Here's the Top 5 Orators Among US Presidents

I watched former president Barack Obama give a speech in Ohio yesterday where he was promoting Sherrod Brown for a senate seat, and Amy Acton for governor.

Waves of nostalgia washed over me as I recalled Obama's presidency and the many magnificent speeches he gave. It got me to thinking about who are the best orators among American presidents? I decided to go with the top five.

While rankings of historical orators can vary by perspective, historical consensus among biographers and presidential scholars consistently points to these five American presidents as the finest speakers in the nation's history:

1. Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as America's greatest presidential orator for his ability to distill complex, monumental national crises into brief, poetic, and profoundly moving language.

Key Speeches: The Gettysburg Address (1863) was a 272-word masterpiece that redefined the American democratic ideal.

The Second Inaugural Address (1865) which was a moral reflection on the Civil War, calling for5 "malice toward none" and "charity for all."

2. Ronald Reagan who earned the moniker the "Great Communicator" excelled at using television to connect directly with the American public. His style was warm, optimistic, conversational, and story-telling-driven, making complex political ideologies accessible to the average citizens.

Key Speeches: "A Time for Choosing" in 1964 that launched his national political career. Berlin Wall Speech (1987) His direct challenge to the Soviet leader: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!"

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the power of intimacy in mass media. He revolutionized political communication through his radio broadcasts, projecting a calm, reassuring authority that guided the nation through its two deepest 20th-century crises: the Great Depression and World War II.

Key Speeches: First Inaugural Address (1933): He reassured a panicked nation with the line, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Pearl Harbor Address (1941) He rallied the nation into war by declaring December 7 "a date which will live in infamy."

4. Barack Obama achieved national prominence largely due to his rhetorical gifts. His oratorical style blended the cadence of traditional Black church sermons with professorial prose, focusing heavily on themes of hope, and national unity.

Key Speeches: Democratic Convention Keynote (2004) was his breakout speech that introduced him to the world. "A More Perfect Union" (2008) a sophisticated, widely praised address on race in America. Selma 50th Anniversary Speech (2015) a powerful exploration of American identity and the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.

5. John F. Kennedy brought a youthful, energetic, and highly articulate style to the presidency. Key Speeches: Inaugural Address (1961) challenged citizens with his most famous line: "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." "We Choose to go to the Moon" (1962): This speech galvanized support for the Apollo space program.

I bet you knew Trump wasn't going to be included in this list; despite the fact he always claims to be the best speaker in American history.

As it Stands, I feel lucky to be able to listen to Obama, one of the five greatest orators this country has ever produced.

Give Trump Credit - He Knows How Stupid His Base Is

After yesterday's Trump rally in Iowa, I have to hand it to Trump...regardless of the consequences from starting an illegal war to crippling tariffs his base still adores him.

It remains me of a domestic situation where one spouse is mistreating the other and the other accepts the cruelty just to be next to their lover.

After the rally reporters from several organizations asked attendees about being concerned about the high prices caused by Trump's illegal war.

One attendee, a Nebraska voter, replied, "I'm sure people don't like high gasoline prices, but I look at it, as soon as we get this war over with, it will be worth it."

Another voter said he was more concerned about issues affecting children than about rising prices.

"I'm not worried about the high prices at this point. I'm more worried about how our kids are getting mishandled in schools," said an Iowa voter, identified only as Corey.

Trump's loyal supporters will tolerate high prices if it stops them from admitting Trump broke a major campaign promise. 

Studies have shown this loyalty is driven by a complex mix of psychological mechanisms, differing definitions of "truth," and deep-seated political identities. 

Then you throw in the fact that MAGA is a cult and Trump is their king. The faithful perceive Trump as highly honest because he excels at "belief-speaking." When he makes an exaggerated or factually inaccurate statement, supporters frequently view it not as a lie, but an authentic expression of a deeper truth they already believe.

It helps to take into account that Trump's base lives in an "alternative reality bubble." Within this space, mainstream fact-checkers and traditional news institutions are dismissed as biased or "fake news."

