奥巴马教你演讲技巧

You might say that one reason Barack Obama is president of the US is because he knows how to give a good speech. In 2004, when Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was the Democratic Partys nominee for the presidency, a little-known senator from Illinois gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. That senator was Obama. It was a remarkable speech—poetic, and inspiring. The people who heard it would remember it for a long time.

Since 2004, Obama has written and delivered thousands of speeches. These are usually praised for two reasons: he treats the audiences like intelligent adults, and he is able to express complicated ideas in a straightforward, natural way.

或许你会认为，奥巴马之所以能当选美国总统，全都要归功于他杰出的演讲才能。2004年，当时民主党的总统候选人还是马萨诸塞州参议员约翰·克里，在一次民主党全国代表大会上，一位名不见经传的伊利诺伊州参议员发表了主题演讲。那个参议员便是奥巴马。那是一场十分精彩的演讲——语言如诗，振奋人心。听过演讲的人都难以忘怀。

从2004年开始，奥巴马至今已创作发表了上万场演说。这些演讲屡获赞扬的原因大致可归结为两点：将观众作为有智慧的成年人来对待；以直率自然的方式来表达复杂难懂的理念。

Before becoming president, Obama was a lawyer, a college professor, and a successful writer—his two memoirs have become best-sellers. The skills he needed to succeed in his previous jobs have also contributed to his success as a speechmaker.

As a lawyer, Obama learned how to make strong, convincing arguments. As a professor, he learned how to explain complex subjects in ways that helped students understand without boring them. As a writer, he learned how to use language to have a powerful impact on his audience. Star musician will.i.am even turned one of Obamas early speeches into a song during the election campaign.

Obama delivers speeches to audiences large and small. He can make his audiences laugh or cry. His speeches are always thoughtful, well written, and just right for each occasion.

在当选总统前，奥巴马曾做过律师、大学教授，他还是一位成功的作家，出版的两部回忆录都非常畅销。正是这些早年在工作中锻炼出的技能，让他得以成为一名成功的演说家。

身为律师，奥巴马懂得如何在辩论中给出令人信服的有力论据。身为教授，他明白如何将复杂的问题以学生清晰易懂的方式解释清楚。而身为作家，他更精通如何用语言打动观众。著名音乐人will. i. am（流行乐团黑眼豆豆的灵魂人物），甚至在大选期间将奥巴马早期的一篇演讲编成了歌曲。

奥巴马在各种大大小小的场合都发表过演说。他既能使人捧腹，也能催人泪下。无论在什么场合，他的演讲总是那么得体，思想与文笔交相辉映。

Obamas Secret Weapons

奥巴马的秘密武器

Teleprompter: Obama doesnt go anywhere without his teleprompter. The textbook-sized panes of glass holding the presidents prepared remarks follow him wherever he goes to speak.

Writing team: Obama has a team of people who write his speeches. The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wants to say. They listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.

提词器：无论去哪里，奥巴马都随身携带提词器。每次外出演讲，他都会带着这个笔记本大小的方形玻璃装置，里面有备好的演讲摘要。

写作团队：奥巴马有一个专门负责为他撰写演讲稿的团队。写手们会和奥巴马座谈数小时，充分了解他想要表达的内容。他们要听过去的总统演讲录音，并向顾问寻求建议。奥巴马通常会对出来的草稿进行数次编辑和改写。

Obamas Tricks for a Lighthearted Speech That Stays on Message:

在轻松愉快的演讲中传达信息，奥巴马自有妙招：

Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gently teasing his guests. His opening lines grab the audiences attention while giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselves and each other.

Make fun of yourself: A good rule for speechmakers: If youre going to make a joke about someone else, be sure to make one about yourself, too. Obama mocked his own poor choices for filling the position of Commerce Secretary, saying, “No President in history has ever named three Commerce Secretaries this quickly.” In fact, his first two nominees for the position withdrew their names for different reasons. In a process that had otherwise gone smoothly, the Obama Administration was tripped up by the problem of filling the Commerce seat.

打趣来宾：奥巴马经常在演讲一开始打趣来宾。他的开场白不仅能成功吸引听众们的注意力，还给了机会让他们放松下来，彼此会心一笑。

自嘲：对一个演讲者而言：如果你想要拿其他人打趣，那么一定别忘了也要来自嘲一下。奥巴马曾嘲笑自己在商务部长提名上没有太多选择，他说：“在这么短的时间内任命三位商务部长，恐怕我是头一个了。”实情是，前两位被提名者都由于种种原因而推掉了。结果填充商务部席位这么一件本应很顺畅的事，却成了奥巴马政府的一大难题。