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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

What’s covered:, how to pick an awesome persuasive speech topic, 112 engaging persuasive speech topics, tips for preparing your persuasive speech.

Writing a stellar persuasive speech requires a carefully crafted argument that will resonate with your audience to sway them to your side. This feat can be challenging to accomplish, but an engaging, thought-provoking speech topic is an excellent place to start.

When it comes time to select a topic for your persuasive speech, you may feel overwhelmed by all the options to choose from—or your brain may be drawing a completely blank slate. If you’re having trouble thinking of the perfect topic, don’t worry. We’re here to help!

In this post, we’re sharing how to choose the perfect persuasive speech topic and tips to prepare for your speech. Plus, you’ll find 112 persuasive speech topics that you can take directly from us or use as creative inspiration for your own ideas!

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

It’s much easier to write, research, and deliver a speech about a cause you care about. Even if it’s challenging to find a topic that completely sparks your interest, try to choose a topic that aligns with your passions.

However, keep in mind that not everyone has the same interests as you. Try to choose a general topic to grab the attention of the majority of your audience, but one that’s specific enough to keep them engaged.

For example, suppose you’re giving a persuasive speech about book censorship. In that case, it’s probably too niche to talk about why “To Kill a Mockingbird” shouldn’t be censored (even if it’s your favorite book), and it’s too broad to talk about media censorship in general.

Steer Clear of Cliches

Have you already heard a persuasive speech topic presented dozens of times? If so, it’s probably not an excellent choice for your speech—even if it’s an issue you’re incredibly passionate about.

Although polarizing topics like abortion and climate control are important to discuss, they aren’t great persuasive speech topics. Most people have already formed an opinion on these topics, which will either cause them to tune out or have a negative impression of your speech.

Instead, choose topics that are fresh, unique, and new. If your audience has never heard your idea presented before, they will be more open to your argument and engaged in your speech.

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

For a persuasive speech to be engaging, there must be a clear side of opposition. To help determine the arguability of your topic, ask yourself: “If I presented my viewpoint on this topic to a group of peers, would someone disagree with me?” If the answer is yes, then you’ve chosen a great topic!

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what it takes to choose a great persuasive speech topic, here are over one hundred options for you to choose from.

• Should high school athletes get tested for steroids?
• Should schools be required to have physical education courses?
• Should sports grades in school depend on things like athletic ability?
• What sport should be added to or removed from the Olympics?
• Should college athletes be able to make money off of their merchandise?
• Should sports teams be able to recruit young athletes without a college degree?
• Should we consider video gamers as professional athletes?
• Is cheerleading considered a sport?
• Should parents allow their kids to play contact sports?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as professional male athletes?
• Should college be free at the undergraduate level?
• Is the traditional college experience obsolete?
• Should you choose a major based on your interests or your potential salary?
• Should high school students have to meet a required number of service hours before graduating?
• Should teachers earn more or less based on how their students perform on standardized tests?
• Are private high schools more effective than public high schools?
• Should there be a minimum number of attendance days required to graduate?
• Are GPAs harmful or helpful?
• Should schools be required to teach about standardized testing?
• Should Greek Life be banned in the United States?
• Should schools offer science classes explicitly about mental health?
• Should students be able to bring their cell phones to school?
• Should all public restrooms be all-gender?
• Should undocumented immigrants have the same employment and education opportunities as citizens?
• Should everyone be paid a living wage regardless of their employment status?
• Should supremacist groups be able to hold public events?
• Should guns be allowed in public places?
• Should the national drinking age be lowered?
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
• Should the government raise or lower the retirement age?
• Should the government be able to control the population?
• Is the death penalty ethical?

Environment

• Should stores charge customers for plastic bags?
• Should breeding animals (dogs, cats, etc.) be illegal?
• Is it okay to have exotic animals as pets?
• Should people be fined for not recycling?
• Should compost bins become mandatory for restaurants?
• Should electric vehicles have their own transportation infrastructure?
• Would heavier fining policies reduce corporations’ emissions?
• Should hunting be encouraged or illegal?
• Should reusable diapers replace disposable diapers?

Science & Technology

• Is paper media more reliable than digital news sources?
• Should automated/self-driving cars be legalized?
• Should schools be required to provide laptops to all students?
• Should software companies be able to have pre-downloaded programs and applications on devices?
• Should drones be allowed in military warfare?
• Should scientists invest more or less money into cancer research?
• Should cloning be illegal?
• Should societies colonize other planets?
• Should there be legal oversight over the development of technology?

Social Media

• Should there be an age limit on social media?
• Should cyberbullying have the same repercussions as in-person bullying?
• Are online relationships as valuable as in-person relationships?
• Does “cancel culture” have a positive or negative impact on societies?
• Are social media platforms reliable information or news sources?
• Should social media be censored?
• Does social media create an unrealistic standard of beauty?
• Is regular social media usage damaging to real-life interactions?
• Is social media distorting democracy?
• How many branches of government should there be?
• Who is the best/worst president of all time?
• How long should judges serve in the U.S. Supreme Court?
• Should a more significant portion of the U.S. budget be contributed towards education?
• Should the government invest in rapid transcontinental transportation infrastructure?
• Should airport screening be more or less stringent?
• Should the electoral college be dismantled?
• Should the U.S. have open borders?
• Should the government spend more or less money on space exploration?
• Should students sing Christmas carols, say the pledge of allegiance, or perform other tangentially religious activities?
• Should nuns and priests become genderless roles?
• Should schools and other public buildings have prayer rooms?
• Should animal sacrifice be legal if it occurs in a religious context?
• Should countries be allowed to impose a national religion on their citizens?
• Should the church be separated from the state?
• Does freedom of religion positively or negatively affect societies?

Parenting & Family

• Is it better to have children at a younger or older age?
• Is it better for children to go to daycare or stay home with their parents?
• Does birth order affect personality?
• Should parents or the school system teach their kids about sex?
• Are family traditions important?
• Should parents smoke or drink around young children?
• Should “spanking” children be illegal?
• Should parents use swear words in front of their children?
• Should parents allow their children to play violent video games?

Entertainment

• Should all actors be paid the same regardless of gender or ethnicity?
• Should all award shows be based on popular vote?
• Who should be responsible for paying taxes on prize money, the game show staff or the contestants?
• Should movies and television shows have ethnicity and gender quotas?
• Should newspapers and magazines move to a completely online format?
• Should streaming services like Netflix and Hulu be free for students?
• Is the movie rating system still effective?
• Should celebrities have more privacy rights?

Arts & Humanities

• Are libraries becoming obsolete?
• Should all schools have mandatory art or music courses in their curriculum?
• Should offensive language be censored from classic literary works?
• Is it ethical for museums to keep indigenous artifacts?
• Should digital designs be considered an art form? 
• Should abstract art be considered an art form?
• Is music therapy effective?
• Should tattoos be regarded as “professional dress” for work?
• Should schools place greater emphasis on the arts programs?
• Should euthanasia be allowed in hospitals and other clinical settings?
• Should the government support and implement universal healthcare?
• Would obesity rates lower if the government intervened to make healthy foods more affordable?
• Should teenagers be given access to birth control pills without parental consent?
• Should food allergies be considered a disease?
• Should health insurance cover homeopathic medicine?
• Is using painkillers healthy?
• Should genetically modified foods be banned?
• Should there be a tax on unhealthy foods?
• Should tobacco products be banned from the country?
• Should the birth control pill be free for everyone?

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can  use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original persuasive speech ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

Do Your Research

A great persuasive speech is supported with plenty of well-researched facts and evidence. So before you begin the writing process, research both sides of the topic you’re presenting in-depth to gain a well-rounded perspective of the topic.

Understand Your Audience

It’s critical to understand your audience to deliver a great persuasive speech. After all, you are trying to convince them that your viewpoint is correct. Before writing your speech, consider the facts and information that your audience may already know, and think about the beliefs and concerns they may have about your topic. Then, address these concerns in your speech, and be mindful to include fresh, new information.

Have Someone Read Your Speech

Once you have finished writing your speech, have someone read it to check for areas of strength and improvement. You can use CollegeVine’s free essay review tool to get feedback on your speech from a peer!

Practice Makes Perfect

After completing your final draft, the key to success is to practice. Present your speech out loud in front of a mirror, your family, friends, and basically, anyone who will listen. Not only will the feedback of others help you to make your speech better, but you’ll become more confident in your presentation skills and may even be able to commit your speech to memory.

Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you to write a powerful, unique persuasive speech. With the perfect topic, plenty of practice, and a boost of self-confidence, we know you’ll impress your audience with a remarkable speech!

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105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project

General Education

Are you struggling to find good persuasive speech topics? It can be hard to find a topic that interests both you and your audience, but in this guide we've done the hard work and created a list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. They're organized into ten categories and cover a variety of topics, so you're sure to find one that interests you.

In addition to our list, we also go over which factors make good persuasive speech topics and three tips you should follow when researching and writing your persuasive speech.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

What makes certain persuasive speech topics better than others? There are numerous reasons, but in this section we discuss three of the most important factors of great topics for a persuasive speech.

It's Something You Know About or Are Interested in Learning About

The most important factor in choosing and creating a great persuasive speech is picking a topic you care about and are interested in. You'll need to do a lot of research on this topic, and if it's something you like learning about, that'll make the process much easier and more enjoyable. It'll also help you sound passionate and informed when you talk, both important factors in giving an excellent persuasive speech.

It's a Topic People Care About

In fourth grade, after being told I could give a persuasive speech on any topic I wanted to , I chose to discuss why the Saguaro cactus should be the United State's national plant. Even though I gave an impassioned talk and drew a life-size Saguaro cactus on butcher paper to hang behind me, I doubt anyone enjoyed the speech much.

I'd recently returned from a family vacation to Arizona where I'd seen Saguaro cacti for the first time and decided they were the coolest thing ever. However, most people don't care that much about Saguaro cacti, and most people don't care what our national plant is or if we even have one (for the record, the US has a national flower, and it's the rose).

Spare yourself the smattering of bored applause my nine-old self got at the end of my speech and choose something you think people will be interested in hearing about. This also ties into knowing your audience, which we discuss more in the final section.

It Isn't Overdone

When I was in high school, nearly every persuasive speech my classmates and I were assigned was the exact same topic: should the drinking age be lowered to 18? I got this prompt in English class, on standardized tests, in speech and debate class, etc. I've written and presented about it so often I could probably still rattle off all the main points of my old speeches word-for-word.

You can imagine that everyone's eyes glazed over whenever classmates gave their speeches on this topic. We'd heard about it so many times that, even if it was a topic we cared about, speeches on it just didn't interest us anymore.

The are many potential topics for a persuasive speech. Be wary of choosing one that's cliche or overdone. Even if you give a great speech, it'll be harder to keep your audience interested if they feel like they already know what you're going to say.

An exception to this rule is that if you feel you have a new viewpoint or facts about the topic that currently aren't common knowledge. Including them can make an overdone topic interesting. If you do this, be sure to make it clear early on in your speech that you have unique info or opinions on the topic so your audience knows to expect something new.

105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

Here's our list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. We made sure to choose topics that aren't overdone, yet that many people will have an interest in, and we also made a point of choosing topics with multiple viewpoints rather than simplistic topics that have a more obvious right answer (i.e. Is bullying bad?). The topics are organized into ten categories.

