MembersThe Power of Rhetoric

Speech-making is the most powerful tool in politics. A skillful orator can turn public opinion to his or her advantage. King Solomon was very aware of this when he wrote, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). A good speaker can capture and convince his listeners. He manages to plant the content of his speech in our memories. In the Bible, we find important speeches that make use of superb rhetoric. Moses, the greatest national leader of Israel, lacked a skillful tongue. He understood that he needed a skilled orator by his side in order to convince the people to leave Egypt and make the hard journey to the Promised Land. So, he chose his brother Aaron for the task.

In modern Israel, there is no one who understands this better than Benjamin Netanyahu. He is a master of rhetoric like no other. Even his rivals won’t hesitate to admit as much. Much of what makes Netanyahu so effective can be attributed to Lilyan Wilder, an American communications consultant with whom the Israeli leader took speaking...