Which speaker in the Democratic Party inspires you most?

[elperromagico]

This should be interesting.

[liveoaktx]

1. Dick Durbin

[Albert Einstein]

26. Dennis Kucinich. To see him is to be inspired.

Everyone who attends one of his speeches walks away a supporter.

[mr715]

30. Nuh uh

Not I. His speech turned me off majorly

[genius]

55. I agree. Dennis is the most exciting speaker I've ever seen.

He gets more standing ovations than any other speaker I've seen also and I've seen most of the major Democratic leaders speak.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

34. Sen. Durbin was on fire today. He really cut through the Republican

bunk about Dem obstructionism.

[otohara]

2. Howard Dean

of course...

[AntiCoup2K4]

7. No contest.

Our next DNC Chairman, Howard Dean.

[SharonAnn]

48. Dean. "I want my country back!"

[LiberalVoice]

3. A few...

Boxer, Byrd, Dean...

[The Sheik]

4. Robert Byrd

Has that heartland way of speaking that really projects itself. A Thurmond-baptist minister way of speaking.

[Albert Einstein]

27. He's a good man.

He let us down on 1/6 but overall his record is one of the best.

[davidwparker]

5. Dean!

[Robert Oak]

6. byron Durgan

[babylonsister]

8. How about this?

Tweety asked last night who is the dem leader. Who IS the crowning glory? I really couldn't think of an answer. I love Kerry, but is there anyone out there a la Clinton, that will inspire everyone?

[Mz Pip]

9. Wes Clark

Heard him speak in person and that pretty much did it. He is brilliant and inspriring.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Dinger]

49. I Once Witnessed A Korean War Vet Change From bu$h To Dem

after hearing Clark speak. (It was a speech on foreign policy)
Yes, Wes is awesome!
(But he's not the only Dem who can speak well, that's for sure!)

[saracat]

10. Clinton for oratory. No contest.

Kennedy and Byrd. I also like Tom Harkin.

[dolstein]

24. With all due respect, he's completely outclassed by Mario Cuomo

In terms of sheer oratorical power, I can't think of a single living Democrat who can touch Cuomo. Clinton's a good talker, in an off-the-cuff sense, but his formal speeches were always rhetorically tiresome. I can't remember anything from Clinton's acceptance speech in 1992, but I still get chills thinking about Cuomo's nominating speech.

[Hippo_Tron]

38. Is Cuomo an immigrant?

And if he is, perhaps he could run against Ah-nuld if that constitutional ammendment is passed.

[dolstein]

42. Believe it or not, many Italian Americans were actually born here

Cuomo is one of them. There was never any Constitutional impediment to Cuomo running. He just didn't have the stomach for it. In any event, his time has passed. He was defeated by Pataki, and that ended his political career.

[Hippo_Tron]

43. Well that would explain it

Kinda sux.

[marcologico]

46. Cuomo can give a hell of a speech, no question. Hard to believe he

lost to a dirtbag like Pataki.

[Dinger]

51. I'll Never Forget Cuomo's Conventikon Speech (1988 )

I was in my 20's, and I stopped what I was doing to watch it. I got pulled right it, and never have been the same.

[DFLforever]

11. Dean hands down!

Inspiring and encouraging!

[RetroLounge]

12. Dean, Clark, Kennedy, Durbin, Kucinich

RL

[bigwillq]

13. Dean

Uncle Teddy, Miz Clinton

[phillysuse]

14. Which Democrat is the most inspiring?

The only Rhodes Scholar out there besides Bill Clinton:

General (retired) Wesley Clark,

1st in his class at West Point
Rhodes Scholar
former NATO Saceur
Author

I've met him, shaken his hand (it is remarkably soft) and looked into
those honest eyes.

And finally, he is inspiring in a swimsuit.

[phillysuse]

16. List of General Wesley Clark's Honors

I think this says it all.

There is no comparison with any of the others mentioned.