Arts/Culture

• Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
• Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
• Should all national museums be free to citizens?
• Should graffiti be considered art?
• Should offensive language be removed from works of classic literature?
• Are paper books better than e-books?
• Should all interns be paid for their work?
• Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work?
• Will Brexit hurt or help the UK's economy?
• Should all people over the age of 65 be able to ride the bus for free?
• Should the federal minimum wage be increased?
• Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory?
• Should Black Friday sales be allowed to start on Thanksgiving?
• Should students who bully others be expelled?
• Should all schools require students wear uniforms?
• Should boys and girls be taught in separate classrooms?
• Should students be allowed to listen to music during study hall?
• Should all elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?
• Should schools include meditation or relaxation breaks during the day?
• Should grades in gym class affect students' GPAs?
• Should teachers get a bonus when their students score well on standardized tests?
• Should children of undocumented immigrants be allowed to attend public schools?
• Should students get paid for getting a certain GPA?
• Should students be allowed to have their cell phones with them during school?
• Should high school students be allowed to leave school during lunch breaks?
• Should Greek life at colleges be abolished?
• Should high school students be required to volunteer a certain number of hours before they can graduate?
• Should schools still teach cursive handwriting?
• What are the best ways for schools to stop bullying?
• Should prostitution be legalized?
• Should people with more than one DUI lose their driver's license?
• Should people be required to shovel snow from the sidewalks in front of their house?
• Should minors be able to drink alcohol in their home if they have their parent's consent?
• Should guns be allowed on college campuses?
• Should flag burning as a form of protest be illegal?
• Should welfare recipients be required to pass a drug test?
• Should white supremacist groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
• Should assault weapons be illegal?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Should beauty pageants for children be banned?
• Is it OK to refuse to serve same-sex couples based on religious beliefs?
• Should transgender people be allowed to serve in the military?
• Is it better to live together before marriage or to wait?
• Should affirmative action be allowed?
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
• Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Government/Politics

• Should the government spend more money on developing high-speed rail lines and less on building new roads?
• Should the government be allowed to censor internet content deemed inappropriate?
• Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?
• Should Scotland declare independence from the United Kingdom?
• Whose face should be on the next new currency printed by the US?
• Should people convicted of drug possession be sent to recovery programs instead of jail?
• Should voting be made compulsory?
• Who was the best American president?
• Should the military budget be reduced?
• Should the President be allowed to serve more than two terms?
• Should a border fence be built between the United States and Mexico?
• Should countries pay ransom to terrorist groups in order to free hostages?
• Should minors be able to purchase birth control without their parent's consent?
• Should hiding or lying about your HIV status with someone you're sleeping with be illegal?
• Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
• Should high schools provide free condoms to students?
• Should the US switch to single-payer health care?
• Should healthy people be required to regularly donate blood?
• Should assisted suicide be legal?
• Should religious organizations be required to pay taxes?
• Should priests be allowed to get married?
• Should the religious slaughter of animals be banned?
• Should the Church of Scientology be exempt from paying taxes?
• Should women be allowed to be priests?
• Should countries be allowed to only accept refugees with certain religious beliefs?
• Should public prayer be allowed in schools?

Science/Environment

• Should human cloning be allowed?
• Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like tigers and monkeys?
• Should "animal selfies" in tourist locations with well-known animal species (like koalas and tigers) be allowed?
• Should genetically modified foods be sold in grocery stores?
• Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?
• Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
• Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
• What is the best type of renewable energy?
• Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?
• Should the United States rejoin the Paris Agreement?
• Should puppy mills be banned?
• Should fracking be legal?
• Should animal testing be illegal?
• Should offshore drilling be allowed in protected marine areas?
• Should the US government increase NASA's budget?
• Should Pluto still be considered a planet?
• Should college athletes be paid for being on a sports team?
• Should all athletes be required to pass regular drug tests?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport?
• Are there any cases when athletes should be allowed to use steroids?
• Should college sports teams receive less funding?
• Should boxing be illegal?
• Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim?
• Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
• Should parents let their children play tackle football?
• Will robots reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
• What age should children be allowed to have a cell phone?
• Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books?
• Overall, has technology helped connect people or isolate them?
• Should self-driving cars be legal?
• Should all new buildings be energy efficient?
• Is Net Neutrality a good thing or a bad thing?
• Do violent video games encourage players to become violent in real life?

3 Bonus Tips for Crafting Your Persuasive Speech

Of course, giving a great persuasive speech requires more than just choosing a good topic. Follow the three tips below to create an outstanding speech that'll interest and impress your audience.

Do Your Research

For a persuasive speech, there's nothing worse than getting an audience question that shows you misunderstood the issue or left an important piece out. It makes your entire speech look weak and unconvincing.

Before you start writing a single word of your speech, be sure to do lots of research on all sides of the topic. Look at different sources and points of view to be sure you're getting the full picture, and if you know any experts on the topic, be sure to ask their opinion too.

Consider All the Angles

Persuasive speech topics are rarely black and white, which means there will be multiple sides and viewpoints on the topic. For example, for the topic "Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?" there are two obvious viewpoints: everyone should be allowed to own a pit bull if they want to, and no one should be allowed to own a pit bull. But there are other options you should also consider: people should only own a pit bull if they pass a dog training class, people should be able to own pit bulls, but only if it's the only dog they own, people should be able to own pi tbulls but only if they live a certain distance from schools, people should be able to own pit bulls only if the dog passes an obedience class, etc.

Thinking about all these angles and including them in your speech will make you seem well-informed on the topic, and it'll increase the quality of your speech by looking at difference nuances of the issue.

Know Your Audience

Whenever you give a speech, it's important to consider your audience, and this is especially true for persuasive speeches when you're trying to convince people to believe a certain viewpoint. When writing your speech, think about what your audience likely already knows about the topic, what they probably need explained, and what aspects of the topic they care about most. Also consider what the audience will be most concerned about for a certain topic, and be sure to address those concerns.

For example, if you're giving a speech to a Catholic organization on why you think priests should be allowed to marry, you don't need to go over the history of Catholicism or its core beliefs (which they probably already know), but you should mention any research or prominent opinions that support your view (which they likely don't know about). They may be concerned that priests who marry won't be as committed to God or their congregations, so be sure to address those concerns and why they shouldn't worry about them as much as they may think. Discussing your topic with people (ideally those with viewpoints similar to those of your future audience) before you give your speech is a good way to get a better understanding of how your audience thinks.

More Resources for Writing Persuasive Speeches

If you need more guidance or just want to check out some examples of great persuasive writing, consider checking out the following books:

• Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History by William Safire—This collection of great speeches throughout history will help you decide how to style your own argument.
• The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking by Sims Wyeth—For quick direct tips on public speaking, try this all-purpose guide.
• Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo—This popular book breaks down what makes TED talks work and how you can employ those skills in your own presentations.
• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman—These two recent speeches by contemporary writers offer stellar examples of how to craft a compelling (and engaging) argument.

Conclusion: Persuasive Speech Ideas

Good persuasive speech topics can be difficult to think of, but in this guide we've compiled a list of 105 interesting persuasive speech topics for you to look through.

The best persuasive speech ideas will be on a topic you're interested in, aren't overdone, and will be about something your audience cares about.

After you've chosen your topic, keep these three tips in mind when writing your persuasive speech:

• Do your research
• Consider all the angles
• Know your audience

What's Next?

Now that you have persuasive speech topics, it's time to hone your persuasive speech techniques. Find out what ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos are and how to use them here .

Looking to take your persuasive technique from speech to sheets (of paper)? Get our three key tips on how to write an argumentative essay , or learn by reading through our thorough breakdown of how to build an essay, step by step .

Want a great GPA? Check out our step-by-step guide to getting good grades in high school so you can have a stellar transcript.

Interested in learning about other great extracurricular opportunities? Learn more about job shadowing , community service , and volunteer abroad programs.

Still trying to figure out your courses? Check out our expert guide on which classes you should take in high school.

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

To write a captivating and persuasive speech you must first decide on a topic that will engage, inform and also persuade the audience. We have discussed how to choose a topic and we have provided a list of speech ideas covering a wide range of categories.

What is persuasive speech?

The aim of a persuasive speech is to inform, educate and convince or motivate an audience to do something. You are essentially trying to sway the audience to adopt your own viewpoint.

The best persuasive speech topics are thought-provoking, daring and have a clear opinion. You should speak about something you are knowledgeable about and can argue your opinion for, as well as objectively discuss counter-arguments.

How to choose a topic for your speech

It’s not easy picking a topic for your speech as there are many options so consider the following factors when deciding.

Familiarity

Topics that you’re familiar with will make it easier to prepare for the speech.

It’s best if you decide on a topic in which you have a genuine interest in because you’ll be doing lots of research on it and if it’s something you enjoy the process will be significantly easier and more enjoyable. The audience will also see this enthusiasm when you’re presenting which will make the speech more persuasive.

The audience’s interest

The audience must care about the topic. You don’t want to lose their attention so choose something you think they’ll be interested in hearing about.

Consider choosing a topic that allows you to be more descriptive because this allows the audience to visualize which consequently helps persuade them.

Not overdone

When people have heard about a topic repeatedly they’re less likely to listen to you as it doesn’t interest them anymore. Avoid cliché or overdone topics as it’s difficult to maintain your audience’s attention because they feel like they’ve heard it all before.

An exception to this would be if you had new viewpoints or new facts to share. If this is the case then ensure you clarify early in your speech that you have unique views or information on the topic.

Emotional topics

Emotions are motivators so the audience is more likely to be persuaded and act on your requests if you present an emotional topic.

People like hearing about issues that affect them or their community, country etc. They find these topics more relatable which means they find them more interesting. Look at local issues and news to discover these topics.

Desired outcome

What do you want your audience to do as a result of your speech? Use this as a guide to choosing your topic, for example, maybe you want people to recycle more so you present a speech on the effect of microplastics in the ocean.

Persuasive speech topics

Lots of timely persuasive topics can be found using social media, the radio, TV and newspapers. We have compiled a list of 75 persuasive speech topic ideas covering a wide range of categories.

Some of the topics also fall into other categories and we have posed the topics as questions so they can be easily adapted into statements to suit your own viewpoint.

• Should pets be adopted rather than bought from a breeder?
• Should wild animals be tamed?
• Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like monkeys?
• Should all zoos and aquariums be closed?

Arts/Culture

• Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
• Should graffiti be considered art?
• Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
• Should automobile drivers be required to take a test every three years?
• Are sports cars dangerous?
• Should bicycles share the roads with cars?
• Should bicycle riders be required by law to always wear helmets?

Business and economy

• Do introverts make great leaders?
• Does owning a business leave you feeling isolated?
• What is to blame for the rise in energy prices?
• Does hiring cheaper foreign employees hurt the economy?
• Should interns be paid for their work?
• Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work?
• Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory?
• Should boys and girls should be taught in separate classrooms?
• Should schools include meditation breaks during the day?
• Should students be allowed to have their mobile phones with them during school?
• Should teachers have to pass a test every decade to renew their certifications?
• Should online teaching be given equal importance as the regular form of teaching?
• Is higher education over-rated?
• What are the best ways to stop bullying?
• Should people with more than one DUI lose their drivers’ licenses?
• Should prostitution be legalised?
• Should guns be illegal in the US?
• Should cannabis be legalised for medical reasons?
• Is equality a myth?
• Does what is “right” and “wrong” change from generation to generation?
• Is there never a good enough reason to declare war?
• Should governments tax sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
• Has cosmetic surgery risen to a level that exceeds good sense?
• Is the fast-food industry legally accountable for obesity?
• Should school cafeterias only offer healthy food options?
• Is acupuncture a valid medical technique?
• Should assisted suicide be legal?
• Does consuming meat affect health?
• Is dieting a good way to lose weight?

Law and politics

• Should voting be made compulsory?
• Should the President (or similar position) be allowed to serve more than two terms?
• Would poverty reduce by fixing housing?
• Should drug addicts be sent for treatment in hospitals instead of prisons?
• Would it be fair for the government to detain suspected terrorists without proper trial?
• Is torture acceptable when used for national security?
• Should celebrities who break the law receive stiffer penalties?
• Should the government completely ban all cigarettes and tobacco products
• Is it wrong for the media to promote a certain beauty standard?
• Is the media responsible for the moral degradation of teenagers?
• Should advertising be aimed at children?
• Has freedom of press gone too far?
• Should prayer be allowed in public schools?
• Does religion have a place in government?
• How do cults differ from religion?

