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Jan 02, 2020

Stump Speech: The Ultimate Speechwriting Guide

by Martín Diego Garcia

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Stump Speech: Connect With Voters by Creating a Campaign Speech.

Here is our ultimate guide to writing a great stump speech. We all know that the candidate is the campaign’s best asset, and the stump speech is the best campaign tool for delivering a 7C’s (clear, concise, contrastive, connective, creative, compelling, consistent) message and personal story about the candidate and campaign. 

WHAT IS A STUMP SPEECH?  A political Campaign speech has been a staple on the campaign trail since the 1800s and is still a critical tool for modern day campaigns. Your stump speech should be the core message for you campaign and repeated at almost every campaign event or activity. A candidate should be able to repeat their stump speech in their sleep and might just start doing that involuntarily after delivering it a couple of hundred times. The speech should be a quick way for the candidate to answer the following questions for their audience:  

• WHO the candidate is? This should be a short introduction of the candidate’s name and a little background to humanize them to voters. Where you’re from, your family, your connection to the community?
• WHY they are running for this office? There should be a very clear and compelling connection between your person story and the collective challenge your community is facing that has prompted you to run for office. Tell a story about the issue(s) you’re running on. Who specifically is being harmed by these problems? 
• WHAT is the contrast/choice for voters? This is VERY important. You need to lay out your vision for the future and differentiate it from your opponent(s)’s idea for the future of your community. If there is no clear contrast the voters will not have a compelling reason to cast a vote. 
• WHAT is the ask for the audience? Lastly, you need a simple and specific ask for your audience. Do you need them to vote for you? Knock on doors? Donate to your campaign? And by when do you need them to do it? 

HOW LONG SHOULD YOUR STUMP SPEECH BE?  An average campaign speech given at an event, at the doors, on an interview can be between 5-10 minutes in length. However, most often a candidate has about 90 seconds to 3 minutes when on the campaign trail for an introduction. So be prepared! 

Think of the shorter version as a quick introduction like cliff notes or a synopsis. This can be used to start a conversation at the door or introduce yourself on the fly. For the longer version of the speech you are merely adding a little more context and color to the story depending on your audience. 

WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR STUMP SPEECH?  Here are the core campaign speech writing components that should be in your speech. They do NOT need to be in this order necessarily, but the speech should have a nature order that flows together. 

• INTRODUCTION: You need to have a hook to grab a person’s (peoples) attention right from the start (be careful with telling jokes unless you’re good at them) and then give the basics – your name and office you’re running for. 
• PERSONAL STORY: Weave in your personal story. What is your motivation for stepping up to run for office? What are the values you hold that are needed in the office or to solve this issue? But whatever your do, please DO NOT list off your resume. No one is interested in hearing that. Trust me.
• PROBLEM STATEMENT: Present a clear and relevant (to audience and electorate) issue that needs to be solved. What is wrong that needs to be fixed? (For incumbents, what needs more work OR to be protected?).  Why do you care about this issue and why is it relevant to the community at large? What is at stake for them? 
• SOLUTION/VISION: What is your solution to solving this program? What skills, experiences or qualities do you have that make you suited to solve this issue? Paint a picture for the audience about what their future could look like if this problem was solved. 
• ASK: What is it you need from the audience you’re speaking to? You need a clear and concise call to action that allows them to be part of your vision and get involved with your campaign. Do you need an endorsement? Donations? Volunteers? Votes? Tell them exactly how they can help be part of the solution. 
• Thank them for their time! 

WHY SHOULD YOU TELL YOUR PERSONAL STORY? 

Stories have been a part of civilization since the dawn of time. Stories have been used to pass down history through generations. It is also how we connect with each other through a shared humanity. It’s no wonder we’re all wired to engage with and react to stories that includes voters! Stories are all around us in books, TV, movies, music, news, brunch, literally everywhere.  As a candidate you’ll get much farther with your constituents by telling a story to show people your vision versus just throwing facts and data at them. 

Utilizing your personal stories can be extremely beneficial due to one thing: it makes you seem normal. One of the issues that America faces today is the lack of care for politics. Candidates who use their personal stories are able to create a positive feeling around their candidacy. Talk about yourself as a way to relate to your audience. Funny stories are great icebreakers. Lastly, and most importantly, always tell the truth. Especially in today’s technological age, it is much easier to find out if a candidate isn’t speaking the truth or is speaking in half-truths.

DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU’RE RUNNING? 

Voters want to know why you are running for office. They want to hear your motivation, so they can see if they trust you or not. Voters know what the problems in their communities are, so instead of repeating them back, tell them how they’ve affected you and your community. 

For example, if education is your core issues, don’t start by throwing out all the stats and facts about struggling, underfunded schools. Start by showing voters how this is affecting actual people, specifically children, talk about a student who was not able to reach their full potential because of the lack of funding or current policies in place. That way, you’re painting a picture and humanizing the issue for voters, so they see it more personally. 

WHY DO YOU NEED TO USE AN EMOTIONAL APPEAL? 

People are not rational beings and we often make decisions based on our emotions rather than the facts. If you look at the sweeping victories for Biden, Obama or Trump the one thing that connects them is that they both got voters to feel something. Biden campaign was based on empathy, Obama’s entire campaign was based on hope and aspiration, while Trump’s was based in fear and division. Two very different strategies but both based in telling emotionally captivating narratives. 

WHY SHOULD YOU AVOID LISTING OFF YOUR RESUME? 