List of Clark's Medals and Honors EARNED:
Army Commendation Medal (two awards)
Commander of the Legion of Honor (France)
Commander's Cross, The Silver Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia
Commemorative Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic First Class (Slovakia)
Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defense First Class (Czech Republic)
Defense Distinguished Service Medal (5 awards)
First Class Order of Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (Lithuania)
Grand Cross of the Medal of Military Merit (Portugal)
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Grand Medal of Military Merit (White Band) (Spain)
Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy
Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (United Kingdom)
Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Orange-Nassau, with Swords (Netherlands)
Legion of Merit (four awards)
Madarski Konnik Medal (Bulgaria)
Meritorious Service Medal (two awards)
Military Service Cross of Canada
NATO Medal for Service (2 awards)
Order of Merit of Argentina
Order of Merit of Morocco
Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic
Order of the Cross of the Eagle (Estonia)
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Purple Heart
Silver Star
The Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of Republic of Poland
The Grade of Prince Butmir w/Ribbon and Star (Croatia)
The Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium) The Skandeberg Medal (Albania)
White House Fellowship

[CTLawGuy]

15. Howard Dean

NT

[kodi]

17. Al Gore.

The series of speeches he made in 2003-4 that were sponsored by Move-on.org were the best, most articulate speeches I heard since Cuomo's '84 convention speech.

and he wrote them himself.

[dolstein]

18. Mario Cuomo

I still think he's the best pure orator this party has produced in the past forty years. I thought Barrack Obama gave a terrific speech, but seriously, anyone interested in hearing a great speech ought to go back and listen to Cuomo's keynote address from 1984, or his nominating speech for Bill Clinton in 1992.

Anyone who thinks that Bill Clinton is a great speaker obviously hasn't listened to Mario Cuomo. Clinton's a good talker, but his formal speeches suck.

[AP]

37. Cuomo was amazing.

[JaneQPublic]

19. "I want my country back!" "You have the power!" --- Howard Dean (nt)

[dolstein]

23. I believe this thread is about speakers, not shouters

:-)

[Larry in KC]

20. Wes Clark

When he's rolling, he can make me tear up in a moment. He does it again and again, and no one else speaking out there has that effect on me. He hits the nail on the head.

[FrenchieCat]

21. Gen. Wes Clark....

Inspired me into politics!

[okcdem]

22. hmmmm

Dean, Gore.

[AgadorSparticus]

25. DEAN.

[rene moon]

28. Raul Grijalva of Arizona

He spoke at the DNC Convention. he's great!

[marcologico]

29. the Massachusetts masochists

Teddy always, Kerry lately.

[Clarkie1]

31. Clark, and more recently Boxer n/t

[98geoduck]

32. Dean, although Obama has the best style and tone( IMO)

[PassingFair]

33. I'm TIRED of fundamentalist preachers telling us what to do!

DEAN

[mvd]

35. Dennis Kucinich

Love the passion, and no smiles while the Repukes attempt to lead us further into fascism.

[Democrat Dragon]

36. Dean

[ClarkUSA]

39. General Wesley K. Clark

He's the only reason I'm in politics at all.

[KittyWampus]

40. Wellstone... Durbin Clark Dennis.... Obama

[dogman]

41. Wes Clark since John F. Kennedy is no longer with us.

I've heard live inspirational speeches from both. Two others I've watched move crowds are Barak Obama and Jesse Jackson. Bill Clinton is good but not as moving as those four.

[Festivito]

44. Obama, Frank, Clinton. Guess I'm close to alone.

Obama inspires feeling.
Barney succinctly hits truth.
Bill exudes meaning.

[Geek_Girl]

45. Bill Clinton

After listening to tonight STOU I really miss him.

:cry:

[cry baby]

47. BOXER, she can deliver an hour long speech and barely look at her

notes. She is passionate and insipring, not to mention well informed in all she talks about.

[TheDonkey]

50. Clinton, Kerry, Dean, Kennedy

Boxer is also very fiesty and well-spoken on the floor. We have plenty of great speakers in the party it is just impossible for them to make it on MSM radars.

[LittleClarkie]

52. Clinton, Teddy, Kerry

In that order.

[ZootSuitGringo]

53. I am starting to really become inspired

by General Clark.

I heard a radio interview he did today. He's Relaxed, real and earnest. Pretty good. Very long and detailed. Talks about a lot of things. Does impressions. I didn't know that Jimmie Carter had called him and asked him to run in 2003.

Look under today's date on this site, if you wanna hear it:
http://www.scpr.org/programs/talkcity/index.shtml#

[KnowerOfLogic]

54. Al sharpton, howard dean. nt

[muse]

56. Clinton, Kerry, Boxer

[FreedomAngel82]

57. Right now I have two

Mr. John Kerry and Ms(or is it Mrs?) Barbara Boxer. Whenever I see them I get really excited. I'm starting to grow onto Mr. Reid. So it'd be two and a half. :) I also wanted to add I like Dean (of course!) and Clark.