Free Republic

In a fiery House floor speech, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) tore into his fellow Republicans for not doing more to rein in the Democratic agenda and maintain their campaign promises.

If you haven't listened to Rush Limbaugh's speech at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, in 2009, you should put it at the top of your must do list. If you have listened to it but not recently then do yourself a favor and listen to it again. It is an inspirational definition of conservatism. He begins with this gem: "Let me tell you who we conservatives are: We love people. When we look out over the United States of America, when we are anywhere, when we see a group of people, such as this or anywhere, we see Americans....

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. FDR's "we have nothing to fear but fear itself." Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Meh. Not bad, but nothing compared with Barack Obama's announcement last night of the killing of Osama Bin Laden . . . at least, apparently, in the eyes of Donny Deutsch. Appearing on Morning Joe today, Deutsch said of President Obama's remarks "I have never seen a more commanding Commander-in-Chief." View video here.

Along with President Obama's declining public standing has come a declining rhetorical reputation. There is, of course, a relationship between the two. Even Ronald Reagan seemed a less-than-great communicator after the 1981-82 recession, with his job approval rating in the 30s. And few would be criticizing Obama's speeches if unemployment were at 6 percent. Success is the best eloquence. But Obama's rhetorical challenge runs deeper than the recession. In the most unexpected development of his presidency, what was once universally recognized as Obama's greatest political strength -- his oratory -- now seems a serious weakness. The swift rise of Barack...

Printer Friendly December 19, 2009 Obama and the Malleability of History In pursuit of noble goals, Obama ignobly twists the truth. by Victor Davis Hanson National Review Online President Obama has given a number of major speeches touching on world affairs since he announced his bid for the presidency. All have invoked historical examples — usually for moral purposes, but often at the expense of both literal and figurative truth. ...

Barack Obama's oratory loses its oomph By Janet Daley 25 Jul 2009 Barack Obama cannot keep avoiding the details America is discovering the truth about universal health care: it isn't cheap. And Barack Obama is discovering the truth about the power of oratory: it can only get you so far. There is a lesson here for us all. Opposition to the president's health care reform is gathering a startling head of steam that threatens to engulf his presidency in early onset disillusionment. Health care is now being described as a potential "Waterloo" for the administration, and Mr Obama's personal poll...

Give the guy credit; he knows how to knead an audience. This past Sunday, Mr. Obama sashayed though a brilliant speech with customary grace at Notre Dame University’s graduation. It belied the big stink surrounding his visit to a severely compromised academic institution. Pro-life legions were stunned when Catholic Notre Dame invited the abortion-on-demand president to deliver the commencement address... Adding fuel to the inferno, unprincipled administrators bestowed on Obama an honorary law degree. Not one of moral law, I suppose. Catholic champions routinely condemn the bloody procedure that suctions, scrapes and dismembers unborn children.

Thanks to a reader tip, the NLM can inform you of a wonderful and rare opportunity for listener's who cannot visit London to hear sung Vespers live from the London Oratory today at 11:00AM EST (4:00PM BST) via BBC Radio 3's Choral Evensong programme. From the London Oratory. Organ Prelude: Intonatio del settimo tono (Andrea Gabrieli) Invitatory: Deu in adjutorium meum (Croce) Antiphons and Psalms: 110, 111, 112, 113, 117 (Plainsong) Hymn: Iste confessor (Palestrina) Antiphon: Hic vir despiciens (Plainsong) Canticle: Magnificat octavi toni (Victoria) Motet: O viridissima virga (Hildegard of Bingen) Antiphon of Our Lady: Salve Regina (Philips) Organ...

Must a president be eloquent to be successful? That question has sparked a heated quarrel between the campaigns of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. The senator from New York stresses "results, not rhetoric," while her rival contends that a leader has to inspire Americans in order to produce "a new majority who can lead this nation out of a long political darkness." In politics as in poker, each candidate plays his or her strongest cards and suspects the opponent of bluffing. Yet the importance of this question shouldn't be lost amid the clamor of a hard-fought campaign. Political oratory...

The list is long: Fire, storms, urban renewal, interstate construction — not to mention the ravages of time.All have threatened Old St. Patrick’s Church at 806 Cherry St. It even lost its parish when the downtown area, which it had served since 1875, was taken over by office buildings.The Roman Catholic diocese had shuttered the church by 1959, after which it was used only occasionally. Now the building, thought to be the oldest church in the city limits of Kansas City, is on track to reopen next year.The sanctuary will again hear the solemn and majestic tones of the Latin...

GATE OF HEAVEN: THE SOLEMN CONSECRATION OF ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC ORATORY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (60:00) NEW On May 31st, 2003, this Solemn Consecration was performed by the Most Rev. Bishop of La Cross, Raymond L. Burke. This ceremony is shown in all its parts: (1) The purification & dedication of the Church; (2) The translocation of the relics; (3) Consecration of the Church; and, (4) Celebration of the first pontifical high mass, using the traditional Latin rite of the Liturgy Wednesday October 6, 2004 10:00 PM Saturday October 9, 2004 1:00 PM Sunday October 10, 2004 10:00 AM

A Religious Pilgrimage to England During the first full week of September, I visited England. I flew over there the night of September 3, and I arrived at Heathrow Airport on the morning of the 4th. The purpose of my visit was twofold: to visit a good friend of mine who got married on August 20, and to visit go on pilgrimage to Walsingham, England. Walsingham was one of the major places of pilgrimage for Catholics in medieval times. Thousands of devout pilgrims traveled there after the Virgin Mary appeared there to a widow in 1061. A "Holy House," based...

Father Gerald Goesche is a spiritual volcano. But one senses in him, not the sparks and fire of someone angry, bitter, judgmental, but the warmth and fervor of someone on fire with the love of God and his fellow man. To attend one of Goesche’s Masses, and then to spend time with him to discuss the faith and the situation of the Church and world today, is to spend time with a man who seems literally ablaze with the love of Jesus Christ. His face shines with joy as he celebrates Mass and preaches his homily, his arms swing through...

ORATORY Oratory is more than ordinary speech. It is a special kind of public speaking. The orator speaks for a special purpose, in a special way, at a special time. Buehler and Johannesen define oratory as "a memorized, original, persuasive speech, dealing with worth-while subject matter of timely interests, demonstrating qualities of logic, organization, language, and delivery, and producing an effect of eloquence which is far above the ordinary." Oratory rises above the common level of speech and has a greater level of appeal and emotional impact of the listener. Its purpose is to impress, convince, or move the speaker...