Science and the environment

• Should recycling be mandatory?
• Should genetically modified foods be sold in supermarkets?
• Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
• Should selling plastic bags be completely banned in shops?
• Should smoking in public places be banned?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport?
• Should doping be allowed in professional sports?
• Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim?
• How does parental pressure affect young athletes?
• Will technology reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
• What age should children be allowed to have mobile phones?
• Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books?
• Should we recognize Bitcoin as a legal currency?
• Should bloggers and vloggers be treated as journalists and punished for indiscretions?
• Has technology helped connect people or isolate them?
• Should mobile phone use in public places be regulated?
• Do violent video games make people more violent?

World peace

• What is the safest country in the world?
• Is planetary nuclear disarmament possible?
• Is the idea of peace on earth naive?

These topics are just suggestions so you need to assess whether they would be suitable for your particular audience. You can easily adapt the topics to suit your interests and audience, for example, you could substitute “meat” in the topic “Does consuming meat affect health?” for many possibilities, such as “processed foods”, “mainly vegan food”, “dairy” and so on.

After choosing your topic

After you’ve chosen your topic it’s important to do the following:

• Research thoroughly
• Think about all of the different viewpoints
• Tailor to your audience – discussing your topic with others is a helpful way to gain an understanding of your audience.
• How involved are you with this topic – are you a key character?
• Have you contributed to this area, perhaps through blogs, books, papers and products.
• How qualified are you to speak on this topic?
• Do you have personal experience in it? How many years?
• How long have you been interested in the area?

While it may be difficult to choose from such a variety of persuasive speech topics, think about which of the above you have the most knowledge of and can argue your opinion on.

For advice about how to deliver your persuasive speech, check out our blog  Persuasive Speech Outline and Ideas .

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150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

Do you know that moment in your favorite film, when the soundtrack begins to swell and the main character stands up and delivers a speech so rousing, so impassioned, it has the entire room either weeping or cheering by the time it concludes? What distinguishes the effectiveness of such a speech is not only the protagonist’s stellar delivery but also the compelling nature of the subject matter at hand. Choosing an effective persuasive speech topic is essential for guaranteeing that your future speech or essay is as moving as these . If this sounds like a tall order, have no fear. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best and most interesting persuasive speech topics for high school students to tackle, from the playful (“Pets for President”) to the serious (“Should We Stop AI from Replacing Human Workers?”).

And if you’re craving more inspiration, feel free to check out this list of Great Debate Topics , which can be used to generate further ideas.

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

Before we get to the list, we must address the question on everyone’s minds: what is a persuasive speech, and what the heck makes for a good persuasive speech topic? A persuasive speech is a speech that aims to convince its listeners of a particular point of view . At the heart of each persuasive speech is a central conflict . Note: The persuasive speech stands in contrast to a simple informative speech, which is intended purely to convey information. (I.e., an informative speech topic might read: “The History of Making One’s Bed,” while a persuasive speech topic would be: “Why Making One’s Bed is a Waste of Time”—understand?)

And lest you think that persuasive speeches are simply assigned by your teachers as a particularly cruel form of torture, remember that practicing your oratory skills will benefit you in all areas of life—from job interviews, to business negotiations, to your future college career in public policy or international relations . Knowing how to use your voice to enact meaningful change is a valuable skill that can empower you to make a difference in the world.

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

The ideal persuasive speech topic will inspire the audience to action via both logical arguments and emotional appeals. As such, we can summarize the question “what makes a good persuasive speech topic?” by saying that the topic must possess the following qualities:

• Timeliness and Relevance . Great persuasive speech topics grapple with a contemporary issue that is meaningful to the listener at hand. The topic might be a current news item, or it might be a long-standing social issue. In either case, the topic should be one with real-world implications.
• Complexity . A fruitful persuasive speech topic will have many facets. Topics that are controversial, with some gray area, lend themselves to a high degree of critical thinking. They also offer the speaker an opportunity to consider and refute all counterarguments before making a compelling case for his or her own position.
• Evidence . You want to be able to back up your argument with clear evidence from reputable sources (i.e., not your best friend or dog). The more evidence and data you can gather, the more sound your position will be. In addition, your audience will be more inclined to trust you.
• Personal Connection. Do you feel passionately about the topic you’ve chosen? If not, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. This does not mean you have to support the side you choose; sometimes, arguing for the opposing side of what you personally believe can be an effective exercise in building empathy and perspective. Either way, though, the key is to select a topic that you care deeply about. Your passion will be infectious to the audience.

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should tech companies regulate the development of AI systems and automation to protect humans’ jobs?
• Should we limit screen time for children?
• Is it ethical for AI models like Dall-E to train themselves on artists’ work without the artists’ permission?
• Should the government regulate the use of personal drones?
• Is mass surveillance ethical? Does its threat to civil liberties outweigh its benefits?
• Are virtual reality experiences a valuable educational tool?
• Do the positive effects of powerful AI systems outweigh the risks?
• Do voice assistants like Siri and Alexa invade individuals’ privacy?
• Are cell phone bans in the classroom effective for improving student learning?
• Does the use of facial recognition technology in public violate individuals’ privacy?
• Should students be allowed to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for writing assignments?
• Should AI-generated art be allowed in art shows or contests?
• Who holds responsibility for accidents caused by self-driving cars: the driver or the car company?

Business and Economy

• Should we do away with the minimum wage? Why or why not?
• Is it ethical for companies to use unpaid internships as a source of labor?
• Does the gig economy benefit or harm workers?
• Is capitalism the best economic system?
• Is it ethical for companies to use sweatshops in developing countries?
• Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
• Should the government regulate prices on pharmaceutical drugs?
• Should the government enact a universal base income?
• Should customers be required to tip a minimum amount in order to ensure food service workers make a living wage?
• Should someone’s tattoos or personal appearance factor into the hiring process?
• Should US workers have more vacation time?
• Is big game hunting beneficial for local communities?
• Should we legalize euthanasia?
• Is it ethical to use animals for medical research?
• Is it ethical to allow access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients?
• Should we allow genetic engineering in humans?
• Is the death penalty obsolete?
• Should we allow the cloning of humans?
• Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
• Should embryonic stem cell collection be allowed?
• Do frozen IVF embryos have rights?
• Should state and federal investigators be allowed to use DNA from genealogy databases?
• Should the government limit how many children a couple can have?
• Is spanking children an acceptable form of discipline?
• Should we allow parents to choose their children’s physical attributes through genetic engineering?
• Should we require parents to vaccinate their children?
• Should we require companies to give mandatory paternal and maternal leave?
• Should children be allowed to watch violent movies and video games?
• Should parents allow their teenagers to drink before they turn 21?
• Should the government provide childcare?
• Should telling your children about Santa Claus be considered lying?
• Should one parent stay home?
• Should parental consent be required for minors to receive birth control?
• Is it an invasion of privacy for parents to post photographs of their children on social media?

Social Media

• Should social media platforms ban political ads?
• Do the benefits of social media outweigh the downsides?
• Should the government hold social media companies responsible for hate speech on their platforms?
• Is social media making us more or less social?
• Do platforms like TikTok exacerbate mental health issues in teens?
• Should the government regulate social media to protect citizens’ privacy?
• Is it right for parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts?
• Should social media companies enact a minimum user age restriction?
• Should we require social media companies to protect user data?
• Should we hold social media companies responsible for cyberbullying?
• Should schools ban the use of social media from their networks?
• Should we be allowed to record others without their consent?
• Do online crime sleuths help or hurt criminal investigations?

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

• Would trade schools and other forms of vocational training benefit a greater number of students than traditional institutions of higher education?
• Should colleges use standardized testing in their admissions processes?
• Is forcing students to say the Pledge a violation of their right to freedom of speech?
• Should school districts offer bilingual education programs for non-native speakers?
• Should schools do away with their physical education requirements?
• Should schools incorporate a remote learning option into their curriculum?
• Should we allow school libraries to ban certain books?
• Should we remove historical figures who owned slaves from school textbooks and other educational materials?
• Should we have mixed-level classrooms or divide students according to ability?
• Should grading on a curve be allowed?
• Should graphic novels be considered literature?
• Should all students have to take financial literacy classes before graduating?
• Should colleges pay student athletes?
• Should we ban violent contact sports like boxing and MMA?
• Should sports leagues require professional athletes to stand during the national anthem?
• Should sports teams ban players like Kyrie Irving when they spread misinformation or hate speech?
• Should high schools require their athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
• Should the Olympic committee allow transgender athletes to compete?
• Should high schools ban football due to its safety risks to players?
• Should all high school students be required to play a team sport?
• Should sports teams be mixed instead of single-gender?
• Should there be different athletic standards for men and women?
• In which renewable energy option would the US do best to invest?
• Should the US prioritize space exploration over domestic initiatives?
• Should companies with a high carbon footprint be punished?
• Should the FDA ban GMOs?
• Would the world be a safer place without nuclear weapons?
• Does AI pose a greater threat to humanity than it does the potential for advancement?
• Who holds the most responsibility for mitigating climate change: individuals or corporations?
• Should we be allowed to resurrect extinct species?
• Are cancer screening programs ethical?

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

• College education: should the government make it free for all?
• Should we provide free healthcare for undocumented immigrants?
• Is physician-assisted suicide morally justifiable?
• Does social media have a negative impact on democracy?
• Does cancel culture impede free speech?
• Does affirmative action help or hinder minority groups in the workplace?
• Should we hold public figures and celebrities to a higher standard of morality?
• Should abortion be an issue that is decided at the federal or state level?
• Should the sex offender registry be available to the public?
• Should undocumented immigrants have a path to amnesty?
• Do syringe services programs reduce or increase harmful behaviors?
• Should there be a statute of limitations?
• Should those who are convicted of a crime be required to report their criminal history on job and housing applications?

Politics and Government

• Is the Electoral College still an effective way to elect the President of the US?
• Should we allow judges to serve on the Supreme Court indefinitely?
• Should the US establish a national gun registry?
• Countries like Israel and China require all citizens to serve in the military. Is this a good or bad policy?
• Should the police force require all its officers to wear body cameras while on duty?
• Should the US invest in the development of clean meat as a sustainable protein source?
• Should the US adopt ranked-choice voting?
• Should institutions that profited from slavery provide reparations?
• Should the government return land to Native American tribes?
• Should there be term limits for representatives and senators?
• Should there be an age limit for presidential candidates?
• Should women be allowed in special forces units?

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should schools have uniforms?
• Can video games improve problem-solving skills?
• Are online classes as effective as in-person classes?
• Should companies implement a four-day work week?
• Co-ed learning versus single-sex: which is more effective?
• Should the school day start later?
• Is homework an effective teaching tool?
• Are electric cars really better for the environment?
• Should schools require all students to study a foreign language?
• Do professional athletes get paid too much money?

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should we allow pets to run for public office?
• Does pineapple belong on pizza?
• Would students benefit from schools swapping out desks with more comfortable seating arrangements (i.e., bean bag chairs and couches)?
• Is procrastination the key to success?
• Should Americans adopt British accents to sound more intelligent?
• The age-old dilemma: cats or dogs?
• Should meme creators receive royalties when their memes go viral?
• Should there be a minimum drinking age for coffee?
• Are people who make their beds every day more successful than those who don’t?

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

• Is the movie ranking system an effective way to evaluate the appropriateness of films?
• Should the government place a “health tax” on junk food?
• Is it ethical to create artificial life forms that are capable of complex emotions?
• Should parents let children choose their own names?
• Creating clones of ourselves to serve as organ donors: ethical or not?
• Is it ethical to engineer humans to be better and more optimized than nature intended?
• Should we adopt a universal language to communicate with people from all countries?
• Should there be a penalty for people who don’t vote?
• Should calories be printed on menus?
• Does tourism positively or negatively impact local communities?
• When used by non-Natives, are dreamcatchers cultural appropriation?
• Should companies require their employees to specify pronouns in their signature line?
• Should commercial fishing be banned?
• Are cemeteries sustainable?
• Is it okay to change the race, culture, and/or gender of historical figures in movies or TV shows?

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

Once you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to get to work crafting your argument. Preparation for a persuasive speech or essay involves some key steps, which we’ve outlined for you below.

