how to write inauguration speech

Lesson Plan

Jan. 15, 2021, 1:30 p.m.

Write your own presidential inauguration speech

President Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865, near the end of the Civil War. Lincoln invited Black Americans to participate in the 1865 inaugural parade for the first time, two years after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. via Library of Congress

Estimated time, grade level.

• Students will examine the elements of the presidential inauguration ceremony and understand the importance of the ceremony as a political norm and tradition.
• Students will research historic inaugural addresses and gain perspectives from presidential historians about the importance of the inaugural address and ceremony.
• Students will synthesize information about inaugural ceremonies and historical perspective and address the importance of national unity.
• What is the importance of the presidential inauguration ceremony towards the peaceful transition of power?
• Why is it important for elected members of the federal government and former presidents to attend the Presidential Inauguration?
• What are 2-3 themes (such as "national unity," a theme of Biden's address) that you would want to address if you were being sworn in as president of the United States?
• What are 2-3 inspirational quotes that you would want to include in an inaugural address if you were being sworn in as president of the United States?
• Take a swing at presidential speech writing. Write between 100-500 words of an inaugural address using themes and inspirational quotes that you chose. Good luck!
• Optional : Send your speech to PBS NewsHour EXTRA! We would love to read your speech and share it with others over social media. You can email it to us directly or have your teacher tag @NewsHourEXTRA and use the hashtag #PBSInaugurationSpeech .

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UPDATED January 17, 2013

Build your own inaugural address, 1. how will you draw on america's past.

Presidents frequently reflect on the nation's history.

March 5, 1849 Zachary Taylor, like many before him, cited George Washington.

To defend your policies

“We are warned by the admonitions of history and the voice of our own beloved Washington to abstain from entangling alliances with foreign nations.”

January 20, 1973 Richard Nixon resigned in 1974.

To win public support

“Let us pledge together to make these next four years the best four years in America's history, so that on its 200th birthday America will be as young and as vital as when it began, and as bright a beacon of hope for all the world.”

January 20, 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower's first Inaugural Address.

To measure national progress

“We have passed through the anxieties of depression and of war to a summit unmatched in man's history.”

January 20, 1993 Bill Clinton took office in 1993.

To show a changing world

“When George Washington first took the oath I have just sworn to uphold, news traveled slowly across the land by horseback and across the ocean by boat. Now, the sights and sounds of this ceremony are broadcast instantaneously to billions around the world.”

2. How will you acknowledge the moment?

Absent a crisis, Inaugural Addresses often emphasize continuity of government.

January 20, 1981 Ronald Reagan succeeded Jimmy Carter.

Celebrate how routine it is

“The orderly transfer of authority as called for in the Constitution routinely takes place as it has for almost two centuries and few of us stop to think how unique we really are.”

March 4, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt urged action to fight the Great Depression

Push for immediate action

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

March 4, 1845 James Polk, like many early presidents, celebrated the Constitution.

Honor the Constitution

“The Constitution itself, plainly written as it is, the safeguard of our federative compact, the offspring of concession and compromise, binding together in the bonds of peace and union this great and increasing family of free and independent States, will be the chart by which I shall be directed.”

March 4, 1873 Ulysses S. Grant won re-election overwhelmingly in 1872.

Proclaim victory over your enemies

“I have been the subject of abuse and slander scarcely ever equaled in political history, which to-day I feel that I can afford to disregard in view of your verdict, which I gratefully accept as my vindication.”

3. What is America's biggest challenge?

Economic problems are among the most cited threats.

March 4, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 started a large-scale program of public works.

End mass unemployment

“Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously.”

January 20, 2005 George W. Bush's second Inaugural Address focused on expanding freedom.

Spreading freedom

“From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few: Did our generation advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause?”

March 4, 1897 William McKinley entered office amid a depression and arguments over a gold standard.

Protecting our credit

“The credit of the Government, the integrity of its currency, and the inviolability of its obligations must be preserved. This was the commanding verdict of the people, and it will not be unheeded.”

January 20, 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson helped establish Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.

Reducing inequality

“In a land of great wealth, families must not live in hopeless poverty. In a land rich in harvest, children just must not go hungry.”

4. What is the role of government?

Views of govenrment have evolved, from frequent praise after the Revolutionary War to increased skepticism today.

January 20, 1937 Franklin D. Roosevelt said that government must act during the Great Depression.

To solve our biggest problems

“Democratic government has innate capacity to protect its people against disasters once considered inevitable, to solve problems once considered unsolvable.”

January 20, 1981 Ronald Reagan won his first term in the face of a weak economy.

To get out of the way

“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

January 20, 2009 Barack Obama was re-elected in 2012.

To be practical

“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works.”

March 4, 1817 James Monroe and other early presidents frequently praised government.

To continue being awesome

“The heart of every citizen must expand with joy when he reflects how near our Government has approached to perfection; that in respect to it we have no essential improvement to make.”

5. How will you unite Americans?

As early as Thomas Jefferson, presidents have urged Americans to unite after close elections.

March 4, 1801 Thomas Jefferson won office after the bitter, partisan election of 1800.

Cite shared values

“But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists.”

January 20, 1961 John F. Kennedy spoke of "defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger."

Appeal to sense of duty

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

March 4, 1881 James A. Garfield said Americans should accept emancipation.

Show how we have moved past old problems

“My countrymen, we do not now differ in our judgment concerning the controversies of past generations, and fifty years hence our children will not be divided in their opinions concerning our controversies.”

March 4, 1861 Abraham Lincoln appealed for states to rejoin the Union.

Warn of disunion

“I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. ”

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Inaugural Address by President Joseph R. Biden,   Jr.

The United States Capitol

11:52 AM EST

THE PRESIDENT: Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, distinguished guests, and my fellow Americans.

This is America’s day.

This is democracy’s day.

A day of history and hope.

Of renewal and resolve.

Through a crucible for the ages America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge.

Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy.

The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.

We have learned again that democracy is precious.

Democracy is fragile.

And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.

So now, on this hallowed ground where just days ago violence sought to shake this Capitol’s very foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries.

We look ahead in our uniquely American way – restless, bold, optimistic – and set our sights on the nation we know we can be and we must be.

I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here.

I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

You know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength of our nation.

As does President Carter, who I spoke to last night but who cannot be with us today, but whom we salute for his lifetime of service.

I have just taken the sacred oath each of these patriots took — an oath first sworn by George Washington.

But the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us.

On “We the People” who seek a more perfect Union.

This is a great nation and we are a good people.

Over the centuries through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we have come so far. But we still have far to go.

We will press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and possibility.

Much to repair.

Much to restore.

Much to heal.

Much to build.

And much to gain.

Few periods in our nation’s history have been more challenging or difficult than the one we’re in now.

A once-in-a-century virus silently stalks the country.

It’s taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II.

Millions of jobs have been lost.

Hundreds of thousands of businesses closed.

A cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer.

A cry for survival comes from the planet itself. A cry that can’t be any more desperate or any more clear.

And now, a rise in political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.

To overcome these challenges – to restore the soul and to secure the future of America – requires more than words.

It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy:

In another January in Washington, on New Year’s Day 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

When he put pen to paper, the President said, “If my name ever goes down into history it will be for this act and my whole soul is in it.”

My whole soul is in it.

Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this:

Bringing America together.

Uniting our people.

And uniting our nation.

I ask every American to join me in this cause.

Uniting to fight the common foes we face:

Anger, resentment, hatred.

Extremism, lawlessness, violence.

Disease, joblessness, hopelessness.

With unity we can do great things. Important things.

We can right wrongs.

We can put people to work in good jobs.

We can teach our children in safe schools.

We can overcome this deadly virus.

We can reward work, rebuild the middle class, and make health care secure for all.

We can deliver racial justice.

We can make America, once again, the leading force for good in the world.

I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy.

I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real.

But I also know they are not new.

Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, and demonization have long torn us apart.

The battle is perennial.

Victory is never assured.

Through the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifice, and setbacks, our “better angels” have always prevailed.

In each of these moments, enough of us came together to carry all of us forward.

And, we can do so now.

History, faith, and reason show the way, the way of unity.

We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbors.

We can treat each other with dignity and respect.

We can join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the temperature.

For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury.

No progress, only exhausting outrage.

No nation, only a state of chaos.

This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.

And, we must meet this moment as the United States of America.

