I don’t have any technical knowledge of how teleprompters are set up, but I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen speeches in large venues in which the speaker looked straight ahead towards the camera. I’ve never noticed this sort of complete absence of looking into the camera that Obama manifests...
The main camera has to be close enough to read the prompter, they’d have to build a platform in front of the lectern for it. I don’t think any of the politicians attending would be willing to give up their seats, even to make BO look better.
It’s only possible if you actually identify with the speech and make it yours. Reagan didn’t hesitate to look over the speeches and make the necessary changes that conformed to his principles. Obama is likely beholden to his speechwriter.
I’m sure he, Reagan, was disciplined enough to make the speech his, to put in the appropriate amount of work involved in loosely memorizing what he was about to read. It takes a sharp, confident mind to be able to gaze away from the teleprompter while still speaking the words.
I believe this is Obama’s problem. The man is an undisciplined puppet.