Trump is always asking for, and getting money, from his base. He utilizes continuous, high urgency email and text message campaigns that rely on polarizing language to solicit recurring financial donations year-round.

By leveraging his brand Trump soaks his base through commercial products, ranging from standard campaign merchandise (like "MAGA" hats) to branded bibles, digital trading cards (NFTs), sneakers, and promotional access on platforms like Truth Social.  

As it Stands, because Trump is a malicious narcissist he doesn't love anyone but himself. His clueless base believes he loves them. Trump just grins and keeps taking advantage of their stupidity.

Fantasy Headlines Give People False Hope

As a retired newspaper editor and publisher, I've had some experience with writing and editing headlines.

Writing a great headline is a balance of psychology, grammar, and strategy. Because a headline has one primary job - getting the reader to engage with the next line - successful writers treat headline creation as a distinct skill.

In this age of social media headlines on YouTube videos and in written publications clickbait often overwhelms legitimate headlines to the point where readers can be lured into watching bullshit videos and reading articles.

Typical clickbait is sensational, exaggerated, or misleading titles, or text previews designed to grab your attention and trick you into clicking, watching, or sharing a link. The one's that I find to be really irksome are what I call, Fantasy Headlines.

Here's some recent examples:

From YouTube videos;

 "Musk is F*cked." I suspect this is one that would be popular worldwide. At first glance you assume Musk is in trouble. However, when you view the story, you find out that Musk told advertisers to go f*ck themselves.

"MAGA Violence." Readers are hoping to see MAGA unravel from within but are going to be deeply disappointed with this video.

"Trump Can't Handle it!" High hopes here that Trump poops his diaper when confronted by hecklers at rallies.

"Trump Can't Run from It." At last Trump is trapped by his own corruption and justice prevails. Democracy is saved. Sorry. You're being teased.

From written sources;

The Progressive - "The Christian Supremacist Network is involved in Brazil's Election." This headline shouts out the nefarious Christian Supremacist followers have been caught red-handed in getting involved with another country's elections. But the only one caught is the reader who thinks there will be repercussions for their involvement.

The Daily Kos - "Senators cross aisle to mitigate harms of Trump's pro-AI world." The reader is sure some bipartisan action will happen to save the day, but when they actually read the article it's just another false hope thinking spineless Republicans will stand up to their master Trump.

Common Dreams - "Israeli Settler Attack on Post Photographer Must Force a Reckoning in Washington." I agree, but the likelihood of any kind of action by Congress is zero. It's a fantasy for now. Maybe when the Democrats retake congress such a reckoning could happen.

My plea to headline writers today is to take the TACT Test before publishing your headline.

* Taste: Is it appropriate and respectful?

* Attractiveness: Is it compelling enough to grab attention?

* Clarity: Is it completely unambiguous?

* Truth: Is it 100% accurate to the story?

As it Stands, I wonder how many headline writers today could pass the TACT Test?

Big Break in Epstein's Sex Trafficking Operation: Charges Filed!

Finally.

Two people are being charged in the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal. It's the first time actual legal action has been taken since the messy scandal surfaced years ago.

This story broke today;

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez filed a federal lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein's longtime personal attorney, Darren Indyke, and accountant, Richard Kahn.

The civil complaint accuses them of intentionally concealing Epstein's sex traffic operation at his Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe and profiting millions from the illicit enterprise. Both men are currently serving as executors or beneficiaries of the estate, which is valued at over $100 million.

The New Mexico Department of Justice alleges that both men were fully aware of the sexual abuse of girls and young women at the ranch. The state claims they actively helped hide the trafficking network and used financial mechanisms to sustain it.

I expect more charges will be leveled in the ongoing investigation. For instance, both men previously testified before a congressional committee, maintaining under oath that they had no knowledge of Epstein's abuse. If investigators are successful in proving they did have knowledge of what was happening at the Zorro Ranch, they're going to get hit with lying under oath to congress.