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

• Research your topic. Read widely and smartly. Stick to credible sources, such as peer-reviewed articles, published books, government reports, textbooks, and news articles. The right sources and data will be necessary to help you establish your authority. As you go, take notes on the details and nuances of your topic as well as potential counterarguments. Research the counterarguments, too.
• Choose an angle. For example, if you chose the topic “Should we limit screen time for children?” your speech should come down firmly on one side of that debate. If your topic is frequently debated, such as abortion, capital punishment, gun control, social media, etc. try to find a niche angle or new research. For example, instead of “Should abortion be legal?” you might consider “Should you be able to order abortion pills online?” Another example: “Should the death penalty be banned?” might become “How long is it ethical for someone to stay on death row?” If you do some digging, even the most cliche topics have incredibly interesting and relatively unexplored sub-topics.
• Create an outline. Your outline should include an introduction with a thesis statement, a body that uses evidence to elaborate and support your position while refuting any counterarguments, and a conclusion. The conclusion will both summarize the points made earlier and serve as your final chance to persuade your audience.
• Write your speech. Use your outline to help you as well as the data you’ve collected. Remember: this is not dry writing; this writing has a point of view, and that point of view is yours . Accordingly, use anecdotes and examples to back up your argument. The essential components of this speech are logos (logic), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion) . The ideal speech will use all three of these functions to engage the audience.

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

• Talk to yourself in the mirror, record yourself, and/or hold a practice speech for family or friends. If you’ll be using visual cues, a slide deck, or notecards, practice incorporating them seamlessly into your speech. You should practice until your speech feels very familiar, at least 5-10 times.
• Practice body language. Are you making eye contact with your audience, or looking at the ground? Crossing your arms over your chest or walking back and forth across the room? Playing with your hair, cracking your knuckles, or picking at your clothes? Practicing what to do with your body, face, and hands will help you feel more confident on speech day.
• Take it slow. It’s common to talk quickly while delivering a speech—most of us want to get it over with! However, your audience will be able to connect with you much more effectively if you speak at a moderate pace, breathe, and pause when appropriate.
• Give yourself grace. How you recover from a mistake is much more important than the mistake itself. Typically, the best approach is to good-naturedly shrug off a blip and move on. 99% of the time, your audience won’t even notice!

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

The art of persuasive speaking is a tricky one, but the tips and tricks laid out here will help you craft a compelling argument that will sway even the most dubious audience to your side. Mastering this art takes both time and practice, so don’t fret if it doesn’t come to you right away. Remember to draw upon your sources, speak with authority, and have fun. Once you have the skill of persuasive speaking down, go out there and use your voice to impact change!

Looking for some hot-button topics in college admissions? You might consider checking out the following:

• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• Should I Apply Test-Optional to College?
• Should I Waive My Right to See Letters of Recommendation?
• Should I Use the Common App Additional Information Section?
• High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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50 Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

What is it that makes these EASY persuasive speech topics?

I have several pages on this site devoted to persuasive speeches, but this one is all about crafting your statement as efficiently as possible.

An EASY topic is one that...

• You already know well.  If you know your subject thoroughly - and you don't need to spend hours researching the topic - then you'll instantly and significantly reduce your workload! Bringing your personal experiences to your speech makes it easier to write, and makes your presentation more engaging for your listeners. Try making a list of subjects you're interested in, and a topic idea may even jump out at you! 
• You feel strongly about. There's nothing harder than trying to persuade someone they should feel a certain way about something if you're 'wishy-washy' on how you feel about it yourself! Real passion comes across in your words, which are more forceful and credible as a result.

Technically, then, an easy persuasive speech topic for one individual may not be so easy for another.

The list I have put together for you here, however, is of topics with broad appeal, subjects about which most of us have a strong opinion and PLENTY to say!

In each case, I have stated merely the topic itself - it is up to you to decide whether you will try to persuade your audience to be FOR or AGAINST the claimed idea.

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics - 1-12 Related to Schools

• All school children should wear a uniform
• Exams give little indication of a student's real ability
• Advertising in schools should be banned
• Homeschooling is better than traditional education
• Schools should ban soda
• Schools should not serve French fries
• Single-sex schools are better than mixed/co-ed
• School is not the place for sex education
• Students should be allowed to leave school at 14 to learn a trade
• Going to college is not the key to a prosperous future
• All students should master a 2nd language
• History textbooks do not tell the truth (discuss how the perception of historical events may vary around the world)

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics - 13-27 Related to Family Life

• Breastfeeding is better than bottle (formula) feeding
• Parents should be held legally responsible for the things their children do
• Under 18s should be allowed to drink alcohol at home with parental consent
• Every workplace should provide child-care
• Encouraging women to work is destroying the traditional family
• Punish parents who fail to give children a healthy diet
• We are over-scheduling our kids
• Parents should never pry into their teens' rooms/belongings
• Today's kids have it easier than their parents/grandparents
• Dads are more fun than moms! (Keep this light-hearted)
• Eating together as a family is important
• A woman's place is in the home! (This is a provocative title, so be funny or surprising in your speech)
• Older teenagers should contribute to household expenses
• We should value our old people rather than cast them aside
• It takes a village to raise a child

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics - 28-36 Funny/Light Hearted Ideas

• A Mac is better than a PC!
• Why [fill in the blank] is the best movie ever!
• Why everyone should visit [fill in the blank] (talk about somewhere you love)
• Mustaches should be banned
• Google is taking over the world
• Santa Claus is real!
• Games like Candy Crush are making us stupid
• Batman is cooler than Spiderman
• McDonald's is better than Burger King

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics - 37-50 Miscellaneous Ideas

• Plus size people should pay for two seats on public transport
• The government should not censor information given online
• Love is more powerful than hate
• Immigrants should be required to speak the language of the country to which they're moving
• We need more female construction workers!
• You should buy local produce whenever possible
• What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
• Money can't buy happiness
• A dog is man's best friend
• All hospitals should allow pets to be brought in to see their owners
• Criminals should be forced to make restitution to their victims, rather than to society in general
• Lying isn't always wrong
• Base discipline on rewards rather than punishment
• Facebook has improved life for many people

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Fun Speech about Luck

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School Uniform Policies

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15 Powerful Persuasive Speech Examples to Inspire Your Next Talk

• The Speaker Lab
• June 24, 2024

Table of Contents

Crafting a persuasive speech that captivates your audience and drives them to action is no easy feat. If you’re hitting the books, climbing the corporate ladder, or just dreaming of rocking the stage with your speeches, having a killer set of persuasive speech examples can totally change your game. In this post, we’ve curated some of the most compelling and inspiring persuasive speech examples to help you elevate your own speaking skills. So buckle up and grab your pen, because we’re diving into the secrets behind these unforgettable speeches.

What is a Persuasive Speech?

When we talk about a persuasive speech , we refer to a form of communication that seeks to influence the audience’s beliefs or actions. In the course of a persuasive speech, a person will present compelling arguments—backed by evidence and persuasive techniques—in order to convince listeners to embrace a specific viewpoint or take a particular course of action. Persuasive speeches are used in many different areas of life, such as in a school or university setting, in a job, or in a social setting.

When preparing to give a persuasive speech, always choose a topic or cause you’re interested in and passionate about. If you want to convince other people to agree with your stance, you must be seen to believe in it yourself. In addition, it helps to choose a topic that people care about and hasn’t been overdone.

Funny Persuasive Speech Examples

Looking for some funny persuasive speech examples to inspire your next presentation? You’ve come to the right place. Humor is a powerful tool when it comes to persuasion. It can help you connect with your audience, make your message more memorable, and even diffuse tension around controversial topics.

One classic example comes from David McCullough, Jr.’s high school commencement speech entitled “You Are Not Special.” While the title might not sound funny, McCullough delivers a hilarious reality check to graduates, poking fun at the coddling and praise they’ve received growing up. His ultimate message—that true success comes from hard work and taking risks—is made all the more powerful by his humorous approach.

But what makes funny persuasive speeches so effective? For one, humor helps the speakers build rapport with their audiences. Laughter is a shared experience that brings people together and makes them more open to new ideas. Additionally, injecting some levity into a speech can make the overall message more palatable and less preachy.

Of course, using humor in a persuasive speech requires some finesse. The jokes should be tasteful, relevant to your overall message, and not offensive to your audience. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. After all, a flat joke is better than one that leaves listeners cringing.

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Persuasive Speech Examples About Public Policy

Policy persuasive speeches advocate for a particular course of action on a public policy issue. These speeches go beyond simply raising awareness about a problem – they propose concrete solutions and try to sway the audience to support a specific plan.

One powerful policy persuasive speech example comes from Greta Thunberg’s address to the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019 . Thunberg doesn’t mince words when lambasting world leaders for their inaction on climate change. But she also lays out clear policy demands, like immediately halting fossil fuel subsidies and drastically reducing carbon emissions. Her message is clear: we know what needs to be done and we need to do it.

When crafting your own policy persuasive speech, it’s important to back up your arguments with solid evidence. Use statistics, expert testimony, and real-world examples to show why your proposed solution is feasible and necessary. Anticipate counterarguments and address them head-on. And most importantly, make a clear call to action. Ask yourself: what exactly do you want your audience to do to support your policy goals?

Value Persuasive Speech Examples

Value persuasive speeches aim to change people’s beliefs or attitudes about a particular issue. Rather than advocating for a specific policy, these speeches try to shift the audience’s underlying values and assumptions.

A classic example of a value persuasive speech is Mary McLeod Bethune’s “ What Does American Democracy Mean to Me? ” address. As an African American woman born into poverty, Bethune faced countless obstacles and injustices throughout her life. But in this speech, she reframes the narrative around American democracy, arguing that our nation’s highest ideals are worth fighting for, even if we haven’t yet lived up to them. By appealing to shared values like freedom, justice, and equality, Bethune inspires her audience to keep pushing for change.

The key to a successful value persuasive speech is tapping into your audience’s existing beliefs and values. Use vivid language and storytelling to paint a picture of the world you want to see. Make your case in moral and ethical terms, not just practical ones. And don’t be afraid to show some vulnerability. By sharing your own experiences and struggles, you can create an emotional connection with your listeners.

Persuasive Speech Examples About Social Issues

Social issues make for compelling persuasive speech topics because they touch on deeply held beliefs and affect people’s everyday lives. Whether you’re talking about racial justice, gender equality, or income inequality, these speeches require a deft touch and a willingness to engage with complex, often controversial ideas.

Talking About Mental Health

One powerful example of a persuasive speech about mental health is Kevin Breel’s “ Confessions of a Depressed Comic ” from TEDxKids@Ambleside. As a stand-up comedian, Breel knows how to get laughs, but he also knows the pain of living with depression. In this speech, he shares his own story of struggling with mental illness and calls on society to break the stigma around talking about mental health. By speaking vulnerably, Breel makes a compelling case for why we need to take depression seriously and support those who are struggling.

Addressing Physical Health

Another great example of a persuasive speech about health is Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk “ Teach Every Child About Food .” As a celebrity chef, Oliver has seen firsthand the impact of poor nutrition on people’s health. In this speech, he makes a passionate plea for better food education in schools, arguing that it’s a matter of life and death. With shocking statistics and personal anecdotes, Oliver paints a grim picture of the obesity epidemic and calls on parents, educators, and policymakers to take action.

Persuasive Speech Examples About the Environment

Environmental issues are some of the most pressing challenges we face as a society. From climate change to pollution to habitat destruction, the stakes couldn’t be higher. That’s why persuasive speeches about the environment are so important. By inspiring people to take action, they make a true difference.

One of the most famous environmental speeches of all time is Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” lecture, which was later turned into an Academy Award-winning documentary. In this speech, Gore lays out the scientific evidence for climate change and argues that we have a moral imperative to act. With compelling visuals and a sense of urgency, Gore makes a powerful case for why we need to reduce our carbon footprint and transition to renewable energy sources.