We’ve all been there. Waiting to hear from a candidate and all we get is a rundown of their resume of accomplishment.  Spoiler alert: your degrees and awards won’t buy you love from voters. Yes, having them is important but defining yourself by them is not going to create an emotional connection with your audience. Your stump speech should show not tell your story. It should weave in your accomplishments as supporting evidence but not the main plot line. 

Remember that every  campaign speech will be different, but if you can speak from the heart and tell people your story, they are much more likely to remember you when it comes to casting their vote. So practice, practice, practice and if you need help please feel free to reach out to our team. 

Have questions about writing a stump speech? Drop us a note. 

Questions? Email Us

6 Key Components of a Winning Stump Speech

As a candidate for elected office you’re going to be giving plenty of speeches, so you’ll need to have your stump speech down pat.

Strong public speaking conveys confidence and leadership to voters.  

It assures donors and supporters that you’re the right person for office.

Unfortunately, too many candidates are not good public speakers.

They don’t have a key message or theme.

Their words wander all over the place.

They don’t make sense and wind up confusing their audience.

I witnessed this the one night by a candidate who is running his own campaign.

He had good ideas. He had a solid resume.

His speech however did not effectively convey that he’s up for the job.

With a little fine-tuning he would be much better.

A good stump speech makes a huge difference in a candidate’s race, their fundraising, and in gathering endorsements.

That’s why I always work with my candidates on their stump speeches.

I’ve even turned the things I teach candidates into a premium course The Secrets of a Winning Stump Speech .

Most of my clients have never ran for office before.

They’re not used to public speaking, even in front of small groups.

Over the course of my career, I’ve noticed that there are six key components that make for a good stump speech.

If you follow these, you’ll be in good shape as a candidate and might even surprise yourself as a public speaker.

1.  Who You Are and What You’re Running For

Never assume that the voters know who you are.

They likely don’t.

Your mission as a candidate for office is to build your name recognition and support for your candidacy.

Even if you’ve been introduced by someone, always begin your stump speech by telling your audience who you are and the office your running for.

If you’re married, say so and tell them how long you’ve been married.

If you have children, list your kids and how old they are, and what kind of things they’re into.

Should your spouse, children, parents, or other family members be present, be sure to point them out by name and thank them for their support for your campaign — especially if it’s your spouse.

It’s a cardinal sin in the political world to not introduce or thank your spouse.

2.  Where You Come From

Voters like to elect real people from real places with real lives.

After you introduce yourself and the office you’re running for, tell them where you grew up, a little about your family life, and how that impacted your life.

If you’re running in a community where you’ve lived all of your life, or most of it, make sure that’s highlighted in your stump speech.

Mention the schools you went to, where you played sports, your first job in town, your favorite place to eat, or that your parents still live there.

This creates an instant connection with the voters and will make it easier for them to become supporters.

3.  What You’ve Dones

Experience matters to voters.

They want to know that you’ve accomplished something in your life.

In your stump speech, tell them about where you graduated from college (if you did), your military service (if you served), the jobs you’ve had (if you’ve never had a job or a business  — why are you even running?)

Voters want to know these things for two reasons:

1) it shows you can set goals and accomplish them

2) it demonstrates you’re not afraid of hard work

This is especially true in today’s political environment when the perception of elected officials is that they’re only in office to cash for themselves and their family members, rather than work hard and accomplish something for their constituents.

Have you noticed that critics of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump each use this line of attack?

Talk about your professional experience — the things you’ve done and learned that have prepared you for office.

If you volunteer or are active in community organizations, put this in your stump speech.

But please be careful not to come off as bragging.

That will turn off voters rather than endear them to you.

Yes, Donald Trump violates this admonition often, and it reflects negatively his approval ratings and poll numbers.

If Trump who can get away with so much that other candidates cannot is still damaged by this, don’t think you’ll fare any better.

4.  What You Want to Accomplish

Voters like candidates who have a plan.

They want to know why you’re running for office and what you intend to do once you’re elected.

The best way to clarify this is by understanding what your campaign is about in one sentence, as detailed in this article.

When giving your stump speech, incorporate your One Sentence into your remarks and build upon it.

It’s best to have three specific things you want to accomplish.

Your goals should align with three problems that need to be fixed.

Hopefully you’ve done some polling or other type of opinion research so you’ll know what issues and problems are foremost on your voters’ minds.

State each problem, describe how you’d like things to be better, and outline the steps you believe that can be taken to get there.

While you need to show that your plan is realistic, be careful not to get into too many specifics with your solutions to these problems.

While you need to know the specifics for when you are elected, and when people ask you for details, giving specifics and details in your stump speech will bore your audience.

Bored voters don’t convert into supporters.

Excited voters do, plus they tell their friends to vote for you.

5.  It’s Not About I, It’s About We

One of the biggest pitfalls candidates for elected office can face is making it all about themselves.

While you may be the one running, elections are not about candidates.

They are about voters.

Elections are where the voters get to have their say on people and policy.

If you make it about you, you’ll fall into the “I, me, mine” trap, become labeled as a “politician” and turn off the voters you need.

When giving your stump speech always change the word “I” to the word “we” when it’s possible.

Clearly, when talking about where you grew up, went to school, work, and your family, you’re going to use “I.”

But when you are talking about what you want to do in office, things that you’ve been a part of in your community, or accomplishments you were involved in as part of a larger organization, use the word “we.”

Speaking to your audience with the word “we” creates a bond and buy-in with your ideas.  That’s the effect that you’re after with your stump speech.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton severely violated this rule.

She had supporters say, “I’m with her.”

