What rhetoric can do for you – and what you can do for rhetoric

Listen to Mark Forsyth discuss what makes a political sound bite:
[audioboo url=”http://audioboo.fm/boos/1746136-mark-forsyth-inkyfool-on-the-importance-of-political-sound-bites”/]

In December 2011, there was a major reversal of American policy and ideology. Barack Obama told a crowd of veterans: ‘You stood up for America. Now America must stand up for you.’ A U-turn! A flop-flip! Because, if you think about it, Obama was saying the exact opposite of JFK: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

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Mark Forsyth is the author of The Elements of Eloquence: How to turn the perfect English phrase.

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What rhetoric can do for you – and what you can do for rhetoric

In three years in power, the coalition has produced almost no memorable line. Should we be worried?

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