If we do that, I guarantee you, we will not fail.

We have never, ever, ever failed in America when we have acted together.

And so today, at this time and in this place, let us start afresh.

Let us listen to one another.

Hear one another. See one another.

Show respect to one another.

Politics need not be a raging fire destroying everything in its path.

Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war.

And, we must reject a culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.

My fellow Americans, we have to be different than this.

America has to be better than this.

And, I believe America is better than this.

Just look around.

Here we stand, in the shadow of a Capitol dome that was completed amid the Civil War, when the Union itself hung in the balance.

Yet we endured and we prevailed.

Here we stand looking out to the great Mall where Dr. King spoke of his dream.

Here we stand, where 108 years ago at another inaugural, thousands of protestors tried to block brave women from marching for the right to vote.

Today, we mark the swearing-in of the first woman in American history elected to national office – Vice President Kamala Harris.

Don’t tell me things can’t change.

Here we stand across the Potomac from Arlington National Cemetery, where heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion rest in eternal peace.

And here we stand, just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, and to drive us from this sacred ground.

That did not happen.

It will never happen.

Not tomorrow.

To all those who supported our campaign I am humbled by the faith you have placed in us.

To all those who did not support us, let me say this: Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart.

And if you still disagree, so be it.

That’s democracy. That’s America. The right to dissent peaceably, within the guardrails of our Republic, is perhaps our nation’s greatest strength.

Yet hear me clearly: Disagreement must not lead to disunion.

And I pledge this to you: I will be a President for all Americans.

I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.

Many centuries ago, Saint Augustine, a saint of my church, wrote that a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love.

What are the common objects we love that define us as Americans?

I think I know.

Opportunity.

And, yes, the truth.

Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson.

There is truth and there are lies.

Lies told for power and for profit.

And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders – leaders who have pledged to honor our Constitution and protect our nation — to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.

I understand that many Americans view the future with some fear and trepidation.

I understand they worry about their jobs, about taking care of their families, about what comes next.

But the answer is not to turn inward, to retreat into competing factions, distrusting those who don’t look like you do, or worship the way you do, or don’t get their news from the same sources you do.

We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal.

We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts.

If we show a little tolerance and humility.

If we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes just for a moment. Because here is the thing about life: There is no accounting for what fate will deal you.

There are some days when we need a hand.

There are other days when we’re called on to lend one.

That is how we must be with one another.

And, if we are this way, our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future.

My fellow Americans, in the work ahead of us, we will need each other.

We will need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter.

We are entering what may well be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus.

We must set aside the politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation.

I promise you this: as the Bible says weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.

We will get through this, together

The world is watching today.

So here is my message to those beyond our borders: America has been tested and we have come out stronger for it.

We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.

Not to meet yesterday’s challenges, but today’s and tomorrow’s.

We will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example.

We will be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress, and security.

We have been through so much in this nation.

And, in my first act as President, I would like to ask you to join me in a moment of silent prayer to remember all those we lost this past year to the pandemic.

To those 400,000 fellow Americans – mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

We will honor them by becoming the people and nation we know we can and should be.

Let us say a silent prayer for those who lost their lives, for those they left behind, and for our country.

This is a time of testing.

We face an attack on democracy and on truth.

A raging virus.

Growing inequity.

The sting of systemic racism.

A climate in crisis.

America’s role in the world.

Any one of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways.

But the fact is we face them all at once, presenting this nation with the gravest of responsibilities.

Now we must step up.

It is a time for boldness, for there is so much to do.

And, this is certain.

We will be judged, you and I, for how we resolve the cascading crises of our era.

Will we rise to the occasion?

Will we master this rare and difficult hour?

Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world for our children?

I believe we must and I believe we will.

And when we do, we will write the next chapter in the American story.

It’s a story that might sound something like a song that means a lot to me.

It’s called “American Anthem” and there is one verse stands out for me:

“The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day What shall be our legacy? What will our children say?… Let me know in my heart When my days are through America America I gave my best to you.”

Let us add our own work and prayers to the unfolding story of our nation.

If we do this then when our days are through our children and our children’s children will say of us they gave their best.

They did their duty.

They healed a broken land. My fellow Americans, I close today where I began, with a sacred oath.

Before God and all of you I give you my word.

I will always level with you.

I will defend the Constitution.

I will defend our democracy.

I will defend America.

I will give my all in your service thinking not of power, but of possibilities.

Not of personal interest, but of the public good.

And together, we shall write an American story of hope, not fear.

Of unity, not division.

Of light, not darkness.

An American story of decency and dignity.

Of love and of healing.

Of greatness and of goodness.

May this be the story that guides us.

The story that inspires us.

The story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history.

We met the moment.

That democracy and hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch but thrived.

That our America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world.

That is what we owe our forebearers, one another, and generations to follow.

So, with purpose and resolve we turn to the tasks of our time.

Sustained by faith.

Driven by conviction.

And, devoted to one another and to this country we love with all our hearts.

May God bless America and may God protect our troops.

Thank you, America.

12:13 pm EST

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The Inaugural Address: Why do presidents start a new term with a speech?

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The inaugural address, delivered by the president of the United States after they take the oath of office, is one of the most anticipated events each election cycle. The newly elected president is not required to deliver an inaugural address, but following the example of George Washington, it has become a tradition that kicks off a new president’s time in office. In this resource, learners will examine the purpose of inaugural addresses, consider why these speeches matter to the American people, and assess the goals and strategies employed by many presidents in their inaugural addresses. Learning is centered on this driving question: Why do presidents start a new term with a speech?

National Standards

Common core state standards, ccr anchor standards for writing.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7 (Research to Build and Present Knowledge): Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.9 (Research to Build and Present Knowledge): Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCR Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 (Comprehension and Collaboration): Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.3 (Comprehension and Collaboration): Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards

2: applying disciplinary tools and concepts.

D2.Civ.2.6-8. (Civics): Explain specific roles played by citizens (such as voters, jurors, taxpayers, members of the armed forces, petitioners, protesters, and office-holders).

D2.Civ.6.6-8. (Civics): Describe the roles of political, civil, and economic organizations in shaping people's lives.

D2.Civ.8.6-8. (Civics): Analyze ideas and principles contained in the founding documents of the United States, and explain how they influence the social and political system.

D2.Civ.10.6-8. (Civics): Explain the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people address issues and problems in government and civil society.

D2.Civ.14.6-8. (Civics): Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies, and promoting the common good.

D2.His.12.6-8. (History): Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to identify further areas of inquiry and additional sources.

D2.His.13.6-8. (History): Evaluate the relevancy and utility of a historical source based on information such as maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose.

D2.His.16.6-8. (History): Organize applicable evidence into a coherent argument about the past.

D2.Civ.5.9-12. (Civics): Evaluate citizens' and institutions' effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.

D2.Civ.8.9-12. (Civics): Evaluate social and political systems in different contexts, times, and places, that promote civic virtues and enact democratic principles.

D2.Civ.10.9-12. (Civics): Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights.

D2.Civ.14.9-12. (Civics): Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the common good, and protecting rights.

D2.His.12.9-12. (History): Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to pursue further inquiry and investigate additional sources.

D2.His.16.9-12. (History): Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.

Related Educational Resources

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Will you join us in lighting the way for the leaders of tomorrow?

Recipe for an inaugural address, about this resource, overview  .

In this lesson for middle grades, students consider what “ingredients” might go into the speech that will launch a president’s term in office as they examine some of the most memorable inaugural addresses of the past.

Procedure  

1. Ask students to imagine being an advisor to the newly-elected president who has asked for ideas about what to put into his or her upcoming inaugural address. “Give me your recipe,” the president-elect says, “because we need to start cookin’!” You begin by writing down some notes and questions.

Go over this list of “ingredients” and related questions with the whole class, either writing on the board or presenting as a handout.

Inaugural Address Ingredients

One nation, indivisible What words will help bring people together following a hard-fought election? What to say to those who voted for a different candidate? What are the basic beliefs and principles that unite us as Americans? Historical moment Where have we come from as a nation? What are the great challenges and opportunities of this time in history? What kind of future are we looking at? Goals What will the priorities of this administration be? What new course is the president charting for the country? Audiences/messages Who else is the speech aimed at? Along with the American people, which groups at home and around the world should the president be addressing? And what are the messages? Inspiration How can the president best convey a sense of hope? What can this speech do to help get citizens energized and involved? Emotional content What other feelings or attitudes should be expressed given the current circumstances and mood of the country? Language and form How should the speech be structured? In what ways can the president use language that will lift the address to a level above that of other speeches given while still keeping it in his or her own voice?