It didn’t work because she was asking the voters to focus on her as the candidate — rather than focusing on the voters and the shared mission they were on together.

Donald Trump spun that around masterfully and told his supporters “I’m with you.”

6. Close Strong

Closing your stump speech the right way is important.

After you’ve listed what you want to do in office, tell the audience that you can’t do this without their help.

Weaving “we” throughout your stump speech ties this in nicely for your finish.

If you’re talking to voters, ask them for their votes.

If you’re talking to donors, ask them for their contributions.

If you’re talking to leaders of an organization that endorses, ask them for their support.

There’s no reason for anyone to give you what you want unless you specifically ask for it.

As one professor I had always said, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

Make the ask then it’s time for you to go.

End by thanking your audience for their time.

Always do this. Tell them you appreciate taking the time to listen to you.

Grateful candidates tend to be winning candidates.

Candidate Take-Aways

If you follow these six rules you’ll be able to craft an effective stump speech.

Go figure yours out and write it out word for word.

After you write it out, go and learn it.

Learn it and practice your stump speech, but don’t memorize it.

You don’t want to come off like a robot.

If it helps, write an outline of our speech and refer to that when you’re speaking.

The first speech you give will likely be difficult and you may hate doing it.

That’s fine.

Keep giving your stump speech.

You’ll get better at it each time you speak.

Before you know it you won’t need an outline to refer to, you won’t be nervous, and people will be coming up to you when you’re finished telling you what a great speaker you are.

Now if you’d like to go deeper and learn exactly how to write, rehearse, and deliver a solid stump speech, t ap this link for instant access to the premium course Secrets of a Winning Stump Speech.

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Stump Speeches On The Political Campaign Trail

A political campaign stump speech is given by a candidate for political office to introduce themself to the audience and present their platform. The speech is short and to the point, with plenty of personal stories, humor, and emotional appeal to the audience. It is often repeated throughout the campaign to smaller audiences.

In the world of politics, a good stump speech stands as an integral tool for fundraising or candidates vying for public office or as part of a presidential campaign. This enduring tradition, spanning decades and continents, serves as a platform for politicians to captivate and sway their audiences.

From addressing key issues to showcasing their vision for the future, the stump speech has evolved into a defining aspect of political campaigns, empowering candidates to rally support and leave lasting impressions on the electorate.

Table of Contents

What Is The Difference Between A Campaign Speech And A Stump Speech?

The terms “campaign speech” and “stump speech” are often interchangeable, but a subtle difference exists between the two. A stump speech is the equivalent of an elevator speech intended to make an introduction and summarize the essence of what a candidate has to offer.

It is a standard speech politicians give, while campaign speeches go into more detail and may vary between audiences.

Stump Speeches

The term “ stump speech ” originates from the practice of candidates standing on a literal tree stump or platform while delivering their speech in outdoor settings. Stump speeches tend to be more focused and streamlined, highlighting key messages and core talking points the candidate wants to convey consistently to different audiences.

Abraham Lincoln was known for effectively using stump speeches during his political career. He would often deliver these speeches while standing on a literal stump or platform, addressing crowds of voters directly. Lincoln’s stump speeches were concise, straightforward, and focused on connecting with the common people.

Ronald Reagan’s political addresses were optimistic and uplifting. He was a clear and persuasive speaker who intertwined strong conservative ideology with effective use of storytelling and skillful injections of humor.

Campaign Speeches

A campaign speech refers to a broader category of speeches a political candidate delivers during an election campaign. These speeches can take various forms and are typically tailored to specific audiences or events. Campaign speeches are often designed to appeal to a diverse range of voters the candidate encounters at rallies, town hall meetings, debates, or other campaign events.

What Is The Purpose Of A Political Campaign Speech?

The purpose of any  political campaign speech  is to establish a personal connection with voters by sharing relatable stories and experiences while presenting the candidate’s policy positions and vision for the future persuasively. It is a most effective way of inspiring trust, garnering support, and persuading voters to choose the candidate as the most qualified and capable leader for the office they seek.

A political campaign speech also serves as a platform for candidates to address critical issues and challenges facing the community, showcasing their understanding of these problems and their proposed solutions.

Through their speech-making abilities, candidates aim to rally their base, sway undecided voters, and demonstrate their leadership qualities and ability to effectively govern, ultimately seeking to secure the necessary support for a successful campaign.

What Should The Content Of A Campaign Speech Be?

The content of a campaign speech should include a combination of personal anecdotes and stories that resonate with voters, highlighting shared experiences and values, as well as the candidate’s policy positions and proposals to address major issues and challenges facing the community.

Furthermore, a campaign speech should emphasize the candidate’s vision for the future, inspiring hope and optimism while instilling trust and confidence in their leadership abilities.  Effective rhetorical techniques , such as persuasive language and powerful storytelling, can captivate the audience, leave a lasting impression, and generate enthusiasm and support for the candidate’s campaign.

Speechwriters play a crucial role in crafting solid stump speeches and political speeches for candidates on the campaign trail. They work closely with the candidate and their campaign team to develop a compelling message that resonates with the audience and aligns with the candidate’s goals and values.

What Type Of Speech Is A Campaign Speech?

A campaign speech is a persuasive address delivered by a political candidate during an election, aiming to engage and mobilize the audience in support of their campaign. It combines informative elements, presenting policy positions and proposals while employing persuasive techniques to sway voters.

These speeches serve as platforms for candidates to showcase their leadership qualities, establish personal connections with voters, and demonstrate their credibility. Candidates inspire trust and gain support from the audience by addressing key issues and presenting a compelling vision for the future.

