That Victory Speech

There is a particular combination of qualities required for a victory speech to work. Confidence, clarity, eloquence, and the right measure of humility in balance. Thanks is mandatory. A good story needs to be told about the victor and the victory.

There is not much more to be said about the victory speech delivered by President-elect Barack Obama at Grant Park, Chicago on election night 2008. It’s been dissected elsewhere by others, but for me, it was a thrilling example of a man on top of his game … he, the content of his speech, his delivery and the occasion were fused together so completely and so pitch perfect as to be an unforgettable performance.

I was especially engaged by the faces of the listeners in the crowd; now Obama could not see these individuals in a sea of hundreds of thousands, but the television cameras trawled across them. The nods, smiles, tears and cheers were the feedback he could not see but only gauge through the applause and roars of approval. This feedback worked on us watching of course and added to the extraordinary experience of the occasion.

Here’s an extract from a thoroughly-recommended post+pictures The Top 5 Body-Language Moments of Election Day;

Finally, we were deeply moved by Obama’s body language at the end, in the easy way he brought forth the other members of his and Biden’s family to share the stage. He seemed to melt into them, as if he knows deep in his bones that none of this is really about him as an individual ego. There’s a huge difference between needing to be the center of things and simply being in the middle of things. Somehow, despite all the adulation and glory (as well as the relentless attacks mounted by the other side) Obama still knows what he’s known all along: he’s one of us.

It was quite a speech; quite an occasion. Here is the first part of it. You can see it all by following the links to You Tube.