Have you ever had to give a speech in front of more than 1,000 people, half of whom were sure to disagree with what you had to say? That’s what I had to do on Sunday, May 24, at the Libertarian National Convention in Denver, and it was pretty nerve-wracking. Oh, and I forgot to mention: the speech was being broadcast live, nationally, on C-SPAN. That had to at least double the audience.
I had come to Denver to support the candidacy of my hero, Dr. Mary Ruwart. She had converted me from liberalism to libertarianism four years earlier, and she was up against a machine in her quest to be the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee. Her competition for the nomination was former Republican congressman Bob Barr—who as a member of the “Religious Right” had helped author the Defense of Marriage Act but now said he’d had a “Libertarian Awakening.” I was skeptical, and I wanted to do anything I could to help Mary Ruwart defeat the Republican interloper. So when she asked me to give her nominating speech, I couldn’t say no—but I didn’t want to say yes.
Public speaking is said to outrank death as people’s most dreaded fear. Personally, I get nervous over the fear of getting nervous. What if I get overcome with fear and can’t speak? The thought that this might happen is what makes it more likely that it might—it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy if you let your natural fear get out of control. Everyone’s always nervous when they first step up to the lectern. So my advice is to do something to overcome those nerves as soon as possible, and nothing works better than inspiring a reaction from the audience.
“I’m here today because of Mary Ruwart,” my speech began. In this environment, just saying the candidate’s name elicited a small smattering of applause.
“And not just here in Denver—but here, philosophically, among libertarians—” I used this line to identify with the audience. I am one of them. Even the people on the other side felt a kinship with me at this point.
“—because of one person and one person only: Dr. Mary Ruwart.” At this point, the Ruwart half of the crowd erupted in cheers. I was home free. My slow pacing and pausing reeled in the audience, and now I could move a little faster. They were listening. And thus, I was no longer nervous.
I went on to give a great speech, or so I am told. I rallied at the end, making sure to have a strong finish, by telling the story of a woman who had been moved to tears by the inspiring words of my candidate. “She is a life changer,” I said of Dr. Ruwart. “She changed my life. And if we make her our nominee…” I paused before quickening my pace, “then she will build this party by continuing the Ron Paul Revolution and converting people from all over the ideological spectrum to libertarianism, real libertarianism; accept no substitute, nominate Mary Ruwart!” The crowd erupted into cheers. Later, I ran into the WWE wrestler Kane, a libertarian and Mary Ruwart supporter, who gave me a big thumbs up. What a feeling!
And just think: only a few years earlier, I had been afraid to read aloud in class. I was so nervous about becoming nervous that I was literally paralyzed. But as with any fear, I decided the best way to overcome mine was to face it head on, and I did so when I ran for public office in 2004. Four years later, I was a bit rusty, but I used these same techniques to deliver a well-received speech on national TV. If you too are intimidated by public speaking, I suggest you give my techniques a try.
Read J.D.’s related article on the Libertarian National Convention here.
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