2. Continue with students in their role as advisors: Using these categories and the related questions, examine some outstanding inaugural addresses from the past, beginning with John F. Kennedy’s.

Hand out copies of JFK’s inaugural address. Divide the class into seven small groups, and assign a category to each team. Ask them to read Kennedy’s speech, and to search for evidence of whether he incorporated the particular ingredient and in what ways. The whole class reassembles and each group reports its findings.

3. As a homework assignment, ask students to go through a similar process on their own with one of the following speeches:

Abraham Lincoln – March 4, 1865 Franklin D. Roosevelt – March 4, 1933 Ronald Reagan – January 20, 1981

Read these speeches online.

4. Students should now be prepared to write a “Memo to the President-Elect” with their suggested ingredients for his or her upcoming speech.

5. Finally, have the class read and listen to the most recent inaugural address, analyzing and comparing it with the “recipes” contained in their memoranda.

Connections to Curricula (Standards)  

National History Standards - US History, Era 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)

• Standard 2: How the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics
• Standard 3: Domestic policies after World War II
• Standard 4: The struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties

National History Standards - Historical Thinking Standards 

• B. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage.
• A. Consider multiple perspectives.
• B. Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas.

Common Core State Standards

• ELA College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language
• ELA – Reading Informational Texts, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language, and Literacy in History/Social Studies for grades 6-8.

C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards

• Discipline 1 - Developing questions and planning inquiries;
• Discipline 2 - Applying disciplinary concepts and tools (History and Civics)
• Discipline 3 - Evaluating sources and using evidence; and
• Discipline 4 - Communicating conclusions and taking informed action

National Council of Teachers of English : Standards 1,3,5,6,7,8,9, and 12

Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework

• 8.T4: Rights and responsibilities of citizens

Massachusetts English Language Arts Framework

• Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language

President Kennedy's inaugural address (video plus transcript)

The American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara, an online source for all presidential inaugural addresses

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Food & drink, relationships & family, how to write an inaugural speech, more articles.

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An inaugural speech captures the triumphs and hopes for the future in the winner of a political campaign. After a long and tiresome journey to the top of the political heap, you now can rejoice and let others in on your victory. But before you put that pen to paper or those fingers to the keyboard, you may want to learn a few important tips on what makes an inaugural speech great and how to inspire the citizens you preside over to create change.

Reflect on the moments that led to your victory. Think of the setbacks and the struggles you endured to finally reach this office. You will want to jot down a few distinct memories that touched you in terms of your fight to gain the position you now have. Try to add to your notes as much detailed information of such memories so that you will write more easily when you begin.

Recognize a theme that symbolizes your platform, as well as your fight to gain office. A recurrent theme of President Obama’s campaign was “hope,” and in his inaugural speech, he presented that theme by discussing the trials American people have faced through the years and how they always overcame them through determination and hope (see Ref 1, 3).

Craft an outline that has at least three parts; an introduction, a body and a conclusion. In your outline, use the notes and theme to create an organized list of what you want to say in your speech (see Ref 2).

Start the speech by writing a powerful opening that draws your audience in, making them want to hear more. You can begin with a line that sums up what your supporters feel; in Obama’s speech, he stated that “I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.” Yet you can also begin with a story that mirrors the trials and tribulations you faced and will soon take on as a newly elected leader. Whatever you decide, just make sure it captures your audience’s attention.

Write the following paragraphs addressing your citizens’ desires and fears. You can use figurative language to describe your positions on subjects, but it is best to be direct and simplistic when discussing more serious events or situations. You, as a leader, have received the office because people believed that you represented the future so you should keep them believing that, while also remaining honest and somewhat stoic. Becoming too emotional will not give you an air of leadership, so keep that in mind when writing the speech.

End the speech with a call to arms for your fellow citizens. Let them know that you will do your best but that you can only achieve great things with their help. Bring the speech full circle by addressing your theme in a subtle way, and leave your audience with an inspirational last sentence.

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Gerri Blanc began her professional writing career in 2007 and has collaborated in the research and writing of the book "The Fairy Shrimp Chronicles," published in 2009. Blanc holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature and culture from the University of California, Merced.

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How to write an inaugural address

The inaugural address is the center stage of american public life. it is a place where rhetorical ambition is expected. it symbolizes the peaceful transfer of power -- something relatively rare in human history..

By William McKenzie|Contributor

4:03 PM on Jan 10, 2017 CST

There are speeches, and then there are speeches. An inaugural address seems to be in a class of its own. In Lincoln's case, his words ended up chiseled in stone at the Lincoln Monument. How does a president, or president-elect, even start tackling an address that could shape history?

The inaugural address is the center stage of American public life. It is a place where rhetorical ambition is expected. It symbolizes the peaceful transfer of power -- something relatively rare in human history. It provides the public, Congress and members of a new president's own administration an indication of his tone and vision. It is intended to express the best, most inspiring, most unifying version of president's core beliefs. And that requires knowing your core beliefs.

I read that you went back and studied all prior inaugural addresses before starting to work on President Bush's 2001 inaugural address. What did you learn from that experience? Would you recommend it for others who go through this process?

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It is a pretty tough slog in the early 19 th century, before getting to Abraham Lincoln and the best speech of American history, his Second Inaugural Address. That speech is remarkable for telling a nation on the verge of a military victory that had cost hundreds of thousands of lives that it was partially responsible for the slaughter; that its massive suffering represented divine justice.

Strictly speaking, it is only necessary to read the greatest hits among inaugurals to get a general feel. But it would be a mistake to miss some less celebrated but worthy efforts such as Richard Nixon in 1968: "America has suffered from a fever of words... we cannot learn from each other until we stop shouting at one another." This theme of national unity is a consistent thread throughout inaugural history.

Having worked on two inaugural addresses, and read so many, do they by and large set the stage for the next four years? Or, are they mostly forgotten?

Some of the speeches are undeniably forgettable. But even those are never really forgotten. They are some of the most revealing documents of presidential history, when a chief executive tries to put his ideals and agenda into words. Students of the presidency will read those speeches to help understand a president's self-conception and the political atmosphere of his time.

What was the writing and editing process like with President Bush on these addresses? And what did you all learn from the first address that shaped the second one in 2005?

President Bush's first inaugural address was intended to be a speech of national unity and healing. He had just won a difficult election in which he lost the popular vote (which certainly sounds familiar). It was a moment of some drama, with his opponent, Vice President Gore, seated on the podium near the President-Elect.

President Bush would often edit speeches by reading them aloud to a small group of advisers, which he did several times at Blair House during the transition. "Our unity, our Union," he said in his first inaugural, "is a serious work of leaders and citizens and every generation. And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity."

The second inaugural was quite different, not so much a speech of national unity as a speech of national purpose. President Bush had a strong vision of what he wanted his second inaugural to accomplish. "I want it to be the freedom speech," he told me in the Cabinet room after the first Cabinet meeting following his reelection had broken up. It was intended to be a tight summary of Bush's foreign policy approach, setting high goals while recognizing great difficulties in the post-9/11 world.

"We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion," he said. "The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world."

Globalization figured prominently as a theme in Donald Trump's victorious presidential campaign. I would assume we are likely to hear more in his address about America's place in the globalized economy. But what do you think? What themes are we likely to hear?

We are seeing a reaction to globalization across the western world, and this set of issues certainly motivated a portion of President-elect Trump's coalition. It is essential for political leaders to help a generation of workers prepare for an increasingly skills-based economy. It is a fantasy, however, for a political leader to promise the reversal of globalization, any more than he or she could promise the reversal of industrialization. Trump should address the struggles of middle and working class Americans. But it is deceptive and self-destructive to blame those struggles on trade and migrants.

What happens after these big speeches are given? Do presidents and the team that helped prepare them go back to the White House and high-five each other? I guess it would be a little indecorous to throw Gatorade buckets on each other, like victorious football teams do after winning the Super Bowl.

As I remember it, the new president attends a lunch hosted by congressional leaders. Then he goes to the reviewing stand in front of the White House for the inaugural parade. (Jimmy Carter actually walked in the parade a bit.)

