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New Life For Oratory?

Jason Reed/Reuters

By Lawrence Delevingne

New Life For Oratory?

Those in the eloquence business are already trying to cash in on the President-elect. “In times of economic uncertainty…wouldn't it be great to have the speaking skills of Barack Obama?” That's from the Web site of PublicSpeakingSkills.com. Then there's The 7 Principles of Public Speaking, by RZC Impact President Richard Zeoli. It, too, is being pitched as a path to Obama-ness. “How much does his victory relate to his public speaking skills and how much of these skills can be taught?” asks the book's publicist. Public-speaking powerhouses Dale Carnegie and Toastmasters International, which aren't using Obama-related marketing, say they've had enrollment bumps, perhaps because of the election, perhaps because people are seeking an edge in a tight job market. But corporate-presentation trainer TJWALKER Media says customers are signing up specifically for insight into the new President's oratory powers. Next up for the company? Creating a new DVD, TJ Walker's Secret to Speaking Like Barack Obama.