What Should You Say In A Campaign Speech?

In a campaign speech, addressing critical community issues and presenting the candidate’s proposed solutions effectively is crucial. The speech should also highlight the candidate’s vision for the future, inspiring hope and establishing a personal connection with the audience through relatable stories and experiences.

Additionally, emphasizing the candidate’s qualifications, accomplishments, and relevant experiences is essential to showcase their suitability for the office they seek. It is important to appeal to the values and aspirations of the voters and conclude the speech with a strong call to action, urging the audience to support the campaign through voting, volunteering, or contributing.

For his candidacy, Republican Donald Trump used direct and confrontational language and populist messaging. His simple and repetitive slogans, such as “Make America Great Again” and “America First.” helped to convey his key messages and rally support among his base.

How Do You Start Off A Campaign Speech?

To start off a campaign speech, you can begin by acknowledging the audience and expressing gratitude for their presence, showing your appreciation for their support, much like Democratic Presidential Candidate  Barack Obama did in his campaign speeches .

Provide a compelling and relatable anecdote or story that captures the essence of your message, connecting it to the aspirations and concerns of the people you aim to represent.

Following that, transition into a clear and concise statement of your campaign’s core values and priorities. Use this opportunity to outline the key issues you plan to address and explain how your policies and proposals align with your values and goals.

How Long Should A Campaign Speech Be?

A campaign speech’s ideal length varies depending on the context and audience but generally ranges from 10 to 30 minutes. It should be concise and immediately capture the listeners’ attention, holding their interest throughout.

To effectively engage the audience and convey your message, focus on delivering a speech that is long enough to cover your key points but short enough to maintain the audience’s attention and leave a lasting impression.

What Is The Difference Between A Political Campaign Speech And A Speech At A Press Conference?

A political campaign speech is a public address delivered by a candidate during an election campaign to engage and mobilize voters. It aims to convey the candidate’s message, policy positions, and vision for the future in a persuasive manner, typically lasting from 10 to 30 minutes.

On the other hand, a speech at a press conference is an o pportunity for politicians to address the media directly, often in response to specific events or issues. These speeches tend to be more focused and concise, lasting a few minutes or less, as they are designed to provide information, answer questions from journalists, and shape the narrative around a particular topic or incident.

What Should You Do If You Are Giving A Campaign Speech And The Audience Isn’t Responding Well?

If you are giving a campaign speech and the audience isn’t responding well, you can take several steps to remedy the situation:

• Maintain your composure and project confidence even if the audience reaction is not what you expected.
• Assess the audience’s mood and engagement level. If they seem disinterested or unresponsive, consider adjusting your delivery style.
• Find ways to establish a personal connection with the audience. Share relatable stories, use humor, or ask thought-provoking questions to draw them into the speech.
• If you sense specific concerns or objections from the audience, address them directly. Acknowledge their perspectives, provide clarifications, and present your viewpoint in a respectful and persuasive manner.
• Adjust your content . If the audience is not responding well, evaluate your content and messaging. Ensure that you are addressing topics that are relevant and meaningful to them.

What Do You Do If You Lose Your Voice During A Campaign Speech?

If you lose your voice during a campaign speech, it can be a challenging situation, but there are steps you can take to handle it:

• Losing your voice can be frustrating, but it’s crucial to remain calm and composed. Take a brief moment to gather yourself and maintain a confident demeanor.
• Politely inform the audience that you are experiencing voice difficulties. Use gestures or non-verbal cues to indicate the situation, such as holding up a hand or pointing to your throat.
• Take a momentary pause to allow your voice to rest and recover. Take slow, deep breaths to relax your vocal cords.
• If possible, have a backup plan in place . Consider having a colleague or team member step in to continue delivering the speech on your behalf.
• If your voice is strained but still audible, focus on engaging the audience through non-verbal means. Exaggerate your facial expressions, gestures, and body language slightly to convey your message.

Adam Howarth

Adam covers the topic of Public Speaking for Digital Authority. From his first experience of oratory with his school debating society to his more recent experiences of promoting the local business scene in Wrexham, Wales, he has always been involved in public speaking.

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America 101: What is a Stump Speech?

Updated: August 21, 2018 | Original: September 26, 2016

Jon Favreau, a former speechwriter for President Obama, sheds light on the formula for crafting a perfect stump speech.

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Published: January 3, 2012

Anatomy of a stump speech.

Pathways to Politics

Pathways to Politics Knowledge Hub

Find practical tools, information and inspiration to help you in your run for public office.

Five things to consider before you write your political speech

Speechwriting tips from Joel Deane – part 1 of 2

If you’re reading this blog you either want to or are thinking about walking that pathway to politics and standing for public office.

That’s great.

Now comes the hard part: convincing people to support you.

All of which brings me to the dreaded ‘stump speech’.

Every candidate is told they need one. But what exactly is a stump speech?

Think of it as the political version of an elevator pitch.

Basically, it’s what you’re going to tell people to convince them to back you.

You might deliver a formal version of your stump speech during a preselection contest within a political party – or at a candidates’ forum as part of an election campaign.

Or you might deliver a sawn-off, informal version of your stump speech when you’re meeting people outside the local supermarket, or doorknocking, or cold calling locals on an electorate, or being interviewed by a journalist.

A good stump speech is portable and adaptable .

It can be shortened or lengthened. It can be structurally changed – told in part or back-to-front or sideways. And it can be laterally connected to the broader issues (from schools to hospitals to jobs to housing) that voters care about.

In short, it’s a piece of you.

