Lost Art

Lawrence Henry laments the lost art of oratory. He marks its decline from the wrong speech--JFK's first inaugural--but he is right nevertheless:

We miss not only the imagery and heritage. We miss the sonorous orator's voice, so masculine and paternal. A voice like that today generally elicits the reaction, "Eeuw! He sounds so preachy!" Or, "Who does he think he is, being so sure of himself?" We have spoiled a whole lot, haven't we?