I remember entering the White House that afternoon, walking into the Roosevelt Room (where senior staff and other meetings take place) and watching a workman take down the picture of Franklin Roosevelt from above the fireplace and put up the picture of Teddy Roosevelt. I felt fortunate to be present at a great tradition. In fact, every day at the White House was an honor.

This Q&A was conducted by William McKenzie, editor of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute. Email:  [email protected] . 

William McKenzie|Contributor

MIT Office of the President

• Writing & Speeches

Inaugural Address

Thank you, Madam Chair.

• President Hockfield. President Reif. For everything you’ve done to foster the strength, spirit and potential of MIT – thank you!  I aspire to build on what you achieved for the Institute. 
• President Sheares Ashby – Valerie, my old friend! I’m a little overcome by the kindness of your remarks. And I can’t believe you even managed to be here, with your own inauguration barely in the rearview mirror! 
• To our dear, distinguished guests from across higher education – the warmest welcome and hello!
• To all those who may be watching remotely, near and far ­– from our neighbors in Cambridge and Boston, to the great global family of MIT, including our alumni, 145,000 strong;
• To our entire campus community – this small city of intrepid problem-solvers;
• And to my family and friends, and all of you gathered here in Killian Court, under the world’s largest umbrella (Just in case!)…                                                                                

I’m so grateful you chose to be part of this solemn,  ancient  ceremony. And this afternoon, I hope to inspire you to join us in something important and  new .

*          *

So, ideally, I’ve piqued your curiosity! Now: Please hold on to that sensation – that  wanting to know  – while I offer a few observations.

• I’ll venture my opinion on what university leaders are good for
• I’ll talk about why I came to MIT – and what I’ve found
• I’ll sketch out how we can fulfill our potential: our opportunities and our obligations
• And I’ll ask you to join me in meeting the moment ­– together.

*          *          *

(To my fellow university leaders: I’m starting with a question that may feel a little bit…close to home. But I don’t worry! I’ve got you!)

“What are university leaders good for?”

I got my first inkling about 30 years ago. Before I was a vice dean or a provost or a president, I was a cancer biologist. A hands-on, pipette-and-centrifuge, buckets-and-buckets-of-frog-eggs biologist. My lab had maybe 12 people – and we did the most fundamental, curiosity-driven research you can imagine, tinkering and tinkering with biological systems to understand the deep cell biology and biochemistry that go wrong when cells turn cancerous.

It was fascinating. And I  loved  it.

There’s nothing like the pleasure of being part of a team when an experiment shows you something new – something no one else has ever seen before.

On the days when you’re in the flow, you never want to leave the lab.

But there were also other kinds of days!

On those days, I was frustrated – because I needed things I could not get on my own. I needed the institution to transform the way it recruited young researchers, so we could get the best graduate students. And I needed it to invest in sophisticated core facilities, so I could sequence all those proteins we’d purified.

In other words, selfishly, to do the science I loved, I needed the  collective  to  work .

So I took my first job in academic administration. And over a number of years – with help from lots and lots of people – I helped to make those changes happen.

For my lab, the new talent and core facilities were terrific! And it turned out that they were  also  terrific for many other labs in the medical school, and across the whole campus. 

And  that  was when I began to understand what university leaders are good for. I started to see that leadership makes a difference: that I could lead the way to changes that accelerated progress way   beyond the narrow band of my research.

So I took on new leadership roles. And each time, by listening to voices from across the community, I found new ways that I could help the whole:

• Things like improving the quality of life for all our students
• Developing staff leaders at every level
• Building a more diverse faculty – and more.

So – 30 years on – what are university leaders good for?

Picture a place like MIT.

In effect, every day we send out 1,000 expeditions to explore the mountain range of New Knowledge and Innovation. Curiosity unbounded!

For the faculty, researchers and students involved, it’s exhilarating and exhausting; fascinating and frustrating; unpredictable and very, very hard. You rarely know for sure if you’re on the right path – or heading for another dead end. The people who succeed are guilty of an outrageous persistence against all odds.

So, in that high-risk, high-reward picture, what are university leaders good for?

Three things – that add up to something big.

• First, we can help provision the trip – the right resources and the right talent.
• Second, we can clear away bureaucratic boulders that block the trail.
• And finally: We can scout out the best routes for scaling the toughest peaks – and build and inspire the right teams to get there. This capacity to link vision and action –  that  may be the greatest accelerant of all.

If we do those three things right, we create an environment in which every individual has the freedom and support to flourish and grow, and in which we all have a sense of community, connection and shared purpose – those human bonds that allow us to go farther and faster together than any of us could go alone.

Striving for that ideal of university leadership – that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

(OK, technically, the dogs get me out of bed. But it  is  what gets me to my desk!)

And I love this work! So last fall, when MIT’s presidential search committee came knocking, I was happily settled at a school I loved, in a role that still held interesting challenges. I was not in a mood to leave.

But frankly, when the MIT offer came, I could not possibly say no.

Not because I dreamt of living where winter is five months and spring is five days. Not because of some alluring new title.

But because there is simply no place quite like MIT.

Dozens of great research universities are represented here today. Yet even in this distinguished company, MIT has a distinctive recipe for impact: this community’s signature ability to foster the very best in fundamental research and harness it to confront society’s hardest problems.

As humanity struggles with so many interlocking global crises, it has never needed the people of MIT more than it does now.

For those of us who are called to the challenge of leadership, the world always offers lots of opportunities. But very few could be more compelling than the chance, in this moment, to lead MIT.

Since I arrived in January, I’ve spent nearly all my time on a “listening tour.” I’ve met with many dozens of people across the Institute, in every role.

And I have to say – as a longtime fan of novels that leap between past, present and future – getting to know MIT has felt like a kind of time travel.

In four months, I’ve flown over the whole course of MIT’s 162-year history – including momentous achievements, times of great pride and great struggle, and many acts of delightful irreverence. I’ve been beamed into past controversies. I’ve visited the good old days. I’ve heard MIT-student-tales from 50 years ago – and talked with seniors who’ll graduate next month. I’ve seen MIT grow from a scrappy little technical school to its present scope and stature.

And – most important – in exploring MIT’s past and present, I’ve gotten tantalizing glimpses of the future.

My first week on the job included reviewing young faculty who were up for promotion – three long days, back to back. Honestly, you cannot imagine a more intoxicating introduction to the human potential of MIT: one candidate after another, each somehow more impressive than the last. And each of them a window into the future of knowledge, and the future of MIT.

Reviewing these incredible talents was a preview of one of the striking aspects of this community: That the fuel for what gets done here is the brilliant creativity of each and every individual.

It’s like a night sky, impossibly dense with stars. Each one particular and beautiful. In the darkness, when we look up, we naturally look for patterns and connections. That’s the pleasure of picking out a constellation: It doesn’t dim the stars within it. But it holds our attention, because it creates a larger meaning.

In my listening tour conversations, that image has come to me again and again. Because everywhere, in every setting, I’ve heard an intense desire to see the people of MIT come together, in meaningful ways, to meet all the great challenges of our time. Above all, and most urgently: to marshal a bold, tenacious response to the run-away crisis of climate change.

I’ve found a community of people who, to a person, treasure the best aspects of MIT’s history and culture, and take great pride in its achievements. Yet I’ve also found a place – always decentralized and further fragmented by the pandemic – that is still finding its way back to a shared center.

There’s a palpable craving for re-attachment and connection. If you’ll allow me: What I hear in all of this is a craving for new constellations.

*          *         

In coming to MIT, I’ve found something magnificent: In its history, culture, character and achievements; in its people, and their clear-eyed focus on the hardest problems.

In short, like so many of you before me, in coming here, in a wonderful new way, I found my people – and I Have Truly Found Paradise. 

Yet I’ve also learned – from MIT’s unstoppable engineers! – that  even paradise can be optimized!  So let me talk a bit about what that might look like.

Since I’m still trying to unlock minor local mysteries, like how MIT numbers its buildings and courses, for me to bring forth today some detailed strategic vision would be arrogant in the extreme.

Instead, I want to take  you  on a little “trip through time,” to the  future  – a decade or so from now.

Setting the dial for the year 2033  – we can see an MIT that is, in important ways, deeply the same – just as quirky, nerdy, unconventional and bold. An MIT that is true to its fundamental purpose. But we also see an Institute that has built up its core strengths to be ready for whatever comes next.