Here are five things to consider before you write your stump speech.

1. A Speech Is A Conversation

Politics is like football. It’s played differently in different parts of the world.

Take Australian democracy.

Here, voting is compulsory. That means voters are often annoyed when they cast their ballots.

Not only that, Australian voting is preferential. That means those often-annoyed voters usually choose the candidate they hate the least rather than the person they love the most (as occurs in first-past-the-post voting).

Those basic rules of Australian democracy, combined with our relatively egalitarian attitudes, generally mean Australian voters are more inclined to back politicians who look and sound like them – talking to rather than at or down to them.

Put it this way: Australian politics is suburban. It’s not the West Wing. It’s the sausage sizzle at Bunnings.

What does that have to do with your stump speech?

You don’t need to try to sound like a Barack Obama or a Winston Churchill or, God forbid, a Donald Trump.

You need to sound like yourself. An amplified, clarified version of yourself that explains who you are, where you come from, how you got here, what you want to do and – most importantly – why that person listening should care about what you care about.

Think of it this way: You’re trying to start a conversation with a roomful of strangers.

2. You’re Telling a Story

Political people talk a lot about ‘narrative’, but that’s just a 50 cent word for ‘story’.

And what is a story?

Past. Present. Future.

Who we are (present), how we got here (past), and where we are going or need to go (future).

In other words, your speech needs to tell a story that connects with the personal and collective lives of people listening.

3. It’s All in the Delivery

Think of your speech like a movie script.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s brilliant on the page. What matters is whether you can deliver the speech on the stage and connect with people.

I’m not saying that the speech draft doesn’t matter (after all, I’m a speechwriter).

What I am saying is that the purpose of a speech draft is to give the speech maker the confidence they need to stand up in front of a bunch of strangers and perform.

And, just to be clear, when I say ‘perform’ I’m not talking about acting a role: I mean being your best self.

4. This is About You

‘Authenticity’ is another of those buzz words thrown around by political people.

That’s another 50 cent word for ‘be yourself’.

Don’t jazz up your lingo. Don’t raid the Thesaurus. Don’t try to sound like Gough Whitlam. Or John Howard. Or Julia Gillard. Or Maggie Thatcher. Or whoever you wish you were.

This process is about getting down to the nitty gritty of who you are.

It’s about thinking about the one thing you want the person or people to know about and care about and saying that one thing.

It’s about speaking in the language and voice that you’d use to communicate with someone you know and care about or love – maybe a parent or a partner or a friend.

It’s about imagining that the person you love isn’t convinced that you should be a politician.

And it’s about finding the words you would use to speak to that person you love and change their mind.

What would you say to them? How would you say it?

Write and speak like that and you’ll be authentic.

Jacqui Lambie’s ‘Dream a little cheaper’ speech is a brilliant example of authenticity that really cuts through.

5. This is Not About You

You’ve thought long and hard about the who, where, what, how, and why of your candidacy.

You have someone in mind and you know the right words and the right way to say those words.

You’re telling your story. You’re speaking in plain language. You’re being your best self. You’re not pretending to be anyone else or putting on an act.

But, remember, this speech is not about you.

The purpose of doing all of this work to get to the heart of the matter about who you are is so that you have the understanding and the authenticity necessary to go out and connect with voters – convincing them you’re the person who best represents their interests.

With that in mind, look for ways to make lateral connections between the personal story you’re telling and the shared story people are living.

If you can make that kind of connection you can make people listen to – and maybe care about – the causes your fighting for.

Now, when you’re ready, read my 10 tips for writing .

About the author

Joel Deane is an award-winning poet, novelist, journalist and speechwriter. 

Joel has worked in Melbourne and San Francisco as a journalist, lectured on the use of public language, penned reviews and essays for Australian Book Review , and written speeches for numerous past and present Labor politicians, including Julia Gillard, Bill Shorten, Steve Bracks and John Brumby. 

Joel has published one non-fiction book,  Catch and Kill: The Politics of Power (2015); two novels,  The Norseman’s Song (2010) and Another (2004); and three collections of poetry, Year of the Wasp (2016),  Magisterium (2008) and Subterranean Radio Songs (2005). His third novel, Judas Boys , will be published in 2022.

His writing has won the Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize and been a finalist for numerous literary awards, including the John Bray Poetry Award, Prime Minister’s Literary Award, Judith Wright Calanthe Award, Walkley Book Award, the Melbourne Prize for Literature and the Anne Elder Award. In 2019, Joel delivered the Peter Steele Lecture at the Melbourne Writers Festival.

Joel lives in Melbourne and works as a freelance writer. 

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The Perfect Republican Stump Speech

We asked former republican speechwriter barton swaim to write a ​totally pandering stump speech for an imaginary gop presidential candidate — one who ​espouses only positions that a majority of republicans agree with (we also did the same with democrats ). ​here’s the speech he wrote, including notes to explain his phrasing, behind-the-scenes pro tips on appealing to republican voters and the data he used to decide which positions to take..

By Barton Swaim

Research by Harry Enten and Sam Henick , graphics by Ella Koeze , production by Gus Wezerek

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Who’s ready to stand up for America? [applause] Who’s ready to take this country back? [applause] Who’s ready to send a message to the elites in Washington? [slightly waning applause]

You know, the Democrats want to make this election complicated. They want to convince you that taking more money out of the private sector and giving it to bureaucrats in Washington will somehow improve the economy.

How would that work? They’ll tell you, “It’s complicated; just trust us.”

