Obama’s speech a model of persuasion

Sixty-one percent of Americans polled, who watched President Obama’s prime-time speech, told CNN that they support his policy towards Syria.

Since some surveys showed as much as two-thirds opposition to military action against Syria in the days before the speech, the poll suggests that he did what presidents rarely do: change people’s minds, if only temporarily.

How did he do it? In only 15 minutes, President Obama made his points, simply and straightforwardly. Anyone arguing a controversial case in the court of public opinion can learn from what he said and how he said it.

With down-to-earth arguments and a lofty conclusion, last night’s speech was a model of how to turn an audience around, point by point.

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