Attorney General Torrez stated that the resources currently held by the estate "rightfully belong in the hands of the survivors."

This is what the state is seeking:

* Freeze Estate Payments: Block Indyke and Kahn from accepting any further compensation or payments from Epstein's estate during litigation.

* Racketeering Declaration: Officially declare that both men engaged in racketeering and trafficking activities under state and federal laws.

* Financial Divestment: Force them to divest all Epstein-related interests and restrict them from future related investment activities.

* Restitution: Award compensatory damages, punitive damages, and full financial disgorgement to provide restitution to Epstein's survivors.

This is just a start.

Lawmakers in Congress will read about these stunning charges and see what links they have to their current investigation into the Epstein files.

As it Stands, some may call these charges a convenient October Surprise before the midterms. I call these new revelations and developments the tip of the iceberg.

What Would It Be Like to Live Fact Free?

Imagine living a fact free life.

For starters you have to be shameless. 

A small price to pay for rejecting reality in order to be right all the time when you think about it.

The art of being shameless is a modern psychological and entrepreneurial concept centered on freeing yourself from the paralyzing fear of social judgement when you're caught lying, in failure, and a shield against reality.

Being shameless gives you permission to believe what you want regardless of if it's true or not. The next step is finding like-minded individuals who've formed a cultural cult like MAGA. 

Shame is not physically stored as an object in organs and muscles. Instead, it is experienced as an embodied nervous system and stress responses, according to researchers. 

In order to belong in MAGA or other far-right groups where shamelessness is a virtue, a person has to learn how to suppress outward signs of shame. They have to be careful not to blush, to resist looking down, and stop avoiding eye-contact.

Living fact free means never feeling guilty for your actions no matter how toxic they are. Trump's most dedicated supporters gladly share an alternative reality with him. The key is suspending truth, and glorifying lies with no moral qualms.

As a fact-free follower you can blame former president Joe Biden for everything that's going wrong during Trump's second term. You believe that we're currently living in a "golden age" as Trump calls it and not experiencing economic woes and a never-ending illegal war.

In psychology, sociology, and political science, the phenomenon of people who seem to live "fact free" means they persistently hold beliefs that directly contradict verifiable evidence. 

Experts also note that people heavily prioritize social belonging and identity over factual accuracy.

It's amazing to me that in the 21st century a third of Americans (estimated MAGA supporters) are science deniers and willfully live in a bubble of ignorance and are proud of it.

As it Stands, if you want to know what it would be like to live fact free join MAGA or some other far-right group.

The DOJ and DHS are Disrupting States Voting Systems with Fraudulent Claims

You're more likely to be hit by lightning or ran down by a killer tortoise than to discover a massive non-citizen-voter scandal that actually effected an election in United States history.

Historical data from federal databases, academic studies, and state audits show that illegal voting by non-citizens in U.S. elections is exceedingly rare and statistically insignificant.

So why is the DOJ and DHS pushing the false narrative of massive illegal voting by non-citizens this election?

It doesn't take a "stable genius" to answer that question. Trump is intent on rigging the midterms to save his ass from being impeached by a newly elected Democratic Congress.

On Monday October the DOJ said it has charged 113 people in 20 states with illegal voting and illegal registration offenses over the last several weeks.

Isn't that interesting? A 2026 data analysis conducted by Reuters of federal court records found over a 30-year span (since the 1996 law was passed against illegal voters), only 129 individuals have been criminally prosecuted nationwide under the federal "voting by aliens" statute.

Investigative reviews show that in none of these cases did federal prosecutors allege a coordinated conspiracy or effort to alter election results despite Trump's desperate and lying narrative.

Instead, the vast majority involved legal permanent residents (green card holders) who registered or voted by mistake due to confusing paperwork or administrative errors.

Trump's DOJ shattered that record count in just several weeks. Pretty impressive if you believe it. I've got some statistics from the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation (the same people who came up with Project 25) that might surprise you.

The foundation's own Voter Fraud Database - which aggregates election abnormalities over decades - contained entries for 99 non-citizens found to have voted across all U.S. elections as of February 2026. In another cross-section of their data looking at 2000 to 2025, they identified 71 criminal convictions nationwide.

It's important to understand that the appearance of non-citizens on voter rolls is frequently tied to administration flaws rather than fraud. The numbers are statistically negligible and far too small to impact the outcome of elections.

According to CBS News, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division has filed 31 lawsuits across the country to force states to hand over voter rolls for screening; the DOJ has lost 26 of those cases and has not secured a single definitive victory to date.

I'm concerned that Trump will try declaring martial law at the last moment and somehow decertify Democratic and Independent voters picks. I wouldn't be surprised if he attempts too.

As it Stands, each effort to rig these midterms by Trump has been more egregious than the last. 

The Richest Man in the World Owns the United States of America

When the Republican party re-installed Trump into The White House they got more than they bargained for. They hired a shadow dictator that binges on ketamine and is world-class racist.

Elon Musk is the modern-day equivalent of the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz story. But he's no fairy tale Wizard. He's more like malevolent entity that wields powers no other man on earth processes today.

It's well-documented that he's heavily influenced elections in America by pouring millions into MAGA politicians' pockets and even overtly bribing voters (as he did in the 2024 election) with promises of money if they voted for Republicans.

Once again Musk has poured millions into the upcoming midterms to protect MAGA candidates. According to federal election files and reports Musk has contributed about $366 million thus far in the 2026 election. He's easily been MAGA's biggest donor of the cycle.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who is running for a senate seat, got a fat infusion of $168 million from Musk.

Musk owns Trump. His Starlink satellite system is stretched worldwide, and he maintains control of it by making deals with Trump's regime and other countries. 

Musk hates democracies. He especially hates the Ukraine and has been actively undermining the country's defenses for years. 

For example, a few days ago, Trump arbitrarily shut down the Musk's Starshield system for 24 hours over Ukraine that provided valuable intelligence on Russian drones and missel attacks. Numerous news stories have linked Musk to the outage who reportedly gave Trump the idea.

I suspect that Musk became a U.S. citizen in 2002 in order to get more embedded in American politics to gain the influence he now enjoys with the Trump regime. 

Who can forget Musk's DOGE team that plundered government entities like a pirate on a looting binge? Trump gave him carte blanche to pillage departments like the IRS and other government agencies.

One thing about Musk no one should lose sight of is that he's not loyal to anyone including his 14 children across four different women. He's easily as vindictive as Trump. There's been numerous times when he prodded Trump just to let him know who the real boss was.

In the Starshield scandal reporters questioned Musk about his involvement and he told them he doesn't control the system over Ukraine. "It's a U.S. government contract and Trump does" he told reporters.

It was just a sly jab to keep Donnie on his swollen toes. In his sharpest and most controversial jab, Musk suggested that Trump's name appeared in unreleased files regarding Jeffrey Epstein, claiming on X, "The realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the reason they have not been made public."

Somehow despite the smack downs Trump continues to work with Musk because he needs him and fears him at the same time. No one else mocked Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" more than Musk who called it a "disgusting abomination" that would saddle American citizens with "crushing unsustainable debt."

As it Stands, when it comes to being a malicious narcissist Musk has schooled Trump in the dark arts of self-aggrandization, extortion, retribution politics, and racism. 

A Look at Trump's Enablers: Will They Face Justice Some Day?

I'll start off with the obvious.

There's a core group of Trump enablers who are crazy cult members. They call themselves MAGA and are ready to sacrifice their lives for dear leader.

In a widely cited report published by Politico, former political operative Tim Miller categorized Trump's enablers into four distinct functional groups:

1. The Cartel Cashers. They are opportunists and business leaders motivated strictly by profit, tax cuts, and deregulation.

2. The Strivers. Career climbers and political operatives who utilize proximity to Trump to elevate their status.

3. The Messiahs. Insiders who justify working for Trump by convincing themselves they are the "only ones" preventing a worse disaster.