Another great example of an environmental persuasive speech is Severn Suzuki’s address to the UN Earth Summit in 1992. At just 12 years old, Suzuki delivered a heartfelt plea for action on behalf of her generation, arguing that adults were stealing children’s future by destroying the planet. Her speech went viral and helped galvanize the youth environmental movement. By speaking from the heart and calling out the hypocrisy of world leaders, Suzuki showed that you’re never too young to make a difference.

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FAQs on Persuasive Speech Examples

What are some examples of a persuasive speech.

Think climate change action, voting rights, or the importance of mental health awareness. They push for change.

What are 5 examples of persuasive essay?

Gun control laws, school uniforms debate, death penalty perspectives, animal testing ethics, and social media impacts make the list.

What’s an easy persuasive speech topic?

“Why recycling matters” is straightforward and impactful. It connects with everyday actions and broader environmental goals.

What is an example of a persuasive statement?

“Switching to renewable energy sources can significantly reduce our carbon footprint.” This urges action towards sustainability.

Persuasive speech examples show us how to inspire, motivate, and transform the way we communicate our ideas to the world. By studying these remarkable speeches, you’ve gained valuable insights into the art of persuasion and the techniques that make a speech truly unforgettable.

Remember, winning people over with your words takes more than just knowing the right things to say. It’s about practice, caring deeply, and tuning into the folks listening. Take the lessons you’ve learned from these examples and apply them to your own unique style and message. Pouring your soul into your speech can truly move an audience emotionally, altering their thinking for good.

Now your moment in the spotlight is here, so show off those persuasive speech skills. Go forth and create a speech that not only informs and entertains but also inspires and empowers your audience to take meaningful action. The world is waiting to hear your voice, so make it count!

• Last Updated: June 21, 2024

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125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 5/31/24

This article provides a comprehensive list of persuasive speech topics and answers to some of your frequently asked questions about speech topics. 

Persuasive writing is hard, and it’s even harder to try to come up with an engaging topic that interests you and your audience. 

Not only do you have to convince your audience to take your side on subjects that are often pretty divisive, but you also have to persuade them to take your side of the argument. The first step to making a successful persuasive speech that will amaze your audience is having a strong topic.  

Keep reading for 125+ persuasive speech topics.

125+ Topics for a Persuasive Speech

Persuasive speech ideas are harder to come up with than you may think. There is a fine balance between interesting your audience, being interesting to you, unique, and fresh, all while being thought-provoking without being outright offensive.

Here is a breakdown of various topics for persuasive speeches, organized by categories, to inspire you. 

1. Arts & Culture

Art and culture are always hot topics among individuals and groups. There are many interesting arguments and stances on both topics, and many people have strong opinions about them. 

See below for prompts for persuasive speeches about art and culture: 

• Is graffiti art? 
• Should art classes be mandatory for all students?
• Should we keep reading classic literature that is offensive? 
• Should there be a distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’ literature?
• Are romcoms and erotica series like Fifty Shades of Grey empowering for women?
• Is reading actually more beneficial than watching TV or playing video games?
• Is there any benefit or relevance to teaching high school students Shakespeare?
• Should video games be considered a high form of entertainment?
• Are biographical movies of deceased musicians and artists ethical?
• Is modern music really worse than older music?
• Should paparazzi be banned and unable to sell their photos?

Topics in arts and culture are always fun to debate and discuss because you have the opportunity to talk about your favorite pieces of media!

2. Economics

Economics is a hotly debated topic. There is no shortage of compelling, engaging arguments involving economics. 

Here are some good persuasive speech ideas on the topic of economics: 

• Is capitalism a functional, ethical economic system? 
• Should everyone, despite their income, be taxed at the same rate?
• Can we introduce another economic system to our society? 
• Should each state, the federal government, or individual companies be responsible for setting a living wage?
• Should the minimum wage be doubled?
• Should everyone adapt to the four-day workweek?
• Should people who make under a certain amount per year not be taxed at all?
• Should governments encourage and reward people for shopping locally? 
• Should advertisements be banned during TV and media programming aimed at kids?
• Has modern consumerism gone too far?

Economics is a great topic for a persuasive speech because it affects our everyday lives in so many ways. There are tons of research and perspectives to help support your argument. 

3. Education

Many people feel strongly about education, and many sides and perspectives come into play: teachers, parents, students, student athletes, and more. 

Here is a list of some engaging topics to write a persuasive speech on:

• Should post-secondary education be free?
• Should taking a year off between high school and college be mandatory?
• Is it fair to take cell phones away from kids in middle/high school while they are in class?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory in all high schools?
• Should cursive writing still be taught in schools?
• Do frats and sororities actually serve their purpose? 
• Should programming and coding be introduced to young students?
• Should school lunches be free?
• Is college/university necessary anymore?
• Does the education system prepare students for adult life?
• Should gyms be mandatory for all students?
• Do schools need to do a better job at teaching students a second language?
• Should schools teach sign language?
• What age should students be taught sex ed?
• Should distant learning be encouraged or avoided at all costs?

Education is another great topic to write a speech about because it intersects with economics, culture , and politics . These topics will guarantee an engaged audience. This is a popular topic for high school students who are learning about tuition and scholarships at their top colleges! 

4. Environment

Since the release of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and Greta Thunberg’s unapologetic activism, climate change has been at the forefront of many political, economic, and cultural conversations. 

If environmental issues spark your interest, consider writing on one of the topics below:

• Can we ever live in a truly ‘green’ and environmentally friendly society?
• Should water bottles be banned?
• Are businesses responsible for implementing environmentally friendly production and products?
• Should there be a carbon tax?
• Should electric cars be mandatory in the near future?
• Should we switch over to entirely renewable energy?
• Do low-income families have the same duties to be eco-conscious as high-income families do? Should plastic bags and single-use plastic be completely banned?
• Should car racing be banned?
• Should fast fashion be banned?

The environment and climate change are becoming, if not already, some of the most pressing issues of our day. 

Ethics may be one of the most difficult topics to write a persuasive speech about because they tend to involve sensitive subject matter. However, ethics are also some of the most compelling and complex topics to explore. 

Here are some potential topics for a persuasive speech about ethics:

• Is animal testing ethical?
• Is drinking coffee unethical?
• Are animal shelters that allow euthanization ethical?
• Should more people try to adopt a vegetarian/vegan diet?
• Is the death penalty ethical? 
• Can racism ever truly be eliminated?
• Can the prison system genuinely contribute to the improvement and rehabilitation of individuals?
• Should justice systems and incarceration facilities focus on rehabilitation over punishment? 
• Should cosmetic plastic surgery be covered by insurance?
• Are morals objective or subjective?
• Should zoos and circuses be banned?
• Should fur coats be illegal?
• Are censorship laws ethical?
• Is it ethical to genetically modify an embryo? 
• How should we address the homelessness crisis, and who is responsible for it? 
• Should minors who commit violent crimes be charged and tried as adults?

Tackling a persuasive speech on ethics is a challenge, as many of these topics are complex and sensitive. It can also be difficult to wrap up a speech on such huge ethical debates. 

However, these topics also provide some of the most riveting and energizing debates—if you’re up to the challenge, you should definitely try to tackle one of these topics. 

From fitness to food prices to economic privilege, there are tons of debatable topics regarding health. Here are just some of the potential topics you can write a speech on:

• Are individuals solely responsible for their own health?
• Should prescription medications be free?
• Should sugary drinks like pop be taxed at higher rates?
• Should Starbucks be allowed to advertise its high-calorie and high-sugar drinks?
• Should the government regulate the prices of fruits and vegetables?
• Should fast food restaurants regulate and reduce their portions?
• Should gym memberships be free?
• Should the government change and restructure the work week to reduce stress?
• Should nurses be paid more?
• Should smoking be banned?
• Should insurance companies fully cover rehabilitation stays for health issues like eating disorders?

People have varying opinions and understanding of health, which makes these topics very engaging and interesting to write about.

7. Politics

It goes without saying that almost every political issue is debatable. 

• Do we actually live in a truly democratic society?
• Should there be a minimum wage or a living wage?
• Should the legal voting age be decreased?
• Does the pay gap exist?
• Are younger politicians more effective?
• Should there be stricter gun laws?
• Should Presidents be able to serve more than two terms?
• Should everyone get the day off work to go vote?
• Should political party funding be regulated?
• Should political smear campaigns be banned?
• Is there a political bias in mainstream media?
• Should you date someone with opposing political views? 
• Is the government spending too much on the military sector?

Politics is all about persuading people to take a side, which makes it a strategic topic for delivering a moving, persuasive speech. 

Sports is another big topic that people care a lot about. There are sports-related matters that are questioned everywhere: sports on TV, the Olympics, college sports and athletics, and athletic sponsorships . 

Below is a list of captivating sports topics for a persuasive speech: 

• Should the pay for professional teams be based on audience viewership? 
• Are professional sports getting too violent? 
• Are athletes overpaid?
• Is cheerleading empowering or exploitative? 
• Should children be allowed to compete in competitive sports?
• Should we continue spending millions of dollars on the Olympic Games?
• Do people put too much importance on high school and college football?
• Should alcohol and tobacco ads be banned during sports?
• Is betting on sports teams ethical?
• Should high school and college athletes be paid?

Sports is a topic that people don’t often think of as controversial. However, your audience is bound to be engaged and contemplating your argument as you present your speech. 

9. Technology

As the world increasingly moves to online spaces, and technology advances faster than ever before, technology is another hot topic that people have a lot of thoughts and opinions on. 

• Should all workplaces offer hybrid/remote work?
• Should we pursue Artificial Intelligence?
• Do we need to put resources into traveling to space?
• Should parents monitor their children’s online activity?
• Is it okay for phones to use facial recognition and fingerprint technology?
• Is technology actually addicting?
• Can we blame technology for increased stress and anxiety?
• Are security cameras and body cameras an invasion of privacy? 
• Should the internet be surveilled or managed?
• Should video game chats be surveilled or even banned?
• Are machines replacing human labor? 
• Should cloning be outlawed/banned?

As technology continues to advance and expand into our personal lives, it is a great topic to write a unique persuasive speech on. 

Having a unique and creative speech topic discussing one of your interests can make it stand out more! Think about extracurriculars you participate in, podcasts you enjoy, or fascinating facts you’ve learned. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. 

• What makes a hero?
• Are we headed toward World War 3?
• Did humans really land on the moon?
• Are serial killers born or made?
• Can good and evil be separated neatly?
• Is cancel culture a positive or negative thing?
• Can money buy happiness?
• How to become a millionaire
• How to become more confident
• How to live to be 100
• How to survive an apocalypse
• Do extraterrestrial beings exist?
• Why students should start investing at 16
• The true history of… (event of your choice, such as the Chernobyl disaster, the Black Plague, Salem Witch Trials, etc.)

Exploring these diverse and intriguing topics will not only capture your audience's attention but also allow you to share your passions with your peers! 

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

The best persuasive speech topics are topics that are not overdone and that the speaker is genuinely passionate about and knowledgeable about. 

Persuasive topics should also be a bit controversial (this does not mean offensive) because the topic and speech itself should be thought-provoking. The more people are emotionally invested in the topic, the better. 

For example, while you can try to persuade your audience that strawberry ice cream is better than chocolate ice cream, it’s unlikely that many people have a strong emotional investment in that topic. Without an emotional investment, audiences will be sitting listening to your speech, thinking: “So what?” 

On the other hand, a topic like “Should government set limits on how many children a family can have in overpopulated countries?” is emotionally charged and truly matters to people. 

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

Let's take a look at the key components that make up a great persuasive speech topic.

Timeliness and Relevance

Consider what's on people's minds right now. Your topic should be something they care about, whether it's in the news or a long-standing issue. It needs to feel important and connected to their lives. Picking a timely and relevant topic grabs your audience's attention and makes them more interested in what you have to say.

When choosing a topic, aim for something that has layers to it. Controversial topics or ones with lots of different opinions are good because they make people think. By exploring all the different angles of your topic, you can make your speech more engaging and show that you understand it well.

In today's world, facts matter more than ever. It's not enough to simply state your opinion; you need to back it up with solid evidence. Rely on numbers, data, and information from reliable sources to support what you're saying. When you do this, people trust you more and are more likely to believe what you're saying.

