Obama Speeches

Eloquence, delivery and timing: these three words pretty sum up President Barack Obama's speeches. How do you decide on the "best" of something that is rated so highly? Well, this is no easy task. The list below is more like a "best of the best" compilation. The average American president delivers thousands of speeches to the public, private donors and private meetings among staff and counterparts. Some of Barack Obama's greatest oratories came as then, Senator (candidate) Barack Obama.

1. 2004 Democratic National Convention. Or, the one that started it all. Illinois State Senator Barack Obama was asked by Presidential Candidate John Kerry's team to give the convention's keynote address. At the time, he was campaigning for the open U.S. Senate seat. He proceeded to send the crowd into a frenzy. With lines like, "The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an "awesome God" in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States," Obama received a heroes' ovation and soon soured to national prominence.

2. Iowa Caucus Victory. This speech wasn't supposed to happen. Thats what makes the following words so fitting: "They said this day would never come. They said our sites were set to high. . ." These words rang true all the way to the November 2008 election. The ones who said the "day would never come," i.e., Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, would soon be watching from the sideline.

3. "A More Perfect Union." As the tensions flew high, Senator Barack Obama began to face accusations about his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. This prompted him and his advisors, David Axelrod and David Plouffe, to set up a speech about race. Even more fittingly, the speech was delivered across the street from where the constitution was signed. Obama went on to say, "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother." Undoubtedly, these words were received with much controversy among conservatives. Yet, it was enough to put the overriding issue of his pastor to rest. At least for a little while.

4. New Hampshire, "Yes We Can." Obama first used this phrase during his concession speech, after losing the New Hampshire primary to Hillary Clinton. The line, a playoff of the UAW "Yes, it can be done" slogan, would soon become an iconic phrase through the campaign season. Eventually inspiring a song by Black Eyed Peas artist, Will.i.am. The song would go on to surpass twenty million views on YouTube.

5. Nobel Peace Price Lecture. One of the few speeches that garnered praise from both sides of the aisle. Newly inaugurated, President Obama, delivered a well balanced and realist approach to combating evil in the world, while remaining to committed to peace. Somewhat shocked by his own achievement, Obama didn't downplay his role as Commander and Chief of a country currently involved in two wars. However, this is how he so eloquently summed it up: "...A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason."