President Clinton is considered one of the finest one-on-one communicators in history, but he intentionally simplified his speeches so he could connect with a larger audience. From a strictly oratorical standpoint, this may have hurt his speeches, says Greene. From a political standpoint though, Clinton’s simple, conversational oration probably helped him politically by making him a guy voters would want to have a beer with.
“It’s one thing to be a great speaker. It’s another to politically connect with 300-million-plus Americans,” said Greene. “While people who love great speeches might love soaring oratory, it doesn’t always translate into people feeling a connection with a president.”