Personal Connection

Passion is a powerful tool in persuasion - so choose a topic that you truly care about. Passion is evident in your speech and ultimately makes it more interesting. Your enthusiasm rubs off on the audience, and they're more likely to pay attention. Feeling connected to your topic makes your speech more powerful and convincing.

How to Create a Compelling Persuasive Speech 

Let's delve into the process of creating a compelling persuasive speech.

Understanding Your Audience

Before diving into your speech, take the time to understand your audience. What motivates them? What are their goals and values? Tailoring your message to resonate with their interests and concerns will greatly enhance its impact.

Focus on Key Goals

Keep your speech focused by selecting just one to three key goals to address. Trying to cover too much ground can overwhelm your audience and dilute your message. Instead, hone in on the most important points you want to convey.

Address Objections Head-On

Anticipate objections that your audience might have and incorporate them into your speech. Acknowledging and addressing these concerns demonstrates empathy and builds credibility, making your argument more persuasive.

Start with a Compelling Story

Capture your audience's attention from the outset by starting with a compelling story. Make it relatable and relevant to your message to draw listeners in and set the tone for the rest of your speech.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The key to delivering a persuasive speech with confidence is practice. Rehearse your speech until you know it inside and out, focusing on the flow of your ideas rather than memorizing every word. This will allow you to speak naturally and authentically.

Maintain Eye Contact

Engage your audience by maintaining eye contact throughout your speech. This creates a connection and keeps listeners attentive and engaged. Don't just stare at one person; instead, scan the room and make brief eye contact with various individuals.

Reinforce Your Points with Repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool for reinforcing your message. After explaining each key point, circle back and reiterate it to drive it home. This helps ensure that your audience remembers and internalizes your main ideas.

Leave a lasting impression by ending your speech with a strong closing statement. Summarize your key points and reiterate your main message with conviction. This final flourish will leave your audience inspired and motivated.

Embrace Feedback

Be open to feedback from your audience, and graciously accept both praise and criticism. Use feedback as an opportunity to refine your message and improve your delivery. By embracing feedback, you can continuously hone your persuasive skills and become an even more effective communicator.

After reading through all the possible topics you can write a persuasive speech on, you may still have some questions before you get going. Let’s get into them.

1. What Are Some Easy Persuasive Topics?

Any persuasive topic can be easy to write about if you are passionate about your stance. The more passionate and knowledgeable you are about your topic, the easier it will be to research and write. 

There are also easy, persuasive topics that are more lighthearted than controversial, which some people may find easier to debate and write about. Some easy persuasive topics include: 

• Should everyone have a three-day weekend?
• Should every public place have free Wi-Fi?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Should kids get paid for getting high grades?
• Do we need more holidays?

These topics are all fun to debate, which makes it easy to write a persuasive speech or essay. Whereas some persuasive topics can be complex and sensitive, the topics listed above are pretty straightforward, which makes them easier to discuss than more complex topics. 

2. What Is a Good Speech Persuasive Topic For School?

A good start to finding a good persuasive speech topic for school is looking for a topic that involves something related to school. For example, you can look into talking about school uniforms, class sizes, tuition and scholarships, and school sports, just to name a few. 

Having a speech topic related to school is a good idea for school because your audience (teachers and peers) are directly in that environment as well. This means they will likely be more engaged as the topic, whether they agree or disagree, is relevant to their everyday lives. 

3. What are Three Examples of a Persuasive Speech Topic?

Any of the above topics listed in this article are examples of speech topics. Three specific examples that have not been listed are:

• Is social media to blame for the rates of depression and anxiety among youth?
• Do young adult romance novels encourage harmful and toxic relationships with their target audience?
• Should children under 18 have total control over medical decisions made about their bodies?

These topics are examples of speech topics because you need to take a clear stance in order to answer the question. The point of a persuasive speech is to convince or persuade the audience that your side of the argument is valid and should be considered, so the topic needs the individual to take a specific stance. 

As briefly touched upon before, your topic needs to interest your audience for a successful persuasive speech. While you should make sure your topic isn’t overdone, you don’t want to go with something too ‘safe’ as that will most likely bore your audience. 

Final Thoughts

Coming up with a topic for a persuasive speech may be the most difficult part of the writing process. 

Read over our list of topics and pick out a few topics that genuinely interest you. From there, do some preliminary research on each topic and see which one has the strongest evidence to support your argument. Then, you’ll be good to start writing your persuasive speech that will amaze your audience!

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Are you struggling to find a good persuasive speech topic ? We know – it can be hard to think of an interesting topic!

We’ve done all  the hard work and created a list of 400+ great persuasive speech ideas for college students, teachers, and anyone interested in public speaking. They’re organized into categories to make it easier for you to find one that that genuinely interests you.

In addition to our collection of speech topic ideas, we also have some tips on selecting a  good topic, as well as researchihng, writing, and delivering your persuasive speech.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

Crafting a persuasive speech or writing a persuasive essay begins with picking the right topic. What makes a good persuasive speech topic? What are the most important factors that make it or break it when it comes to a good persuasive speech topic?

You are much more likely to be successful with your speech when you choose a topic that interests you, rather than merely picking one from a list.

Talking about something you know or would like to know more about well makes it much easier and fun!

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Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Some speech topics have been done to death. They are tired and stale, and are not likely to excite you or your audience (think abortion, gun control, smoking, same-sex marriage). Find a topic that grabs you and your audience, something new and fresh, unique and original.

• Interesting

A good persuasive speech topic is one that you can use to grab the audience’s attention, inform and persuade, and provide a strong persuasive argument for adopting your point of view.

You want to pick a topic that your audience cares and what to hear about.

How To Select a Good Persuasive Topic

How to narrow down this list of ideas?

First, make a rough inventory:

• Which of the speech topics are you interested in?
• What amuses you, makes you move right the way, happy or sad?
• Which topics do you know something about?
• Which topics would you like to research?

Review your inventory list and narrow your choices by answering these questions:

• Do you know global, national, state, community, job or school-related problems and solutions, issues or controversies, related to the persuasive speech ideas?
• Are you excited about any historical or current events, places, processes, organizations or interesting people?
• Do you have certain concerns, opinions, or beliefs?
• Do you think something has to change in the human attitude or social values?
• Did you see or hear something in the news or read about in library books on any of these topics?
• Is there a link with personal experiences, professional or personal goals?

All the answers on the questions above help you to find your angle of approach for a conclusive speech. So, select a few specific angles. Those can serve as the basic main points.

Best 10 Persuasive Speech Topics

Don’t have time to read our full list of 400+ topic ideas? Here is our list of 10 best persuasive speech topics.

• Money can’t buy love or happiness
• Cooking should be taught in schools
• The minimum wage should be increased
• Advertising is a mind game
• Introverts make great leaders
• Eating meat is unethical
• Anyone under 16 should not be allowed to date
• Sustainable clothes are not really sustainable
• The penny coin should be phased out

List of Persuasive Speech Topics

• Constitutional Issues
• Easy and Simple
• Environment
• Food and Drink
• Funny and Humorous
• College Students
• International Relations
• Motivational
• National Security
• Practical Knowledge
• Relationships

10 Animal Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should more pets be adopted than bought from a breeder?
• Are pitbulls a vicious breed?
• Should a dog that has bitten somebody be executed?
• Should we tame wild animals like lions and sharks.
• Should battery farming still be legal?
• Should ‘factory farming’ be banned?
• Adopting pets is the best choice.
• How do puppy mills affect us?
• The benefits of having pets.
• Why cats make the perfect pet.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics About Animals .

12 Automotive Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should the public first learn how to drive a manual transmission before obtaining their license?
• Drivers should have to take three courses before getting a license.
• Should young children use booster seats in vehicles?
• Hands-free cell phone use in cars should be promoted.
• Should the driving age be 14?
• The danger of texting and driving.
• Watch out for animals when driving.
• Why police should not chase a car.
• Why you should buy a Japanese car.
• Why sports cars are dangerous.
• Driving tests should be free.
• Share the road with bikes.

10 Business Persuasive Speech Topics

The world of business has so many aspects to it, but at the end of the day they are all about customer relations, about making money and about the relationship between employers and employees.

Below are topics that can be used to persuade your audience on a variety of business topics.

A tongue in cheek topic that can be used is “Hiring a lazy person isn’t always a bad thing”, this could be used to persuade an audience that often lazy people find the quickest solution to get something done, resulting in quickly completed work because they just want to get it over and done with.

• Advertising has tons of mind games.
• Advertising standards should be higher.
• The importance of understanding niche marketing.
• Why introverts make good leaders.
• Owning a business means you will lose your friends.
• Business will harden you.
• You should never go into business with family members.
• Just because someone knows you it doesn’t mean you owe them any discounts.
• To be a business owner you must learn to be well organized.
• It’s important that a business should have personality.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Speech Topics for Business .

5 Constitutional Issues Persuasive Speech Topics

• Do you think it would be fair for the government to detain suspected terrorists without proper trial?
• Should flag burning as a form of protest be prohibited?
• Should every day begin with a silent prayer at school?
• Why alcohol should be illegal.
• Prayer in schools should not be mandatory.

10 Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

Below follow topics that should be easy enough to persuade your audience without going into too much research. There are some which can be used as ‘tongue in cheek’ topics such as ‘The paparazzi are the real stalkers’ and ‘People need to visit the dentist more often’.

• People should not text while driving.
• Celebrities who break the law should receive stiffer penalties.
• Teachers should pass a basic exam every few years to renew their certification.
• Cities should offer free bike-sharing programs.
• People should eat less junk food.
• We should do more to end poverty and world hunger.
• We should value the elders in our society and learn from their wisdom.
• Money can’t buy love or happiness.
• Children should be offered incentives for doing right, rather than punishment for wrongdoing.
• More recycling should be encouraged.

See this page for a full list of Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics .

9 Economy Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should products manufactured outside the U.S. come with an additional tax?
• Buy products that are made in the USA.
• Free trade agreements are bad for workers.
• The trade deficit with China is dangerous.
• The minimum wage should be increased.
• Daylight savings time has many advantages for our economy.
• The oil companies are to blame for the rising energy prices.
• In most countries the economy is in the mighty hands of just a few multinational corporations.
• Hiring cheaper foreign employees hurts our economy.

10 Education Persuasive Speech Topics

• Teachers should have to pass a test of basic skills every decade to renew their certifications.
• Should free college tuition be offered to poor children?
• Would it be better to introduce a set of skills tests for students, before they graduate high school?
• Do you believe that students who are responsible for cyberbullying should be expelled from school?
• Would it be better if high school students completed community service hours to graduate?
• Do you think elementary and high school students should be allowed to use cell phones at school?
• Should students have to be on the honor roll in order to play sports?
• Art and music programs in public schools are an essential part of education.
• Schools should have the right to search students’ personal property (backpacks, lockers, pockets) to fight drugs in schools.
• Do you think students should be allowed to listen to music during study hall?

See this page for a full list of Education Persuasive Speech Topics .

10 Environment Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should there be stricter laws for protecting endangered species?
• Should only native plants be grown in gardens?
• More people should carpool or use public transportation.
• Should the U.S. limit the use of natural resources?
• How pollution is negatively affecting humanity.
• We should use algae to make oil instead of drilling.
• Why hydraulic fracturing should be banned.
• Why we shouldn’t use disposable diapers.
• Hybrid cars are good for the environment.
• We should keep our community clean.

See this page for a full list of Environmental Persuasive Speech Topics .

10 Ethics Persuasive Speech Topics

• Do you think female construction workers should have the same salary as male construction workers?
• Should assisted suicide be legal for people who suffer from terminal illnesses?
• Do you think the death penalty is the best punishment for dangerous criminals?
• Should you base your perspective of people on stereotypes you have heard?
• Should product testing on animals or humans be allowed?
• Why you should not choose your child’s genetics.
• Are people morally obligated to help the poor?
• Female genital mutilation should be stopped.
• Is it ethical to eat meat?
• Wearing fur is unethical.