They want to convince you that giving Iran’s extremist thugs whatever they want — and trusting that they won’t build a nuclear weapon — will somehow make the Middle East more stable.

How, exactly? “Well, it’s complicated. Just trust us. Just trust the Obama administration. Just trust the Democratic leadership in Congress, like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.”

They’re going to try to convince you that putting government in charge of your health insurance is somehow going to improve our health care system. You might wonder how putting government in charge of anything makes it more efficient or improves its quality.

It hasn’t exactly worked that way with the Postal Service, but hey — it’s complicated. You’ll just have to trust them.

[pause; wait for a few people to boo]

It’s actually not complicated, and Americans aren’t going to trust them anymore.

In fact, this election boils down to a few very simple principles. To understand these principles, you don’t need an advanced degree in the latest trendy subject from an Ivy League school. You don’t need to get your opinions from the New York Times. You don’t need to be some policy wonk in Washington, and you don’t need to be a member of the intelligentsia.

You really just need two things to understand what this election is about: You need your God-given intelligence, and you need a deep and abiding love for this country.

The principles are these.

On the economy, the best thing the government can do is get out of the way.

We’ve seen it time and again in American history: When we remove the burdens of over-regulation and allow Americans to spend and invest more of their own money, we unleash their potential to create prosperity and opportunity for everybody — especially those struggling to make ends meet.

Our Democratic friends seem to think we can improve our economy by passing a few laws. So they want to raise the minimum wage. That’s great. I worked in a job making minimum wage once, and if you had asked me if I thought the minimum wage should be raised, I would have probably said “sure.” (I was 15, OK? Cut me some slack.) But Democrats know as well as you do that mandating an increase in the minimum wage — while it may sound great — stunts the private sector’s ability to get new people into the workforce. So people already in the workforce get raises, and people looking for a job will find it that much harder because employers can’t afford new workers.

We know government has a duty to look out for the poor. But never at the expense of making the poor dependent on public aid. We need to encourage states to reform welfare eligibility rules to ensure we’re not encouraging dependency.

Now President Obama and his allies in Congress want to raise the threshold for overtime pay. So they actually think — they actually think — that politicians and bureaucrats in Washington have a better idea of who ought to get paid what salaries than the people running businesses right here in [whatever town we’re in].

On trade, we must embrace the reality that we’re in a global economy while never failing to safeguard the American economy.

The Democratic Party is still held hostage by the labor unions — coercive and outdated pressure groups that still think American workers can’t compete with any other country in the world.

We can’t turn a blind eye to currency manipulation and human-rights abuses, but as Republicans we know that the American economy is the best in the world and that we can compete with anybody, anywhere, any time.

On government spending, we need to speak the simple truth: Spending more money will not somehow reduce the federal deficit or magically reduce the budget.

It’s sad that we even have to point this out. President Obama and his Democratic allies on Capitol Hill told us in 2009 that if we spent several hundred billion dollars on an “economic stimulus,” we’d improve the economy and somehow reduce the deficit.

It didn’t happen.

We were told that passing Obamacare, with its massive expansion of Medicaid, would somehow help to balance the budget.

Obviously, that didn’t happen. Because you don’t spend more to balance the budget. You spend less.

We’ve got to take a more realistic approach to spending in this country. That starts with taking a hard look at welfare programs that encourage dependency and simply don’t work. We need to act quickly on deficit reduction — we can’t keep kicking the can down the road on tough budget questions.

Our budget deficit is killing us — we’re spending exponentially more than we have, and sooner or later it’s going to catch up with us. And so to bring the deficit down, we’re going to have to make some decisions that — let’s face it — are gonna make a lot of people mad. We’re going to have to cut programs, and any time you do that, special interests will fight like demons to keep you from doing it. But if we’re going to save this country from a fiscal apocalypse, that’s what we’re going to have to do, and I need you to stay engaged when the fight comes.

Any time there’s a budget crisis, the Democrats’ first move is to raise taxes. But the first move has always got to be cutting government spending.

There’s a time and a place to talk about revenue, but for the Democrats, raising taxes is the answer to every question, the solution to every problem. As president, I’ll make sure Washington understands this: The bloated budget of the federal government gets cut before a single American pays more in taxes.

On foreign policy, the right approach is actually a very simple one. We need to strengthen our allies and distrust our enemies — not the reverse.

This administration gets it the wrong way around. We strengthen our enemies by, for example, cutting arms deals with them, knowing full well those enemies will use the provisions of the deal to seek and obtain the nuclear weapons we want to keep out of their hands.

Let me be absolutely clear: The Iran nuclear deal is a joke. The Iranians intended to violate the letter and spirit of that agreement the moment they signed it.

And while we’re strengthening our avowed enemies in Iran, we’re doing next to nothing to help our allies in Israel, Ukraine and elsewhere. President Obama has openly feuded with the prime minister of Israel, doing everything but actually campaigning against him. Meanwhile the administration lets Vladimir Putin virtually annex half of Ukraine without offering anything more than empty rhetoric as an objection: We’re not supplying our Ukrainian allies with weaponry, we’re not strengthening our naval presence in the Black Sea, we’re doing almost nothing to further NATO’s plans for a missile defense system that would check Russian aggression in Eastern Europe.

I will change that.

When President Obama came into office, he said he wanted to bring a new approach to the world, and many of us were ready to see what he could accomplish. But he has systematically encouraged our enemies and insulted our allies. We don’t need to take America back to some Cold War mentality, but we do need to speak and act with moral clarity about the naked aggression of Russia; about terrorist governments in Syria, the Palestinian territories and North Korea; and about the expansionist ambitions and ongoing human-rights abuses of China.