• The MIT of 2033 has unraveled daunting intellectual puzzles, from mathematics to materials science, urban planning to economics, neuroscience to nuclear engineering, physics to philosophy to finance.
• It has cleared away internal boulders – freeing its people to make important discoveries and innovations.
• In 2033, our undergraduates are thriving with an ambitious new take on MIT’s core curriculum, which is setting the standard for what tomorrow’s leaders need to learn.
• And MIT has truly become a place of inclusive excellence and enthusiastic diversity, where everyone feels that they matter, and they belong.
• I’m proud to tell you that the MIT of 2033 has helped humanity come to grips with the tectonic forces of artificial intelligence, containing its risks and harnessing its power for good.
• The music building isn’t new anymore – but it’s central to a new flowering of the humanities and the arts at MIT, the fields that tell us what it means, and why it matters, that we are human beings – fields that  must  be equal partners in inventing a just, humane and equitable future.
• By forging new synaptic links between engineering and life science, including synthetic biology, the MIT of 2033 has helped invent the future of making, the future of healing, the future of biomedicine itself. And it’s made Greater Boston the hub of the  next  biotech revolution too.
• In 2033, the Met Warehouse is a bustling hub of making and design, sparking new ways of seeing and solving old problems.
• The people of MIT have used the power of entrepreneurship to propel profound solutions out to communities around the world, from preventing pandemics to cleaning up plastic waste.
• And ­the MIT of 2033 is proud that – a decade earlier ­– it helped lead a powerful cross-sector coalition and placed big bets on big solutions, to dramatically accelerate progress against climate change.

I hope you can see yourself in that future – because it will call on all of us, together, to explore and commit to new ways of concentrating our strength and quickening the pace of progress. To be clear: We want every one of our thousand bold expeditions to succeed! And there are many deeply significant areas where we can do more, together, from the bioeconomy to AI.

In fields like these, the world is crying out for courageous thought leadership and practical solutions. For a mind-and-hand place like MIT, answering that call is an opportunity – and frankly an obligation.

But, as so many of you have told me, one subject above all demands our shared attention.

Today, at least 20 percent of MIT faculty work on questions related to climate change: the greatest scientific and societal challenge of this or any age.

The people of MIT are pioneering crucial fields – from nuclear fusion to grid-scale batteries to climate policy. They’re decarbonizing everything from steel production to supply chains to computing, from architecture to agriculture.

That’s fantastic!

But I believe that, with all that talent and imagination, we can and, honestly, we must find new ways to work together, and to work with other sectors and institutions, to achieve even more – much more.

We need to ask ourselves: What is MIT’s contribution going to be? Would we feel satisfied if the answer was, “Well, MIT contributed to the knowledge base”? Would we? Is that enough?

What could we do that would really move the needle – and break the dial? Wouldn’t it make you proud to be part of the team that went all in, on the most important question of our time?

The people of MIT have done this before – and now, in this moment, we can do it too!

So many of MIT’s signature achievements have been triumphs of concerted collaboration:

• The LIGO program, whose thousands of contributors from dozens of institutions together found a way to detect gravitational waves from outer space.
• The Human Genome Project, where MIT scientists contributed a third of all the sequencing.
• The Apollo guidance systems that put humans on the moon.
• The work of MIT’s legendary Rad Lab, whose thirty-five-hundred members developed the radar systems that helped end World War II.

At the time, MIT’s 9 th  president, Karl Taylor Compton, called the Rad Lab “the greatest cooperative research establishment in the history of the world.” And the scientific miracles it achieved, at record speed, were mostly done by very young researchers, across a wide range of fields, with an extraordinary sense of purpose.

To meet the challenge of climate, it’s time for the people of MIT to engage in Rad-Lab-level thinking and commitment again. I want you, and I need you to help me imagine what that should look like, and how it can succeed – the kind of grand creative enterprise in which the energy you release together is greater than what you each put in. A nuclear fusion of problem-solving and possibility!

I certainly would not presume to lay out all the details of this new climate endeavor. That is work we will do together, starting now. We need energy and expertise from every MIT School and the College, from every lab and every center, from every member of the faculty – and from every one of you.

• To our students and postdocs: You are among our most brilliant stars. Help us focus unflinchingly on the horizon of your future and on the urgent need for action now.
• To our faculty and researchers: Let’s do everything we can, as fast as we can. Let’s have the courage to venture the impossible – for our students; for our children and their children; for the world.
• To MIT’s incredible staff: You are critical to the Institute’s success, its unsung heroes. As we take on this great shared challenge, we will need every ounce of your expertise, institutional knowledge and principled leadership.
• To our alumni and friends, and to our steadfast partners on the Corporation: You know, without my saying it, that we cannot do this work as well, or at all, without your support, encouragement and inspiration. 
• To our neighbors in Cambridge and Boston, and to leaders across the Commonwealth: Let’s find ways to support each other in this work, so we can move as fast the moment demands!
• And to my fellow university leaders: This problem will require that we  all  enlist our galaxies of stars. Let’s do this together – and remind the world that so many of the thorniest problems are solved at universities.

But let me be clear: We’re not going to wait around for a perfect vision. We need to start trying new things! Because I am absolutely certain that this urgent project is the singular effort that needs our shared attention. We can only meet this crisis if we’re brave enough to lower our shields, reach out and work together in new ways. And we cannot be satisfied with the normal academic tempo – there simply isn’t time.

You’ll hear more from me soon about how this effort will take shape. I hope many of you will want to participate directly. Please think about how you can answer the call. How will your work help make the whole of our efforts on climate greater than the sum of the parts – a multiplication of our talent and our capacity?

And whatever your role at MIT, I want you to feel part of this. Every member of this community is an essential part of the ecosystem that makes the breakthroughs possible. I want us all to take pride in how this community comes together to meet the existential challenges of humankind. I know I will take great pride in joining you.

I started this speech with a little bit of intrigue: I asked you to hold onto the sensation of  wanting to know . Why?

Because it only takes a few hours on this campus to learn that what propels MIT is an irresistible force: the sheer motive power of curiosity, on every subject, at every scale, across disciplines and without limits:  Curiosity Unbounded . 

It’s the passion to understand how things work, and why, and how they can work better.

In this perilous moment, I believe that curiosity can give us the hope and courage to do what needs to be done.

Importantly, curiosity is  also  the one and only path to understanding one another – to empathy and appreciation and mutual respect. In effect, curiosity is the indispensable first step in both collaboration  and  community.

Today, the problems before us – the problems of human society, and of its only planet so far – require that we harness our curiosity in exceptionally productive ways. The people of MIT have always wanted to know how things work, and how we can be part of big solutions. Now, it’s imperative that we know – and that we help lead the world to action.

In some fleeting way, the world may attend to what I say here today. But I  know  the world will be watching what we  do  next.

Let’s give them something to talk about – something to cheer for, something to join! Something worthy of MIT.

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Inaugural Addresses

Table of Inaugural Addresses

Washington 1789 - Biden 2021

Included here as "Inaugural Addresses" are speeches made by elected presidents following a public ceremony in which they take the oath of office.  "Accidental" presidents may also have given (or issued) a prominent address following taking office, but we do not classify those as Inaugural Addresses.

Citation: Gerhard Peters, "Table of Presidential Inaugural Addresses," The American Presidency Project . Santa Barbara, CA: University of California (hosted), Gerhard Peters (database), https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/324108

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Milestone Documents

President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address (1961)

Citation: Inaugural Address, Kennedy Draft, 01/17/1961; Papers of John F. Kennedy: President's Office Files, 01/20/1961-11/22/1963; John F. Kennedy Library; National Archives and Records Administration.

View All Pages in the National Archives Catalog

View Transcript

On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in which he announced that "we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty."

The inaugural ceremony is a defining moment in a president’s career — and no one knew this better than John F. Kennedy as he prepared for his own inauguration on January 20, 1961. He wanted his address to be short and clear, devoid of any partisan rhetoric and focused on foreign policy.

Kennedy began constructing his speech in late November, working from a speech file kept by his secretary and soliciting suggestions from friends and advisors. He wrote his thoughts in his nearly indecipherable longhand on a yellow legal pad.

