Evaluation Essay on Jimmy Carter Speech “Energy and the National Goals” Delivered July 15, 1979.
The United States of America faced an energy crisis during the 1979 summer. The crisis was so evident that there were long queues of gas lines. According to Montefiore (110), the inadequate supply of gas in the States drew concern that made the nation go into panic. The nation grew anxiety about the biting energy issue. McIntire confirms that the gas stations had no gas, and the few that had gas sold the gas expensively (78). The nation needed the government to act quickly and resolve the energy crisis that the nation experienced. Montefiore (100) confirms that President Jimmy Carter wanted to address the public concerning the energy issue on July 5, 1979. Unfortunately, he did not address the nation as scheduled, but later rescheduled the speech delivery on July 15, 1979.
Safire (876) confirms that, on July 15, 1979, Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth president of the United States of America addressed the nation concerning the biting energy crisis. The President addressed the entire nation through the national television. Safire asserts that the broadcast was live from the States’ press (870). The nation eagerly waited for the speech that the president delivered on the energy crisis. Many people wondered why the government allowed the nation to experience the inadequate energy. According to McIntire (98), the President delivered the speech on the night of July 15, 1979. The president delivered the speech live from White House through the State Press.
Montefiore (115) explains that the President’s speech aim was to unite the nation during the energy crisis. He asked the nation to remain calm because the government was aware of the energy crisis and the way the citizens were suffering. McIntire confirms that the nation received the speech with hopes and anticipation that the president solved the energy crisis (100). This is because the President promised to tackle the energy crisis matter altogether by providing the nation with security in energy.
Evaluating a speech is grading a speech to the relevance of the main agenda. Montefiore confirms that a speech has five criteria that evaluate the speech (125). The five criteria include A, B, C, D and F. An accomplished speaker delivers his speech on the expected day because the audience expects the speaker to deliver his or her message (Safire 123). A persuasive speaker following the right criteria organizes his speech and always has a distinct delivery method. The speaker organizes his speech in a systematic way helping him organize his speech delivery in a manner that allows flow of ideas. McIntire emphasizes that an efficient speaker delivers a speech that differs from the other speakers (106). This shows that the speaker is an initiative and understands the flow of ideas in his speech.
According to Safire (132) a speech that evaluates on an A criteria distinct itself from other speeches. It stands out from other speeches especially on the excellent organization, content and the way the speaker delivers his speech distinctively. Jimmy Carter speech is an A criteria because he organizes his speech perfectly. This is evident because the topic of his speech is distinct from any speakers’ speech (McIntire 145). The topic of his speech was on combating the energy crisis that affected the nation. The speaker is creative in his speech, evidently depicted when he read the citizens’ letters. This made his audience glued to his speech, listening to every word that he said. Safire (145) asserts that Jimmy Carters’ speech achieved the A criteria in speech evaluation, therefore, makes his audience desirous to know and hear his speech.
McIntire (143) confirms that Jimmy Carters’ speech was vivid and put the needs of the citizens at heart. The President’s speech on finding the answers to curb energy crisis enabled his speech evaluated as an A speech. The speech met the intended purpose, which was to get ways of dealing with the energy crisis. The speech is creative, and the speaker understands the topic. Jimmy Carter talks about the energy crisis after researching on the factors influencing the shortage. He understands the need for the speech and delivers his speech by addressing the energy crisis that affected the nation.
Montefiore (122) emphasizes that Jimmy Carter’s speech met the B criteria in evaluating an effective speech. A speech in B criteria is an average speech that has a proficient delivery and a charitable organization. The speech catches the attention of the audience with the powerful opening and closing remarks. This qualifies the speech as criteria B as it involves a captivating opening and closing speech. Jimmy Carter’s speech organizes his speech, showing main agenda and supporting materials (Montefiore 132). Carter skillfully delivers his speech to capture the audience attention. Carter captures the attention of his audience by proving interactive questions and involving the audience in his speech delivery. This is evident when he involves the citizens in finding the course and solutions of the energy crisis.
Safire (152) emphasizes that a speech evaluated using C criteria involves a speech that is clear and organized, strong supporting evidence, sustained and constant eye contact. Carter’s speech meets all the mentioned conditions. Because Carter constantly maintained eye contact with his audience through the national television and his speech have supportive materials to the cause of issues of his speech (Sullivan & Lu 44). Carter frankly gives reasons why he was not able to deliver his speech early. He says that he was gathering information on tackling the issue on energy crisis. This shows that Carter knew his topic and his audience. He delivered his speech in an organized way showing that he understood the topic and his intended audience. His speech had an outline showing the flow of ideas and agenda in the speech (Sullivan & Lu 45).
Carter’s speech had a clear and a central purpose of delivery. Safire (121) confirms that Carter speech was about energy crisis that affected the nation. He delivers his speech addressing the issue of the energy crisis and the way his government was working to handle the situation. He requests the cooperation of the citizen to curb the energy crisis (Waldman 56). This is showing that Carter organized his speech in an organized manner, and he understood his speech delivery and the purpose of his speech. Carter’s speech has three parts that are necessary in a speech, the introduction, body and conclusion (Waldman 57). He introduces the speech body of the speech where he explains the purpose for his speech delivery then moves to the body of his speech (Safire 132). On the speech body, he explains causes and results of the energy crisis and concludes strongly by expressing ways to handle the energy crisis that affected the nation.
McIntire confirms that a speech evaluate using the D criteria fails to meet the standards set by best speeches. Poor organization, poor delivery of ideas and late delivery of the speech characterize a D speech. However, Carters speech meets the conditions of an efficient speech in that he organizes his speech, produces continuous flow of ideas, and he addresses his nation in the time limit. This is evident in his speech when he addresses the nation concerning the energy crisis and how the government will solve the issue. His speech meets the criteria of A, B and C.
An F speech is a failing speech. This speech lack supporting materials in the speech delivery the speech does not have grammar and the speech does not meet the time limit intended for delivery. Safire asserts that Carter’s speech meet the criteria in that he addresses his audience in the set time his speech have supportive information concerning solving the energy crisis and his grammar are perfect (154).
According to Safire (111), the speech by Jimmy Carter on energy crisis is one of the greatest speeches because the speech unites the nation during crisis and this shows that the country can overcome every obstacle when they unite.
Works Cited
McIntire, Suzanne. Book of American Heritage of Great American Speeches for Young People.
New York: Jossey-Bass, 2001. Print.
Montefiore, Sebag Simon. Speeches Which Changed the Entire World: The Transcripts and
Stories of the
Moments That Made History. New York: Smith-Davies Pub, 2006. Print.
Safire, William. Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History, Updated and Expanded
Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004. Print.
Sullivan, Xin-An Lu and Rita. Gems from the Top 100 Speeches: A Handy Source of Inspiration
for Your Thoughts and Language. New York: iUniverse, 2004.Print.
Waldman, Tom. Not Much Left: The Fate of Liberalism in America. California: University of California Press, 2008. Print.