4. The Tribalists Trolls. Partisan figures motivated primarily by cultural grievance and "owning the left" online.

Per PBS News there are 11 key enablers in Trump's orbit. 

They are Susie Wiles (his chief of staff); Lara Trump (she's Eric Trumps wife); Dana White (president of the Ultimate Fighting Championships and Trump's longtime buddy); Linda McMahon (longtime pal who is one of Trump's most generous benefactors); Howard Lutnick (Trump's Secretary of Commerce); Boris Epshteyn (lawyer and longtime advisor); Stephen Miller (Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security advisor); Richard Grenell (who serves as Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions; and last, but not least, Elon Musk the richest man in the world who is the head of car maker Tesla and rocket company SpaceX. 

Just to make it an even dozen I'm adding J.D. Vance who gleefully lies for Trump while making a mockery of the vice presidency.

Democratic leadership has explicitly accused top personnel at the Department of Justice of "weaponizing" their offices to target Trump's political enemies. If Democrats regain committee gavels here's four of the primary figures to face intense scrutiny and potential legal exposure:

1. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth,

2. Former Attorney General, Pam Bondi,

3. Attorney General, Todd Blanche,

4. and FBI Director, Kash Patel.

The investigations won't stop there. Trump's sons and business partners are expected to be subpoenaed over their roles in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture founded in 2024.

High-profile enablers have publicly acknowledged their own legal risks if Congress goes blue.

As it Stands, when the Democrats control Congress, it's going to set up years of reckoning for Trump's enablers.

Trump is a Traitor and He's Not Even Bothering to Hide the Fact

Treason; is about aiding and abetting the enemy.

Trump did just that when he limited Ukraine's military-grade Starlink system, known as Starshield this week.

Multiple U.S. and Western officials confirmed that the directive to throttle the service came from inside the White House, instructing the Department of Defense to limit the capabilities of the satellite network used heavily for Ukrainian front-line communication and drone operations.

Starshield is funded by the U.S. government and falls under U.S. military and executive control. In other words, Trump proved he was Putin's lackey by crippling our ally's defense against Russian drones and missiles. 

The restrictions coincideded with public tension between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy when Trump ordered Zelenskyy not to target Russian oil refineries because he blames the attacks for rising U.S. energy prices.  

Trump had announced a partial ceasefire - covering energy infrastructure in both countries - but Russia ignored it and continued to attack Ukraine. Not surprisingly Zelenskyy retaliated which was the straw that broke the camel's back. The White House claimed that Trump had nothing to do with the whole nasty affair despite his public threats against our ally.

Because Ukraine didn't get early warnings from the Starshield system six people were killed. A Ukrainian source said the restriction gave the Russians "real leverage on the frontline" That was a plan that only a traitor would come up with. Just like suspending sanctions on Russia so they can sell their oil to the U.S. and the rest of the world.

How did our ally Ukraine become an enemy when Russia invaded them? It was a slow process of pandering to Putin that began in 2016 (when Trump asked Putin to find dirt on Hillary Clinton) and continued until 2026 when Trump rolled out the red carpet for the Russian dictator in Alaska.

Along the way Trump has graduated from being a Putin admirer to his lap dog. Republicans in congress have gone along with Trump's outright admiration for the Russian strongman because they have no spines.

In less than two years, Ukraine has gone from "You don't have the cards" to "Don't play your cards" the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told reporters this week.

For years we've watched Trump praise Putin at every opportunity and even going as far to publicly state he didn't trust American intelligence services reports about Putin. The evidence of Trump's treasonous behavior has been accumulating over his two terms.

To put a cap on his devious dealings Trump is planning to have an alternate White House at Mar-a-Lago when his term expires. He's going to play president until he physically is unable to. Putin will still give him marching orders as long as he's a useful idiot for Russia.