While his colleagues submitted ideas, the speech was distinctly the work of Kennedy himself. Aides recounted that every sentence was worked, reworked, and reduced. The meticulously crafted piece of oratory dramatically announced a generational change in the White House. It called on the nation to combat "tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself" and urged American citizens to participate in public service.

The climax of the speech and its most memorable phrase – "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country" – was honed down from a thought about sacrifice that Kennedy had long held in his mind and had expressed in various ways in campaign speeches.

Less than six weeks after his inauguration, on March 1, President Kennedy issued an executive order establishing the Peace Corps as a pilot program within the Department of State. He envisioned the Peace Corps as a pool of trained American volunteers who would go overseas to help foreign countries meet their needs for skilled manpower. Later that year, Congress passed the Peace Corps Act, making the program permanent.

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Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens:

We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end as well as a beginning--signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

This much we pledge--and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do--for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom--and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required--not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge--to convert our good words into good deeds--in a new alliance for progress--to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support--to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective--to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak--and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.

So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.

Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah--to "undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free."

And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

12 Simple and Sample Welcome Speech For Inauguration Ceremony

Inauguration is the beginning of a new era, a new season, and a new leader, it also marks the transfer of power from one leader to another. It allows the new leader to convey his agenda, visions, and missions for the country and organization.

Inaugural speeches are a way for new leaders to communicate to their new constituency.

Here is the list of the best speeches for the inauguration.

Best Inaugural Speeches

As a country, we have long ago determined to march beyond the bounds of darkness into the broad day of fresh national optimism. The choice we now tackle ourselves is whether to stay committed to the labor in establishing a better society or hide in the shadows ready to be defeated. This nation’s progress has been a result of the prayers of all and the combined sacrifices of us all and We have withstood trials that would have caused other nations to collapse and disintegrate. Yet, we have shouldered the tremendous load of struggles and tribulations to arrive at this moment. And now there is a great possibility for a better future with of course all our efforts and enhanced abilities.

It has become our political tradition to transition from one administration to another and it has been an orderly transition so far. This transfer of power has always demonstrated our confidence in God and our conviction in our power to rebuild this country into the society we have always envisioned. The nation I and my team talk about is more than just adjusting the economic state of the nation, of course, these things are critically essential but will not be able to express our story in building the ideal nation.

Our top priority is to improve the way of life of everyone and inspire love and unity among every individual. We will strive harder to bring these ideas and thoughts written on paper to life. Let us build a common sense of justice and equality together and a nation flowing with milk and honey. In the following days and weeks, the component of our plan to build an ideal nation will be disclosed publicly. I will discuss all the measures that will reflect our view of a great and progressive governance and ideal nation.

This day marks the pinnacle of my achievement. But this day belongs to you, the people of this great Nation. The way of our history and the promise of the future have led us to this unique moment. I invite you to join me in creating a more perfect country and democracy so that the ideal nation becomes and forever stays the reality with complete faith in our capacity. May God bless us and our great nation.

2. I am grateful for all of your prayers and support and am delighted and happy to stand before you today. However, today is not about me, we celebrate this new beginning and a new phase in this prestigious school, we honor this great University and We are here to confirm its vital purpose, honor its history, and look forward to a better future

I and my team pursue this goal, we want to preserve the best of the past while advancing into the future. The past and previous presidents of this great institution have truly improved the school tremendously however, I and my team will implore the new normal to the constitution of this institution to make it the best institution in this part of the world. Our goals and visions are listed below;(A detailed list)

We know this generation cares significantly about society and its difficulties. With our new administration, they can become citizens and leaders of capability, principles, and compassion. They can become ethical citizens and leaders who have the knowledge and faith to build a more sustainable society. They can also become individuals who will proffer solutions to various problems in society

Speech For Inaugural Ceremony

3. I am utterly grateful and honored for the love and support shown by everyone to reach this position. While I was thinking about this event, I was focused on the many individuals in my life who have been inspiring to me, enabled me to become the leader and person I am today, and whose love, friendship, and support have supported me over many years. It was just certain for me that this event would feature those who have been influential and instrumental in my life.

Having attained this position my top priorities and goals are to push ourselves to accomplish more, both students and staff.

To discover and invest in excellent academic and support programs that will address the changing needs of our students and our community. To reward and retain our devoted academics and staff with competitive salaries.

To open our doors to new and diverse professors and staff.

And to remind ourselves of the role that higher education may play in mending our society and our lives generally.

Creating a feeling of belonging which will eradicate separation and conflict. We will be Teaching them how to learn across their differences.

And that is why we’re investing in our community discussions project. This year, we will teach our pupils how to conduct challenging talks right here at the institution and create a model for institutions around the nation.

we hope for a better institution in months to come. an institution that is much stronger than it has been in years past. With your support, we will achieve this together.

Simple inauguration Speech Sample

4. Good day everyone, It is a privilege to be standing here on this pulpit this afternoon, my heartfelt gratitude to those who contributed to this day for it to be a success. Thank you so much!

I am thankful for the efforts of the inaugural committee and the numerous people who contributed to the activities this week. It was fantastic to witness the scholarship represented by the students, professors, and graduates.

Our students bring their goals to this institution. We appreciate them for their daily inspiration and for sharing this changing moment in their life with us.

Our institutional story – is strengthened with the participation of people who have supported our mission with steady faith for decades—and in whose confidence and trust we depend as we look to the future.

Higher education today is not without its obstacles including the need for improved access. I commit now, and every day, to serve our purpose with everything I have to offer: words, acts, energy, ideas, and, of course, faith. You have my courageous and devoted vow of everlasting love and determination to all that this university will be in the future!

I invite you to join me as we work together, motivated by our vision to accomplish the change that our mission offers.

Short Speech Sample

5. I want to thank everybody for making this celebration much more wonderful with your attendance here tonight.

Everyone in the audience knows that it takes a lot of courage to put oneself out there in pursuit of an election. To those persons who were unsuccessful in this election, thank you for your service to our community through your willingness to run in the election please continue to be active through some other means, we need you to build a better organization

Change is constant and You all voted for it— change in the members of this new council and a change in the way we conduct business. And change didn’t wait.

I will make sure all the sectors of this company are looked into and see that there is an improvement.

This company has been one of the best in the county in all aspects including sales, delivery, service, and satisfaction of all customers. While I was the manager I was able to manage the company to greatness. With full confidence and optimism, under my power, this company will be known globally.

I am humbled by the trust you have placed in me, and I am here today to thank you for that trust, and to get to work on the company’s business.

I will make sure I do my best to make this company thrive more than it has always, and I am eager, driven, happy, and pleased to be your chairman Thanks to everyone

I also want to thank my colleagues and family. They have been tremendously supportive of all my participation on campus and I genuinely wouldn’t be here without them. I also like to thank my mentors for their encouragement

Truly this University is the best place to be as a student.

I was delighted to watch these projects, and numerous more efforts that I do not have time to mention now, develop and extend next year. As Student Body Vice President, my major task will be to develop and administer the Freshman Leadership Council, an introduction group to Student Government, to open their horizon to student political affairs, I will have the amazing chance to work with incoming Freshman leaders and help them acquire the skills required to be exceptional leaders and I intend to build on the success of my previous leaders to make next year’s Freshman Leadership Council the finest yet. Thank you.

Related topic : retirement speech by retiree

Inaugural Speech Example

Let us be thankful and appreciate the route that we have all traveled to arrive at this great moment, to build this prestigious company, and thank everyone who was part of the trip. It is, after all, why we are here today. I also realized that we are pushed by a profound determination to attain new heights. It is a new normal, hence a new strategy, new plans, new achievements, and great profits of course. Standing before you today, I am certain that, standing together, we will discover ways to not only fulfill the high expectations we have for ourselves but surpass those our community and our world have for us.

I am extremely grateful to be appointed as the vice chancellor of this great university. This university’s mission and vision are to be the center of excellence and knowledge generation towards global development and an environment-friendly institution. Appointed as the vice Chancellor I will make sure to build great leaders found worthy in learning and character, to generate and advance knowledge through teaching, research, and provision of excellent learning conditions, and to also contribute to sustainable development through community engagement.

Related topic : speech for graduation ceremony

Inauguration Speech Sample For School

9. We mark today as a triumph for students of the University and also a celebration of freedom representing an end of endurance as well as the beginning of change because I have vowed before you and the Almighty God the solemn oath that my predecessors had taken.