10 Family Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should underaged people be allowed to consume alcohol at home, with parental permission?
• Should children 13 or younger be allowed to watch music videos or music channels like MTV?
• Do you think those older than 13 should be allowed into R-rated movies?
• Should teenagers be allowed to purchase violent video games?
• Is it appropriate for children to watch horror movies?
• Those under 16 should not be allowed to date.
• Parental pressure on child actors and athletes is harmful.
• Why parents should not hit their children.
• Fairy tales are good for young children.
• Why kids should not play R rated games.

See this page for a full list of Family Persuasive Speech Topics . We also have a page with Speech Topics for Kids .

6 Fashion Persuasive Speech Topics

• Men should wear pink.
• Choose an Eco-Fashion Fabrics Wardrobe!
• Are Sustainable Clothes Really Sustainable?
• Jewelry: Less Is More.
• Fashion Reveals Your True Identity.
• Fashion Is An Expression Of The Character

11 Financial Persuasive Speech Topics

• Why banks should ban hats and sunglasses to avoid robberies.
• Student loans should be forgiven.
• Reservation casinos are only beneficial if managed correctly.
• National debt is everyones problem.
• Purchasing a car is smarter than leasing one.
• The Japanese yen is affected by the weakness of the dollar.
• The Euro currency will oust the dollar.
• The Chinese Yuan / Japanese Yen / European Euro will all surpass the Dollar as leading currency.
• Phase the penny coin out.
• Severe budget cuts are the only way to maximise good financial results.
• Keeping a close eye on personal finance is key in achieving something in life.

15 Food and Drink Persuasive Speech Topics

• Genetically modified foods should be labeled.
• Do you believe companies who manufacture alcohol should be allowed to advertise on TV?
• Every child should learn to cook.
• Cooking should be taught in schools.
• Should we donate unused food from supermarkets?
• The history of added sugar in our food.
• We should all grow our own vegetables.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• The promise of genetically engineered food.
• Why peanuts are amazing.
• Drink more orange juice.
• Why people should cook.
• Farmers’ markets should be increased.
• Eating organic is good for your health.
• Get artificial hormones out of food.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topic Ideas On Food, Drink, and Cooking .

10 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

Fun topics are a great way to get people to listen to what you have to say, because when they are entertained they listen more carefully. Fun topics also help the speaker be more at ease, because the topics are more relaxed. Below follow 100 topics that you can have fun with while persuading your audience. .

• Ghosts are not real.
• We all need to be childish.
• Smokers have more acquaintances.
• Music has the power to heal.
• Diamonds are a girls best friends.
• Couples need to live together before getting married.
• Allow kids to believe in Santa.
• Pick up lines do work.
• Cake is not cake if it is dry.
• Parents must be prepared for the ‘birds and bees’ talk.

See this page for a full list of Fun Persuasive Speech Topics .

10 Funny and Humorous Persuasive Speech Topics

Humour is a fabulous way to get people’s attention. Below are questions and statement topics that can be used to get your points across on a variety of topics.

It is important to remember that there can be a fine line between funny and insulting. So use wit and make it fun without insulting your audience. This would be important to remember with a title like ‘The most dangerous animal out there is a silent woman’.

• Blondes are not as dumb as they look.
• Why funny pick-up lines work.
• Guys gossip more than girls do.
• You should not be Facebook friends with your mom.
• If things go wrong, your horoscope is to blame.
• Students should not have to do a persuasive speech in front of a large audience.
• Millennials should stop wearing spandex yoga pants all the time.
• Dads are more fun than moms.
• Argumentative essays are pointless.
• Shoes that don’t fit right are hazardous to your health.

See this page for a full list of Funny Persuasive Speech Topics .

16 Government Persuasive Speech Topics

• Do you believe there should be stricter federal restrictions regarding content on the internet?
• Should employers be required to post job opportunities on a government-run website?
• The government should provide shelter for the homeless.
• Should the state fund schools run by religions?
• Whose face should be printed on the newest bank note?
• Do you believe Puerto Rico should become a state?
• Our nation’s justice system needs to be improved.
• Should the government have a say in our diets?
• The military budget must be decreased.
• Should people get drug tested for state aid?
• How policy works in local government.
• The government should increase funding of Amtrak.
• Fixing potholes should be a priority of local government.
• Eminent domain should be used rarely.
• The war on drugs is a failure.
• Zoning laws should be common sense.

10 Health Persuasive Speech Topics

• Female minors should be allowed to get birth control without telling their parents.
• Should stem cell researchers be able to use cells from aborted babies to help cure diseases?
• Should doctors be allowed to prescribe contraception for girls under 16?
• Do you think it would be better if the USA had a universal health care system?
• Do you believe free condoms should be distributed in schools?
• Regular exercise will improve your health.
• Restaurants should post all ingredients to prevent allergic reactions.
• Do you believe fast food should come with a warning label?
• The use of animals in medical research is a necessary evil.
• Seat belts ensure all passengers a safer ride.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Speech Topics on Health and Fitness . We also have a page with Medical Topics .

10 School Persuasive Speech Topics

School is a whole new world, where students discover more about themselves and life around them. These are topics that students will most likely have to deal with at some point during their elementary, middle, and high school careers.

• High school students should be allowed to have cell phones in school.
• High school students should not have to wear school uniforms.
• All high school students should learn a foreign language.
• Girls should be allowed to play on the boys’ sports teams.
• High school students should be required to do community service.
• Extracurricular activities are important for your future.
• Students should be able to stay up late, even on school nights.
• Peer pressure helps students grow as individuals.
• Students should have healthy food options.
• Students should be paid for getting good grades.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Speech Topics for School Students .

10 College Students Persuasive Speech Topics

The following topics are for college students and about the many different aspects that they will deal with during their time in college.

• College textbooks should be replaced by iPads.
• Mobile phones should be switched off during a lecture.
• College students shouldn’t skip classes.
• Students shouldn’t study something that they are not passionate about.
• Gap years are actually a very good idea.
• Notes should always be taken in class.
• Student loans are expensive and students need to understand what they are getting themselves into.
• Students should get to know other students.
• It’s smart to get the harder classes out of the way first.
• Taking summer classes will help students get ahead of schedule.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students .

10 Teens Persuasive Speech Topics

The following topics are aimed at teens and subjects which are important and matter to teens.

• Teenage girls should be on birth control.
• Teenage boys are lazier than girls.
• Teens should have weekend jobs.
• Homework should not be given.
• Being popular isn’t a good thing.
• Teens are obsessed with scary things.
• Chores shouldn’t be paid for.
• Sex education must be compulsory.
• Exchange student programs for all students.
• Free time gets teens into trouble.

See this page for a full list of Great Speech Topics for Teens .

5 History Persuasive Speech Topics

• Did the U.S. Army provide their soldiers drugs during the Vietnam war?
• African- American achievements should be celebrated.
• Why Lincoln was the best President.
• Revisionist history is dangerous.
• The moon landing was a lie.

See this page for a full list of History Speech Topics .

10 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

Interesting topics will always have an audience glued to every word, even when they may disagree with your point of view. Ultimately it is your job to persuade them that your view is in fact correct.

These topics have a mix of simpler speeches such as “Pick up lines do work” here both humour and a few examples of pick up lines have worked will get you going in the right direction. For a speech with a bit more research put into it there are topics such as “Stem cell research in murder”.

• The standards of beauty are never the same.
• Princess Diana was killed.
• Energy drinks are dangerous.
• School day needs to involve less sitting and more exercise.
• No credit cards for under 25.
• Healthy relationships require conflicts.
• Everyone needs medical insurance.
• Tooth whitening is out of control.
• In future air planes won’t crash.
• Business should hire more apprentices.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Interesting Speech Topics .

13 International Relations Persuasive Speech Topics

• Do you think it is time for the United States to suspend overseas military operations?
• The U.S. should cut off all foreign aid to dictatorships.
• Why you should volunteer in a developing country.
• Should Scotland be a country of its own?
• China will be the next superpower.
• Is any nation truly independent?
• Should women drive in Saudi Arabia?
• Foreign oil dependence is dangerous.
• Weapons disarmament should be increased.
• The war in Iraq was a mistake.
• The United Nations is important in defusing international crises.
• Human rights should be advanced all over the world.
• China will be the almighty economic superpower by 2025.

10 Law Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should those who are caught driving after consuming alcohol lose their driver’s license for one year?
• Should it be illegal to drive while talking on the phone?
• Should illegal music and movie downloads be prosecuted?
• Do you believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for a driver’s license?
• Should motorcyclists have to wear a helmet?
• People over 65 should be required to take a bi-annual driver’s test.
• Should the driving age be raised to 21?
• Should assault weapons be legal?
• Should known gang members be prohibited from public parks?
• Do you think it should be illegal for people to curse on TV during daytime?

See this page for a full list of Legal Speech Topics .

3 Literature Persuasive Speech Topics

• Why reading is more beneficial than watching television.
• Why it is a good idea to read Fifty Shades of Grey.
• Why people need to read more books.

17 Media Persuasive Speech Topics

• Why it’s wrong for the media to promote a certain beauty standard.
• Is the media responsible for the moral degradation of teens?
• Do magazines marketed to teenagers send the wrong message?
• Why Disney should not be making Star Wars movies.
• Why you should study photography.
• Should certain T.V. shows have age restrictions?
• Why the media is to blame for eating disorders.
• The media does not force us to worship false icons.
• Why the Russian should have beat Rocky.
• Television is harmful to children.
• Why comic books are good to read.
• Some TV shows are educational.
• Make TV more educational.
• We need more funding for public television and radio.
• Violence on television should be regulated.
• Cable TV monopolies destroy competition.
• Katniss Everdeen would alienate Harry Potter.

10 Motivational Persuasive Speech Topics

• School leaders must shape high-achieving learning curricula for students.
• Set a clear goal and devote all your positive energy toward reaching it.
• What to do for people who have no motivation to live a happy life.
• The art of moral imagination is the key to intellectual and spiritual development.
• Why it is hard to follow your dream.
• What keep most of us from following the voice of your heart when it comes to love or even discovery travelling?
• Overcome your stage fright and fear of public speaking.
• Begin with forming a moral tool set when children are young and build further when they are at least 18 years old.
• Aim straightforward in whatever project you undertake, and emphasize and evaluate what you want to achieve often in between the completed parts of the total planning.
• Prudence is an effort you can turn non-believers into believers in your plans.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics For Motivational Speaking .

6 Music Persuasive Speech Topics

• Why the French horn should be played more.
• Should schools allow uncensored songs at school dances?
• How listening to music could improve your day.
• Why music is beneficial to society.
• MP3 music should be free.
• Rock music is better than Country & Western.

6 National Security Persuasive Speech Topics

• Are intensive security screenings essential for those who travel in airplanes?
• Negotiating with terrorists is sometimes justifiable.
• Should police carry firearms?
• Homosexuals belong in the military.
• Women benefit the military in many ways.
• Should police carry toy guns?

10 Politics Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should it be legal for politicians to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
• Why you should vote.
• Ban abusive language in elections.
• Why you should know Bernie Sanders.
• Term limits need to be respected.
• Give Kurdistan back to the Kurds.
• Zimbabwe is the next drama in world politics.
• Central Asian states could become a threat.
• America is not the world’s policeman.
• Globalization pays off.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics about Politics .

3 Practical Knowledge Persuasive Speech Topics

• Basic survival skills are important to know.
• Basic camping skills everyone should know.
• Personal hygiene is important for professional success.

7 Psychology Persuasive Speech Topics

• Intelligence depends more on the environment than genetics.
• Human development depends primarily on environmental factors.
• Why we should not see psychologists.
• Why do we need to love and to be loved?
• Can money give you happiness?
• Why introverts make the best public speakers.
• Verbal abuse can be much more destructive than physical.

See this page for a full list of Psychology Speech Topics .

