learning the library. She also covers speech preparation; supporting your thesis; introductions and conclusions; delivery techniques; visual aids; choosing a topic; and organizing, supporting, and delivering your speech. Each chapter explains the process, illustrates with examples, and provides exercises to try out your new-found skills. Whether you are a student or a professional, the logical chapter sequence and the clear guidelines provided will ease you through the process. Scared Speechless is the perfect text for beginning speech classes and the essential guide for any professional who needs to improve his or her public speaking skills. With her extensive experience as a teacher of public speaking, McDaniel leaves no area uncovered and helps you go far beyond your fear of public speaking to become an accomplished presenter.

Although much has been written about Abraham Lincoln, there has been little rhetorical analysis of how this public man communicated with his listeners. Yet by studying his rhetoric closely, we can gain real insights into Lincoln as an orator, debater, jester, lawyer, statesman, leader, and president. This critical appraisal of his public speaking is linked to transcripts of some major speeches and to a chronology, bibliography, and an index. This useful one-volume reference is intended for students, scholars, and experts in communications and rhetoric, political science, and American studies and history. Lois J. Einhorn presents a rhetorical analysis of Abraham Lincoln's speaking, defining his view toward public speaking, characteristics of his rhetoric, his use of humor, and the development of his various addresses while president. Texts of nine selected speeches are printed exactly. A short chronology of speeches, a selected bibliography of Lincoln as a speaker, and a general index complete this important new reference work.

If you are like many people, including the author at one time, your fear of public speaking may be holding you back and limiting your influence and potential. This book is designed to help you confront and conquer your fear of public speaking. Each of the twenty lessons builds upon the other and guides you through a systematic process to freedom. Public speaking is a skill that is important and valuable for many obvious reasons. Ralph Waldo Emerson declares rightfully, "Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel." Being a good communicator can enhance your chances to be a leader, to influence an audience, or perhaps to land a business deal or new job opportunity. Sooner or later, you will be asked or even forced to speak in a public setting. Though this thought is exhilarating to some, it also terrifies a great number of others. Sadly, fear of public speaking silences scores of voices, causing many to lose out on a variety of opportunities. Indeed, being a competent public speaker may enhance your career, business influence, and potential for success. Whether your fear of public speaking is slight or severe this book will help to face it down and defeat it, once and for all. You will also find a variety of tools and tips to help you improve your ability to speak in front of others. There really is a way to overcome your fear of speaking in public. By purchasing this course and looking for ways to apply it, you have taken an important first step. However, in order to deal with the fears that bind you, you will need to commit to doing some hard work. But, let me assure you that if you read the lessons carefully and do the exercises suggested herein, you will notice a marked difference in yourself by the end of this course. The only way you will conquer the fear of public speaking is confronting it head on. That is exactly what "Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking" will help you do.