Booing is the most boring crowd noise there is, even when the crowd thinks its noise supports the speaker. The second-most boring crowd noise is chanting, even when the crowd thinks its noise supports the speaker.
An effervescing horde of enthusiasts needs dominating. A sympathetic audience is a self-regarding entity when assembled into spectacle. It wants to be loved, is full of love, doesn’t quite know what to do with its love. The consummate speaker shuts it up, lifts it up, harnesses the love.
The high points of a well-oiled speech are the instants when the horde is stunned into perfect silence, countless faces shocked into radiance, slack with unvarnished amazement. Then it can roar assent to the choice truth that has pierced its restless buzz. But the agile speaker is two steps ahead already. She banks the roar quickly and moves forward, impatient, imperious, impressive.
Such cadences imposed by such a speaker spring from an indefinable mix of art, humility and command. The delivery of message is devoid of bluster, isn’t fawning, emphatically doesn’t court the adoring feedback. Simply earns it.
PS: Sometimes plain words uttered by a gently reasonable voice speak loudest: “…We will finally say goodbye to that hateful man.” (Yusef Salaam).
(c) 2024 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved
EthicalDative 
This is such a perceptive post Jim. You’ve analysed a good speech brilliantly. And how important that is right now!
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Thank you, Sue. I’m not a politics nerd and this is the first convention I’ve watched. I do always vote and try to stay reasonably informed. Watching all the speeches has impressed on me how important skill speech-making is. It’s not substitute for good ideas, sure can help put them across! You’re exactly right about its importance in the moment.
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