I want to congratulate my excellent Vice Chancellor and his administration for all they have done for us to make this event a success. I also want to congratulate the Electoral Commission for having worked diligently during the election process to guarantee elections were realistic, free, and fair. I can’t forget to thank the departing president and the student union body for the wonderful job they have done throughout their rule. Throughout the previous academic year, they have planned different successful events and contests such as intellectual groups like the debate team and extracurricular activities to enhance the social life of the students in the university.

I also wish to honor the presence of my two opponents who were competing for this position. They have worked hard throughout the election campaign; they have both persisted in this battle and made a lot of sacrifices. I appreciate and admire their strength and bravery. I think that they have not lost but won because without the pressure I experienced from both of them; I wouldn’t have made more effort to win this election.

Let us utilize our knowledge to build unity amongst the students so that justice will reign forever.

I want to send my heartfelt appreciation to all my fellow students for making the correct choice and to those whose support I haven’t acquired yet, I may not have won your votes but I feel I have now won your hearts and I will be your chairman too.

I truly feel that we are making headways in addressing these challenges and there is still more to achieve. I shall be very willing and prepared to utilize negotiations and communication with management to seek answers to difficulties that influence students at this university.

Fellow students, with all your help it is true that this university can change for the better and our student union can be completed. What we have already done gives us hope for what we may and must achieve tomorrow as one family. I know the path ahead will be tedious, and the tunnel to success will be long and dark but I guarantee you that together we shall see the light at the end.

I will neither encourage nor tolerate any member of my administration who would seek to create dissension among members or fail to take charge of their respective duties

Colleagues, I’m thankful to you all for all the sacrifices you’ve made to make this day a reality.

The energy, faith, passion, the commitment that we bring to this attempt will ignite our institution and those who serve it.

10. I stand before you today honoured by your trust and driven by your charge. I am appreciative to the members of the Board of Trustees for their confidence. I am touched by the greetings from our community- staff, instructors, students, and alumni.

I am truly thrilled and humbled to become the 9th president in the renowned history of this college. This College has a strong heritage of choosing the best students from the area, offering them the best education, and having those individuals pursue professions that serve society. That’s a rewarding history and purpose.

Our objective therefore is to anticipate the changes and workforce demands and educate our students appropriately. We need to train knowledge managers. This is a noble objective because not only are we helping our students by offering them a fantastic education with plenty of opportunities, but we are serving the greater society by supplying pharmacists and health scientists to fulfill rising healthcare requirements. I hope to achieve all of this during my service in the office and I will appreciate everyone’s support and cooperation, together we can be the best.

How To Write Inaugural Speech

I would also like to convey a debt of thanks to all those responsible for the events of this week, as well as today’s program.

It is crucial to recognize the peoples on whose land we work as we endeavor to enhance and deepen our links with our tribal nations. I want to thank them for their support in my installation

I am determined to strengthen connections and engagement between the company and Tribal Nations and would like to thank and recognize the tribal leaders who are here today.

Ours is a tale that will be written first with a dedication to business excellence.

An organization that develops and grooms individuals the abilities they need to realize their potential throughout their lives in a constantly changing world, an organization that is prompt with business deals and delivers efficiently and proffer solutions.

Ours is a tale that will be authored by our devotion to research excellence.

I look forward to working with you all to take leaps when required, and gradual steps where necessary – but to guarantee that each step, whether huge or little, advances us forward.

That’s why I am thrilled with hope when I think about guiding this company to its vital new phase.

Although January 1st marked the beginning of a new chapter in our history, today marks the official launch of a new era. This event gives a time for meaningful reflection beginning with our proud history, showcasing our present, and imagining the wonderful future that we are going to create together.

At this moment, I would like to reflect briefly on my road to where we are today. I am always asked one popular question which is what are my visions and missions for this university?

The only way we will establish a wonderful reputation is to concentrate on teaching kids who will go out and make the world a better place. As we build our reputation to be a top-notch university, our values must serve as our north star to help us develop a deep-rooted tree with a solid trunk that is covered with blossoming branches. Ultimately our purpose is to serve the public good.

One of the most significant roles of a university president is to transform problems into administrative operations. Upholding this important commitment, I have sought the collective counsel of my predecessors. My goal as the new president is outstanding excellence by all our students, I want to convey my heartfelt appreciation to everyone here today.I am overjoyed by the presence of my mentors, past students, and friends.

Thank you to our pupils. We are here because of you. The future of our civilization depends on your enthusiasm and devotion. Whenever I interact with our kids, I come away feeling positive because I know we are in excellent hands.

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Trump lashes out at Harris and Biden, pledges there will be a peaceful transfer of power: 5 takeaways

WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump on Thursday lashed out at Vice President Kamala Harris , pledged there will be a peaceful transfer after the 2024 election and compared the crowd sizes of his supporters to those at Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech.

The former president also told reporters during a spot news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate that he wants to participate in three debates against Harris – before addressing issues ranging from Florida ballot measures to interest rates and the presidency.

Here are USA TODAY's top takeaways from Trump's remarks.

Attacking his new opponent

Trump, who has lost the lead he had on President Joe Biden in polls and is now in a dead heat with Harris, amped up attacks on his new opponent.

Trump targeted Biden and Harris' handling of the issues facing the nation, particularly the southern border. But his comments on Thursday were also personal, making false claims about the vice president's intelligence and race.

Harris is Black and Asian, and Trump in recent weeks has taken swipes at her racial identity. During an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists  Annual Convention, he said "I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black."

Trump repeatedly said he is leading in the 2024 election, but polls have told a different story since Biden ended his campaign and Harris replaced him as the Democratic pick.

As the former president conducted his news conference at Mar-a-Lago, the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls actually give Harris a slight lead over Trump., 47.6% to 47.1% (though that margin is well within the margins of error of those surveys.)

But Trump didn't only knock Democrats during his press conference. He also targeted fellow Republican and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp,

While the former president has long attacked Kemp for not supporting his specious 2020 election fraud allegations, Trump told reporters: "I've never understood it. When you get somebody elected, they're supposed to like you."

In a statement, the Harris campaign on Thursday described Trump’s news conference as “a public meltdown … He lied. He attacked the media. He made excuses for why he’s off the campaign trail.”

Pledging a a peaceful transfer

Trump on Thursday also criticized Biden for saying that the transfer of power after the 2024 election might turn violent if the ex-president loses the race to Harris.

"Of course there will be a peaceful transfer," Trump said. "I just hope we have honest elections." The former president has falsely said for years that fraud impacted the result of the 2020 presidential election, claims that were denied by courts across the country.

In an interview this week with CBS News, Biden said he is "not confident at all" in a peaceful transfer if Trump is defeated.

"He means what he says ... we don't take him seriously ... He means it; all the stuff about 'If we lose, there'll be a bloodbath, it'll have been a stolen (election)," Biden told CBS News. 

Trump earlier this year told a crowd of supporters in Ohio that "if I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath," while talking about the American auto industry and Chinese imports.

Voting on abortion and marijuana

Trump did not disclose how he plans to vote on a pair of Florida state referendums on sensitive social issues: Protecting abortion rights and loosening marijuana laws. The measures would legalize recreational marijuana in Florida and guarantee abortion access in the state .

"I don’t want to tell you now," Trump said when asked about the abortion vote. "But Florida does have a vote coming up on that and I think probably the vote will go in a little more liberal way than people thought."

Weighing in on interest rates

At one point, Trump also said presidents should have "some say" over interest rates and monetary policy, an idea sure to draw opposition from investors who do not believe that markets should be subject to political whims. The Federal Reserve is supposed to be politically independent as it sets interest rates and makes other key decisions.

“I feel that the president should have at least say in there, yeah, I feel that strongly,” Trump said, adding “I think I have a better instinct than, in many cases, people that would be on the Federal Reserve, or the chairman.”

Comparing crowd size to Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech

While attacking Harris, Trump downplayed the size of the crowds the vice president is drawing at campaign events, while exaggerating his own crowds. Trump's comments about the size his campaign rallies and other events date back to his 2017 inauguration.

At one point during his Thursday press conference, Trump said he has drawn crowds bigger than the one Martin Luther King, Jr., had during the 1963 civil rights march rally at the Lincoln Memorial as he delivered his now-famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

That event saw 250,000 people, and Trump's claim immediately drew rebukes from scholars like Pulitzer Prize-winning King biographer Jonathan Eig. The NAACP also immediately criticized Trump's comments.

