Great resource for famous speeches

[BattyDem]

I came across this site and I thought DUers would enjoy it. I don't think anyone's ever posted this link before, but if it was posted before ... well ... here it is again! ;-)


American Rhetoric

From the site:

"Index to and growing database of 5000+ full text, audio and video (streaming) versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews, other recorded media events, and a declaration or two."

"200+ short audio clips from well-known speeches, movies, sermons, popular songs, and sensational media events by famous (and infamous) politicians, actors, preachers, athletes, singers, and other noteworthy personalities."

"Complete index to and partial text and audio database of the 100 most significant American political speeches of the 20th century, according to 137 leading scholars of American public address ..."

"Full text, audio and video database of some 80 Hollywood movie speeches, as selected by audiences of American Rhetoric."

[nuxvomica]

1. OK, then just for fun, what speech is this excerpt from?

It's a famous 19th-century speech that I just heard from the site you posted. This excerpt could've been written just today:

Upon which side will the Democratic party fight; upon the side of "the idle holders of idle capital" or upon the side of "the struggling masses"? That is the question which the party must answer first, and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. The sympathies of the Democratic party, as shown by the platform, are on the side of the struggling masses who have ever been the foundation of the Democratic party. There are two ideas of government. There are those who believe that, if you will only legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous, their prosperity will leak through on those below. The Democratic idea, however, has been that if you legislate to make the masses prosperous, their prosperity will find its way up through every class which rests upon them.


Thanks for posting the link to this site. I'm bookmarking. :-)

[BattyDem]

2. That's one of my all time favorite speeches!

William Jennings Bryan - "Cross of Gold" :-)

Wow ... I haven't thought about that speech in a while. It's amazing how those words still ring true.

[nuxvomica]

3. You are correct, of course

People need to understand that the fundamental political issues facing the nation have never really changed. It all comes down to those words. Man, that site's a goldmine. ;-)

[BattyDem]

4. You're absolutely right.

Here's another excerpt from a William Jennings Bryan speech that could have been written today. We really are fighting the same battle over and over again.


"When I say that the contest ... is a contest between Democracy on the one hand and plutocracy on the other I do not mean to say that all our opponents have deliberately chosen to give to organized wealth a predominating influence in the affairs of the Government, but I do assert that on the important issues of the day the Republican party is dominated by those influences which constantly tend to substitute the worship of mammon for the protection of the rights of man."


William Jennings Bryan: "Against Imperialism" - delivered 8 April 1908, Indianapolis, IN

[nuxvomica]

6. That is a chilling quote

Perhaps the Dems should field a candidate who does nothing but recite Bryan's speeches. Perhaps schoolchildren should be taught this stuff. Wow!

[Rhiannon12866]

5. I haven't even begun to explore this! Wow! Totally amazing!

And thank you! One of the best sites I have ever seen, hands down!:wow:

[nuxvomica]

7. A kick for those who may have missed this

:kick:

[beam me up scottie]

8. Thanks for the site, but I came across this by

chance because I don't visit the lounge often.
Perhaps you could post in another forum?
This is an awesome find - everybody should have this bookmarked.

Thanks again and kick!