Let’s look at the Republican presidential contenders from a public speaking perspective; how did they do as speakers during the debates?
As the video above shows, there was a wide variety of talent on display. Politics aside, I think Gingrich is far and away the best speaker of the bunch. Gary Johnson had perhaps the best punch line of the debates (“My next door neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel ready jobs than the current administration.”), but Gingrich can pull together stories, quotes, statistics, comparisons and contrasts effortlessly, and convey his point with conviction with almost every question he answers. Herman Cain, on the other hand, was often vague during the debates, offering up platitudes instead of meaningful details.
In the video above, watch the way Gingrich uses the Carter administration as a metaphor for the current administration, and slips in a witty, sly quote from Ronald Reagan to make his point about the need for reform.
Say what you will about him politically (full disclosure, his politics aren’t mine), but Newt Gingrich is perhaps one of the world’s best debaters.