On the social media site X, Eig said: "Um, Donald, please see me after class."

Election 2024 updates: Rep. Ilhan Omar projected to win primary

The squad member successfully fended off a challenger.

Vice President Kamala Harris is back in Washington and is preparing to roll out her economic plan on the road in North Carolina on Friday, which will mark her first major policy rollout since becoming the Democratic nominee. As Donald Trump looks for a campaign reset, he spoke with Elon Musk live on Tuesday and will deliver remarks on the economy in North Carolina on Wednesday.

Latest headlines:

• 11:01 PM EDT Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar wins primary
• 4:22 PM EDT Walz says he's 'damn proud' of military record, thanks Vance for his service
• 1:41 PM EDT Biden says he would attend Trump's inauguration if he were elected
• 10:54 AM EDT Walz to make his 1st solo campaign appearance
• 9:47 AM EDT Harris to roll out economic plan on Friday

Omar decries 'shameful' opponents in primary race

Following her Tuesday night primary victory, Rep. Ilhan Omar told supporters: “We run the politics of joy, because we know it is joyful to fight for your neighbors."

“We know it is joyful to want to live in a peaceful and equitable world,” she added, per ABC News' St. Paul affiliate KSTP.

Omar also had harsh words for her main primary opponent Don Samuels, though did not mention him by name. “I hope that they reflect in the shameful way they decided to divide our district and the incredible people we are grateful to represent,” she said of her challengers.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim, Brittany Shephard and Maci Smith

Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar wins primary

Rep. Ilhan Omar has won her Congressional primary in Minnesota, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.

Omar's win follows defeats by two of her fellow squad members in their primaries – Cori Bush from Missouri, and Jamaal Bowman of New York.

Omar had been expected to win in her district despite a challenge from former Minneapolis city council member Don Samuels.

Bush lost her primary earlier this month to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell. He was backed by more than $8 million from the pro-Israel United Democracy Project.

Bowman lost to Westchester County Executive George Latimer in June. Per AdImpact, the race was the most expensive House primary on record, with most of the funding coming from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) United Democracy Project PAC in support of Latimer. Latimer was recruited to run by AIPAC.

-ABC News' Tal Axelrod, Brittany Shephard and Oren Oppenheim

Walz says he's 'damn proud' of military record, thanks Vance for his service

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in his first solo campaign appearance, defended his military record and thanked his vice presidential opponent, Sen. JD Vance, for his service.

"I am damn proud of my service to this country," Walz said to applause at the AFSCME convention in California. "And I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person's service record. Anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: thank you for your service and sacrifice."

Vance has repeatedly criticized how Walz has talked about his military record, which included 24 years in the Army National Guard before he retired to run for Congress in 2005. Vance served as a combat correspondent for four years in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Read more about Vance's comments and Walz's background here .

Biden says he would attend Trump's inauguration if he were elected

President Joe Biden on Tuesday, as he was departing the White House, said he would go to Trump's inauguration in January if he were to win this year's election.

"I have good manners, not like him," Biden told reporters after being asked if he'd attend. Trump did not attend Biden's inauguration in 2021.

Biden also defended his calling Trump "a genuine danger to American security," a comment he made during his CBS News interview over the weekend. Asked whether that contradicted his calls to cool heated political rhetoric, Biden shot back: "That's just a statement. That's a factual statement."

-Fritz Farrow

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Trump compares his Jan. 6 crowd to the audience for MLK's 'I Have a Dream' speech

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump has long boasted about crowd sizes at his rallies, but on Thursday, he used an unexpected comparison in making the case that he is the biggest draw: Martin Luther King Jr.

“Nobody has spoken to crowds bigger than me,” Trump said at his news conference at Mar-a-Lago. “If you look at Martin Luther King, when he did his speech, his great speech, and you look at ours, same real estate, same everything, same number of people.”

Trump was responding to a question about whether he thought the end of his term could be considered a peaceful transfer of power, even though it was marked by the Jan. 6 insurrection.

As he has previously, Trump said the people who have been arrested as a result of the storming the Capitol have been treated unfairly. Then, unprompted, he compared his “Stop the Steal” rally before the protesters marched toward the Capitol to King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which was held on the National Mall.

Trump acknowledged that official estimates put his crowd size as smaller than King's, but he said he thought he had "more people."

“But when you look at the exact same picture and everything is the same — because it was the fountains, the whole thing all the way back to go from Lincoln to Washington — and you look at it, and you look at the picture of my crowd ... we actually had more people," he said.

The congressional Jan. 6 committee pegged Trump’s crowd at 53,000 people, about one-fifth of the 250,000 who were estimated to be at King’s famous address from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

The NAACP on Thursday posted photos from both days on X and said of Trump's crowd comparison: "Not only is that completely false, but here’s what is more important: MLK’s speech was about democracy. Trump’s was about tearing it down."

Trump advisers and supporters alike have urged him to focus on the record of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, rather than on her race, which he has explicitly done over the past week. That tendency to go off-message, like comparing himself to a civil rights icon, was again on full display Thursday during a wide-ranging hourlong press conference in which he said Harris has been “disrespectful” to Black and Indian American voters by identifying as both.

He again baselessly questioned whether Harris has always identified as Black, called her “barely competent” and attributed her surge in the polls to her gender. At the same time, Trump acknowledged that Harris’ presence at the top of the ticket might hurt him slightly with Black voters, a demographic his campaign has heavily focused on.

“It changes around a little bit. I’m getting other voters,” Trump said from the ornate living room of his Mar-a-Lago club. “Perhaps you know I was doing well with Black voters, and I still am. I seem to be doing very well with Black males.”

“It’s possible that I won’t do as well with Black women, but I do seem to do very well with other segments,” he added.

Trump was quick to focus on the race of Harris, who has a Black father and an Indian mother, when it became clear she was going to replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee. That dynamic was highlighted last week by his comments at an event hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists. At the event in Chicago, Trump baselessly suggested that Harris had started identifying as Black only because it was politically advantageous. Later that night at a rally in Pennsylvania, his campaign posted on the arena’s big screen a headline that called Harris the first “Indian American senator.”

Asked why Harris is doing better in most public polling than Biden, Trump said that she “represents certain groups of people” and that the bump can also be attributed, in part, to the fact that “she’s a woman.”

“I see her going way down in polls now that people are finding out that she destroyed San Francisco. She destroyed the state of California with Gov. Gavin Newscum,” Trump said, giving a pejorative nickname to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Harris’ campaign responded to the news conference in a news release with the headline “Donald Trump’s Very Good, Very Normal Press Conference.”

“Split screen: Joy and Freedom vs. Whatever the Hell That Was,” read the release.

The news conference came during a relatively quiet week for Trump, who is holding just one event in Montana — which is heavily Republican-leaning — and has found himself in the rare position of being overshadowed by Harris’ emergence.

“What a stupid question,” Trump said glibly when he was asked about his lighter schedule. “This [is] because I am leading by a lot.”

Trump went on to say that while he is holding fewer events ahead of the Democratic National Convention this month, his campaign is in heavy rotation with TV ads and he is meeting with the media publicly, unlike Harris .

“I’m doing tremendous amounts of taping here. We have commercials that are at a level I don't think that anybody has ever done before,” he said. “I see many of you in the room where I’m speaking to you on phones. I’m speaking to the radio. I’m speaking to televisions. Television is coming here.”

“Excuse me, what are we doing right now?” Trump added, referring to the news conference. “She is not doing any news conferences. ... She’s not smart enough to do a news conference.”

Trump’s advisers have emphasized the importance of contrasting his record with that of Harris, which they have routinely framed as outside the mainstream, criticizing even supporters who sometimes deviate from their desired message.

A senior Trump adviser said: “Sometimes our allies don’t do us any favors, clarifying the differences. So for us as a campaign, we have to make clear where each candidate stands on the issues that matter to the persuadable voters so they have the real information, and we have to spend money across all of the means necessary to do that.”

Asked whether Trump always helps himself by making those contracts clear in his messaging, the adviser dodged:

“I won’t comment on that.”

Jonathan Allen is a senior national politics reporter for NBC News.

Matt Dixon is a senior national politics reporter for NBC News, based in Florida.