And this administration’s confused and irresolute foreign policy has resulted in total incompetence on the question of Syrian refugees. Clearly the United States can’t sit by and do nothing while families flee the savage violence of ISIS and the Assad regime. Many of our ancestors fled violence when they came to these shores — think of persecuted religious minorities in the 1600s or Jews seeking refuge from Western Europe in the 1920s and ’30s — so we’re not going to turn a blind eye to these people.

At the same time, we can’t — as the administration is proposing to do — simply shuffle thousands of men with possible terrorist connections into the United States and hope they don’t cause any trouble once they’re here. The attacks in Paris have reminded us that terrorism is alive and well in the West, and now is not the time to let down our guard. So yes, we’ve got to welcome people fleeing persecution, but we absolutely cannot let men with terrorist ambitions take advantage of our hospitality.

We’ve got to address this problem at its source — Syria. Does that mean sending troops into Syria? I don’t think we know the answer to that yet, but I’ll tell you what it doesn’t mean: It doesn’t mean we should declare an intention to stay out of Syria. You don’t proclaim your intentions to your enemies in the way this administration has done. Never. [with annoyed expression] Why would we give Assad and ISIS that kind of assurance?

On immigration, again the principle is very simple: Let’s keep those who work hard and contribute to our economy, and let’s keep the lawbreakers out.

This administration has not led on immigration. It has followed, and as a result it has failed badly. We were told — for years we were told — the president would produce a plan to deal with the catastrophe that is our immigration system. All we got was an executive order saying illegals didn’t have to obey the law.

No plan. No proposed legislation. No negotiation with Congress. Just an executive order.

That’s not “immigration reform,” and it’s not leadership. [shouting] That’s sheer lawless autocracy.

President Obama, we still have a Congress in this country, and we fought a war to get rid of a king. Illegal executive orders are no substitute for leadership.

On health care, we need to put the individual in charge, not bureaucrats. It’s as simple as that.

The misnamed Affordable Care Act did precisely the opposite by empowering the federal government to commandeer the nation’s health insurance market. When I’m president, item No. 1 is going to be reverse the entire bureaucratic nightmare we call Obamacare.

We can’t just say “get rid of Obamacare,” though. We’ve got to replace it with commonsense free-market reforms — reforms like allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines and getting rid of mandated insurance benefits that drive up costs for everyone.

On abortion, we need to regain the moral clarity we’ve lost.

We need to remember what the pro-life movement understood nearly a half-century ago, when abortion was first legalized across the nation by judicial fiat. And that is this: that human life is sacred, that we as a nation have a right to protect human life with our laws, and that the unborn aren’t to be treated as morally insignificant collections of cell tissue and sold like meat at a supermarket.

When I’m president, I will make it my mission to see that Planned Parenthood is not only defunded but investigated.

That brings us to the courts. We need people on the bench who understand that they’re not cultural warriors — they’re judges.

Unfortunately the Court again overstepped its bounds by unilaterally redefining marriage. Whatever your view on same-sex marriage, I think we can all agree that five justices in Washington, D.C., have neither the wisdom nor the right to redefine an institution.

I reject that understanding of the court’s role. As president, I can promise you that I’ll appoint federal judges and Supreme Court justices who understand their role: to rightly interpret the laws and the Constitution, not to invent new moral imperatives and impose them on an entire society.

If you feel the same way on these issues, and I know the vast majority of Americans do, I need you to get out there and do your part. I need you to stay engaged, [dramatic hand gesture, as if pointing to a plane in the distance] all the way to November.

Because remember: This election isn’t about me, or Hillary Clinton, or anyone else. It’s about where we’re headed as a nation, and I believe we’re headed up toward economic freedom, self-governance, strength abroad and prosperity at home.

Thank you, and may God bless America.

Illustration by Joel Plosz.

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Writing and Giving Stump Speeches

Campaign consultants spoke in a forum on writing stump speeches during a campaign training seminar. They discussed the construction of an ef… read more

Campaign consultants spoke in a forum on writing stump speeches during a campaign training seminar. They discussed the construction of an effective stump speech, which is the speech used repeatedly by a candidate during a campaign that lays out his or her agenda and urges voters to give the candidate their vote. Following their prepared remarks, which included reflections on the stump speeches of candidates they have worked for in the past, the speakers responded to questions from members of the audience. close

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• Text type Text People Graphical Timeline
• Filter by Speaker All Speakers Jennifer Laszlo Dean Rindy Robert "Bob" Shrum
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People in this video

• Jennifer Laszlo Director Campaigns and Elections->Training
• Dean Rindy Head Rindy Media

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• Congressional Quarterly Congressional Quarterly

Airing Details

• Jun 17, 1993 | 2:58am EDT | C-SPAN 2

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Writing a Stump Speech: Your Central Speech Idea

Happy Monday to you and welcome back to part three of the speech series. This one focuses on writing a stump speech which is basically a political oratory that formally addresses an audience. So, got something to say? Say it loud with these tips!

The main purposes of a stump speech are:

• To communicate political ideas and proposals to solve problems.
• A call to action to your audience’s behaviour.
• A good one can be used over and over again to guarantee not just applause, but to make a connection with the audience.

With a stump speech you ask the usual: 

• Who is the audience?
• What are the three key messages?