As it Stands, America's only hope for preserving our freedoms and republic is that the Democrats win both the House and the Senate in the midterms. They will, at least, slow down our treasonous president's efforts to sell out the nation.

The Trump Take of 'Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72'

The famous Gonzo journalist Hunter S, Thompson once wrote about how crazy political campaigns are in his book Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72. However, not even Thompson could foresee how crazy the 2026 midterms election would be.

As Trump hit the campaign trail for the midterms, factcheckers and political commentators highlighted a series of highly unconventional, mathematically impossible, and demonstrably false claims made during his rallies and convention speeches.

Here's the top seven examples of Trump's rants at rallies:

1. At his mid-October rallies, Trump drew widespread condemnation - even from California Republicans like congressional candidate Jim Desmond - after claiming that Iran is planning to launch a nuclear attack on Los Angeles and San Diego.

2. In an act of supreme self-flattery, Trump asserted during a speech that European leaders respect him so much that they have nicknamed him the "President of Europe."

3. During closing arguments on the campaign trail, Trump boasted that drug prices in the United States were being cut by up to 1500%. (!)

4. Trump repeatedly claimed at his Nebraska rally and Republican Convention speech that his administration generated $20 trillion in new foreign investment. Not even close.

5. Steering away from policy into cultural grievances, Trump launched a bizarre defense of plastic straws, arguing fiercely against their paper alternatives. He claimed the paper straws "explode" while people are trying to drink out of them.

6. With consumer polls showing that 59% of voters feel inflation is the country's top economic issue (a report today said the U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 3.7 annually in September. It increased by 2.6% year-over-year.), Trump claimed that "everybody's costs are plummeting, thanks to him." 

7. Finally, we have Trump's old standby - massive crowd fabrication. Facing visual evidence of empty arenas in deep-red states like Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Alabama, Trump repeatedly claimed that thousands of people were being turned away because his venues were completely full.

As it Stands, Trump's antics prove that the real deal is stranger than any fictional political campaign.

It's Never Been Easier for Foreigners to Influence an American President

It started out as "pump and dump" scam when the Trump family launched a crypto company in 2024 and has since become an open invitation to foreign actors seeking influence from the White House.

Enter the $TRUMP meme coin. Trump has made at least $635 million in royalties last year from the $TRUMP token according to his financial disclosure.

The devil is in the details however as the coin's market value has dropped more than 95% since its peak in January 2025. That rapid decline in value doesn't seem to bother the majority of shareholders who appear to be content with the opportunity to rub shoulders with the greatest con man in the world.

With all of the major challenges facing the American economy and an illegal war Trump thought it would be a good time to prop up his cash cow by holding an awards dinner for the top shareholders that happily pour millions into his personal coffers on Nov. 22 at the Trump National Golf Club outside Washington, DC.

This gala is the second time in two years Trump gathered shareholders to butter them up and re-assure them he's got their backs in the lucrative illegal enterprise of selling influence.

More than half of the top shareholders listed as competing for seats at Trump's meme coin dinner have used cryptocurrency exchanges that prohibit U.S. customers, indicating that many of the buyers are based overseas, according to a recent CBS News analysis.

The users that transacted on the exchanges that bar U.S. customers account for nearly $6.8 million of the more than $15 million in value reflected on the coin leaderboard as of Oct. 14.

"Foreign actors used to need a back door to try to influence a president," said Zach Everson, a researcher for the progressive consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen. "Trump is holding the front door open and inviting them in for a steak dinner," he added.

The Trump Organization won't even talk with the media about the donor dinner and White House officials gaslighted news outlets by claiming that the Trump administration only acts in the "best interest of the American people."

The odd thing is the same lying official added the event is "a private event," not a government function, and "there is no promise of official government action in exchange for attending."

Yeah. Right.

How is this brazen display of corruption in the best interest of the American people? Common sense and experience tell us the Trump regime is gaming the government and getting richer by the day.

As it Stands, watching Trump destroy the American economy and encouraging foreigners to pay fealty to him, is a national nightmare that has to end if we're going to have a republic.