John Avlon writes there are several defining features of successful inauguration speeches, including a memorable line that relies on repetition of a phrase with a twist and an update on the American story, connecting the past with the present and the future.
These are the words that begin to define a presidency — reminding us that, at its best, politics is history in the present tense. Not all inaugural addresses are created equal — many are too long and consequently forgettable. Others make the mistake of laying out a specific policy agenda, rather than setting a broad direction toward a new horizon. But an inaugural is preeminently a speech about the new president’s values — about how he sees the world and America’s role in it. At best it offers a unifying vision and the promise of new beginnings. Most are remembered — if at all — for a single phrase that becomes shorthand for the entire speech. And if you listen closely, these lines often share a similar structure. This is the one of the secrets to what makes a great inaugural address. Thomas Jefferson called for an end to partisan rancor after the brutal 1800 campaign, declaring: « Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. » Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural was just 701 words long, but it contained this crystalizing phrase as a guide toward reconciliation at the end of Civil War: « with malice toward none, with charity for all. » In the depths of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed: « the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. » As the greatest generation took the helm during the Cold War, John F. Kennedy declared, « Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. » These are American catechism, lines that are repeated across generations, giving us a common language for our civic religion. And there’s a pattern at work: it’s repetition of a phrase with a twist, which makes them instantly memorable.