It is very important to know what your central idea of the speech is. The stump speech has a major goal to unify the audience and to persuade it to act on three specific issues. And remember: no more than three (there’s power in three’s). So, what is your message, your mission statement and your vision? Write it down in a maximum of 15 to 20 words. Remember, writing a stump speech is creating a message about an issue or issues the audience must remember. For example:

• Describe the situation or issues you want to change, improve or perhaps strengthen; the big picture.
• Tell where the existing situation leads to.
• Explain why and how.
• Describe what your opponents want, and why that’s wrong.
• Tell what you want to do about it, how you want to achieve your goal. What are your solutions, plans and proposals?
• List the people who support you and believe in you.
• Offer a step-by-step how to plan. What would you change or do first, and then next? This is a perfect opportunity to formulate a three or five point plan to reach goals.
• Urge the public to support this issue and repeat the mission-statement.

Provide educational proofs to construct your claim. That is the basis of every persuasive and informative special occasion speech. Offer them:

• Facts, figures, statistics and expert testimonies. Research is crucial.
• Concrete examples.
• Personal stories and anecdotes.
• Vivid descriptions.
• A catchy analysis of the issue’s political aspects and dimensions.

Example of a great Stump Speech (shortened for length):

I am going to talk of controversial things. I make no apology for this.

It’s time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers. James Madison said, “We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self government.”

This idea — that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power — is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.

You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man’s age-old dream–the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order — or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, “The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.”

The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.

You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.

And finally…

The key messages may be the same but they are tailored to each audience. For example a stump speech to a major assembly of diplomats on anti-corruption may have the same key messages as one to a minority community, or to an audience of activists, or to the media. It’s all about finding your voice and delivering it in a way that will translate to the people you want to target.

Have any methods on how you write a speech? Let me know at [email protected]. Good luck!

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Flag burning IS free speech — and so is sham patriotism

Our military did not fight so americans could be free to agree with ald. chris taliaferro..

A U.S. flag is retired by burning it in 2018. The U.S. Flag Code states that worn-out flags “should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Monday, June 16, 1997, was memorable for two reasons.

First, my younger son was born that afternoon. The nurse toweled him off, handed him to me. I gazed down and thought — sorry, buddy — "He looks just like Edward G. Robinson." Truly, there should have been the tiny stump of a cigar hanging off his quivering lip.

The other memorable event was that morning, the start of what began as a regular workday. I was having breakfast downtown with U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez. You'd think the life-changing event later that day would have wiped out any memory of what we discussed. But it didn't. Our exchange stuck with me.

Flag burning was in the news. Congressional action pending. I was surprised that Gutiérrez, a Democrat and supposed champion of liberal causes, would not oppose any ban. He explained that a Chicago TV station had a video clip of him talking into a microphone at a forgotten 1970s protest rally where, behind him, somebody set fire to an American flag. If he opposed the latest government attempt to bunch the flag into a ball and jam it down the throats of protesters, that video would be disinterred and aired.

Not a profile in courage. It burned into my memory, because of the visceral disgust I felt. Really? You'd stand, hands in your pockets, gazing at the sky and whistling while free speech gets mugged in an alley? So you don't risk looking bad?

Thus I can't stand by while 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez gets beat up for appearing at a rally outside City Hall after a U.S. flag was burned. Ald. Chris Taliaferro (28th) and "quite a few" of his colleagues are considering censuring Sigcho-Lopez. I bet they are. Flag-waving theatrics are the go-to move of Trumpies who think that if they smooch Old Glory long enough, then their betraying every value America represents will be OK.

Let's be crystal clear. Setting flags on fire isn't the issue. Every VFW hall has a special bin where used American flags are to be deposited, later to be burned, with respect . It's burning a flag without respect, as a protest — aka free speech — that twists my-way-or-the-highway false patriots into a knot.

It's especially sad to see Taliaferro, a vet, suggest our military fought to protect those who would stifle free speech. Really? That's the freedom you're upholding? The freedom to agree with you? I disagree with that rally. Israel has a right to exist. The U.S. is her ally. But I also understand that thousands in Gaza are being killed, that passions are high, and someone might be moved to burn an American flag. How could they not?

This is an old tango we're dancing. Remember Dread Scott? The student whose “What is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag?” installation put an American flag on the floor of the School of the Art Institute in 1989? The flag was spread before an open ledger book. Visitors were invited to write down their thoughts. You could step on the flag or — as I did — you could stretch around, reaching from the side, avoid trampling the flag, and write something. The choice was yours.

Too much choice for veterans groups, who shut down Michigan Avenue. Patriots phoned in bomb threats. The Senate banned displaying flags on the floor, 97-0, the most eloquent argument to display flags on the floor I can imagine.

You know who enforces patriotism by law? Dictatorships. They blast their risible national anthem from tinny speakers every morning, and the cowed serfs under their thumb stop their cars and stand outside, heads bowed, because no one dare not to.

Is that greatness? I don't think so. I love the flag and display mine with pride, say the pledge with feeling, hand over my heart. I am not diminished because others disagree dramatically. That's their right.

There is shame here, but it belongs to Taliaferro for threatening — in the classic way of bullies — to punish Sigcho-Lopez for showing up at a protest where someone did something without his knowledge. The classic chilling effect. Who would ever attend any protest anywhere if you were suddenly responsible for the speech and actions of every person there? But that's the point, isn't it?

America is staring down the barrel of despotism. Free speech is our lifeline, one that some would cut in the name of a grotesque parody of patriotism. Don't let them do it.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) speaks during a rally Friday outside City Hall where an American flag was burned to protest U.S. support for Israel.

Provided by Matthew Kaplan

• A liberal burns Old Glory for Flag Day
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