23 Relationships Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should young people have internet relationships?
• Men and women speak a different language of love.
• Long distance relationships are possible.
• Why it is important to live together before marriage.
• Teens should live with their friends once a week.
• Jealousy can be a disease.
• Most people say they will break up with a cheating partner, but in the end most people do not.
• Counseling is the solution for working through relationship problems.
• Intimacy is the key to a successful relationship.
• Women cheat more than men do.
• Interreligious Relationships – Love between two people can never be forbidden.
• Arranged marriages must be outlawed.
• Asking someone to wear a condom shows a lack of trust.
• Celibacy is outdated.
• Cheating isn’t wrong if you do it well.
• Co-workers should never date.
• Dating behavior rules are simple for girls: No means No, not Yes.
• Living together before marriage will lower the divorce rate.
• Men and women speak different languages in love matters.
• People only need one good friend.
• Polygamy should be allowed.
• You will learn most from friends that are different from you.
• Romance works best the old fashioned way.

8 Religion Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should public schools teach world religions?
• Students should be allowed to pray in school.
• Women should be priests.
• Religious conflict must be avoided.
• Why Islam is a peaceful religion.
• Islamic fundamentalism is not true Islam.
• Religious cults are dangerous.
• Faith in God should be protected.

See this page for a full list of Topics on Religion and Spirituality .

10 Science Persuasive Speech Topics

• Do you think the United States government should spend more on space programs?
• Why should we be aware of what is happening in outer space?
• Why Pluto should still be considered a planet.
• Mars was the same as Earth in the past.
• Why you should donate your body to science.
• We need more scientific advancements.
• Qualitative research is more preferable than quantitative research.
• Religion and science do not mix. (Or: they do.)
• Scientists have the duty to translate their findings in normal language.
• Theories are useless if they can not be transformed into strategies.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Science Speech Topics .

11 Self-Help Persuasive Speech Topics

• Art is a stress reliever and can reduce depression.
• With hardwork and determination anyone can be successful.
• Why we should live life spontaneously.
• Improve your time management.
• Embarrassing moments make you stronger.
• Be true to yourself.
• Dress for success.
• How to continue your personal growth.
• The importance of self- confidence.
• If you don’t give up, you’ll make it.
• Talking to yourself can be beneficial.

10 Society Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should larger passengers be obliged to purchase two plane tickets, or two movie tickets?
• Should American families have no more than two children, in order to control population growth?
• Should property owners be obliged to clean the snow from sidewalks on their property?
• Should there be a cop in every bar to make sure people do not drink and drive?
• Do you believe that older people should receive free bus rides?
• Should all citizens of the USA complete one year of community service?
• Do you believe it is time for America to use the metric system?
• Why it should be mandatory for all students to stand for the pledge.
• Do you believe that cities should provide free wireless internet?
• Why living in the country is better than the city.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Society Speech Topics .

10 Sport Persuasive Speech Topics

Some sports topics can quickly turn into an argument between fans so keep in mind that special care should be taken with some of the suggested topics.

The term soccer was used to distinguished between soccer and American football, feel free to use the term football for those countries that do not use the term soccer.

• Should some musical groups, such as marching band and show choir, be considered a sport?
• Do you think cities should have a bike sharing system?
• Should college athletes be paid?
• Why baseball players should take drug tests before playing.
• High school football programs should receive less funding.
• Female sports should be given equal coverage by the media.
• Should drug tests be mandatory for professional athletes?
• Should athletes be paid less?
• Should drug tests be mandatory for school athletes?
• Winning is not as important as trying your best.

See this page for a full list of Persuasive Sports Speech Topics .

28 Technology Persuasive Speech Topics

• Google and other search engines will be the death of libraries.
• Make sure to backup your computer files several times a day.
• What kind of influence will technology have on our future?
• Printing photos is better than keeping them on a computer.
• Do you believe internet censorship is inappropriate?
• Should nuclear power be used?
• How technology will change our lives.
• Internet could do more to free deaf people from their social isolation.
• Should screen time also be limited for adults?
• Why the government should regulate technology.
• Technology is making people less creative.
• Technology has made life better.
• Why Microsoft Word products should be free.
• Why you should not buy an iPhone.
• Anti-piracy software does not work.
• Internet chatrooms are not safe.
• The amount of spam you see in your mailbox is just the tip of the iceberg.
• We are addicted to the internet.
• Put down your phone and connect with people.
• Electronics are making kids lazy.
• How does a search engine work?
• Apple music should be free.
• The importance of the internet.
• Internet gambling needs more regulation.
• Computer literacy should be increased.
• The importance of internet fraud awareness.
• Why selfies are a thing of the past.
• People who say they do not need or want to use the world wide web are insane.

12 Travel Persuasive Speech Topics

• Why you should go to Bermuda.
• Why airline tickets should be cheaper.
• Traveling makes you more open-minded.
• Always report travel complaints as soon as possible when back home.
• Backpacking means every day unexpected adventures if you are open for it
• If there was no tourism there would be much more poverty.
• Support eco-tourism.
• Tourism ruins historical sites and there should be placed warning signs to awake them.
• Extreme air turbulence can be fatal.
• Fly First Class at least once in your lifetime.
• The best way to travel is in a guided group.
• Antarctica should be closed for tourists and scientists

8 Workplace Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should large corporations hire a number of minorities that are proportionate to the population?
• Do you think 14 year olds should be allowed to hold jobs?
• Why you should choose a high paying job over a fun job.
• Why everyone should work retail once in their life.
• Tipping should be mandatory in restaurants.
• Women make better managers than men.
• The importance of office parties.
• Labor unions should be protected.

Our list of topics is by far the best list you will find online – both in terms of quantity and quality. We add and remove ideas weekly to keep the list up-to-date.

Many timely persuasive speech topics can be found on radio, TV, your local newspaper, or your Facebook and Twitter feeds. We also have Argumentative (which is a type of persuasive speech on a controversial issue) and Policy topics . If you know of a cool topic, please send it to us and we will publish it on our page with fresh topics.

For persuasive essay topic ideas have a look at our list of Interesting Research Paper topics : these can be easily adapted for persuasive speeches.

Write a Gripping Personal Narrative Essay Using Our Cheat Guide

Vote of Thanks Examples

50 thoughts on “434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics”

Thank You! 🙂 Very helpful and inspiring and you get a good laugh out of these topics, wish me luck on my test.

That was some awesome topics for my college presentation thanks for the help 🙂

Thank you so much i got a 82 on my speech! I talked about how women don’t have rights, and that they should be in the kitchen. Thank you again!!!

These topics are good I like give speech. Speech good for speaking. thank for topics

Why smoking can help you make friends

These topic are good. Thank you so much..

Really helpful, I pro-formed a speech outlining why exactly unfaithful thots should be be vanquished from our society. Got a 69.

Thanks so much! I did a speech on the unfaithful thots of our society and the plague being wrought upon the population. We need a solution. Some might say a final, solution.

These topics are great. Thank you

OMG thank you sooooo mush you literally saved my life.

Thankkkk youuuuuuuuuuuuu sooooo much these topics are amazing and thank you for saving my life my speech was why airlines should be cheeper and i got a 99

Great topics but there is no R rating for video games. (Family, Topic 10)

Thank you so much this was really helpful!!!!

these are good topics because im in 5th grade in my class right now and we are starting pursasive right now

Why sex education important

Are pitbulls a vicious breed

Germany is the best

Does Lightning McQueen have Life Insurance or Car Insurance ?

Correction: why cats make the purrfect pet.

thank you this is a very helpful and inspiring topics

These were good and helpful. This was exactly what I needed for my speech. Thanks to whoever came up with all of these.

Thank you so much. My speech on getting Belle Delphine banned got 69%

Thank you so much, this was inspiring and helpful.

ok, so I know im the only one that did this but its actually 414 speech topics so!!!!!11

This was v helpful- thank you! i did that Princess Diana was murdered and was very easy to be passionate about it – thx again!

very nice. help alot.me like moon landing one. thought was funny.

i love ThiS website SO MUCH it helped me with my speech endlessly and will be forever greatful xxx <3 <3

Why water causes cancer

Why Sped kids should have more special attention in schools?

-Tax the freaking pants off the 1%

-Only highly education education specialists should make laws regarding education

-Schools should implement standards that require more recess and P.E. and no homework

did a speach on koalas being nuclearly reactive thx sm

please tell kate to stop trying to help with my academics in writing thanks xx

Should kids be allowed to kick their parents out of the house when they get caught doing bad things

cheating isnt wrong if you do it well

i personally think that this website helped a lot i think you should add a kpop section just for who is interester ^0^ thank you 🙂

I made a speech explaining why toothbrushing should be mandatory and it got a 69

thanks so much i got a 69 on my speech about free robux

thanks bro i got a 69% on my speech about how i would eat henrique all night

Couldn’t find a topic but site was amazing! Henrique on the other hand

thanks got me a 100

Those were so helpful wish me luck on my test

henrique is kind of annoying but a good website

i’m thinking a speech on the flash sounds perfect.

Thank youuu so muchhh!!!!!! This was so helpful and rly helped me find new perspectives to look from. I wrote my speech on how men are animals, have no rights, and should be locked in mines and milked for their semen. I also found out im pregnant guys!!!! Time to find out if it’s a girl or an abortion!!!!!

I got the best speech topic.thank goodness.I only got an hour to finish.

why can’t we make toast in the bath

Why teens shouldn’t have sex before marriage.

I laughed so hard at “students should not have to do a persuasive speech in front of public audiences”

is this the real life, or is it just a fantasy?

this site was so good i found nothing! thank goodness i got a 0% my grades are rising

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• Writing Tips

50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

5-minute read

• 13th January 2023

Some find writing a persuasive speech to be intimidating, but it’s an opportunity to share your position on a topic you care about and to invite listeners to support (or at least appreciate) your way of thinking. You’ll benefit from a clear position, credible evidence, and careful consideration of your audience.

Your first step is to pick a topic. Whether you’re a teacher creating an assignment or a student deciding what to speak about, our list of 50 suggested persuasive speech topics and tips are a good starting place.

Choosing a Topic

●  It’s more enjoyable to research and write a speech about a topic that genuinely holds your interest. It’ll make for better delivery, too. Passion is contagious! On the other hand, boredom and a lack of enthusiasm come through easily in vocal tone.

●  Avoid tired, overdone issues. If you’ve heard it all before, there’s a good chance your audience has, too. Pick something current and relevant to your listeners . If you go with a popular topic, try to approach it from a fresh angle.

●  Issues that contain multiple viewpoints are preferable to simplistic good/bad debates. Most reasonable people would agree that “bullying is bad.” But they might learn something new if you share recent research on bullying and offer different approaches to tackling it.

Let’s look at some interesting speech topics, categorized by subject.

Should free speech on the internet be restricted?

At what age should children have access to smartphones?

Does texting hinder interpersonal skills?

Should parents limit their children’s screen time?

Should laws prohibit using devices while driving?

Is there a link between device usage and decreased mental health?

Should the number of US Supreme Court Justices be increased?

Should voting be compulsory?

Should Election Day in the US change from Tuesday to the weekend?

Should the electoral college system be abolished?

Should election procedures be standardized in all states?

Should the Senate filibuster be abolished?

Should the death penalty be legal?

Should states be allowed to have different abortion laws?

Should the legal age to own an assault rifle be raised?

Should the US conduct a voluntary gun buyback program?

Are governments doing enough to address climate change?

Is student loan forgiveness fair?

Should the US invest in high-speed rail similar to those in Japan and Europe?

Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?

What is the greatest threat to international stability?

What can be done to prevent cyber threats?

Is the two-party political system of the US failing?

Should the US adopt a single-payer universal health care system?

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Should minimum wage be a factor in the cost of health care?

Is healthcare a human right?

Should access to abortion be required by healthcare providers?

Do school shooter drills damage students’ mental health?

Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?

Should employers offer incentives and bonuses to employees who bike or walk to work?

Do school uniforms offer any advantages?

Are school dress codes gender biased?

Are standardized test scores given too much importance in schools?

Do college entrance exams privilege those with higher socio-economic status?

Should teachers be allowed to keep firearms in their classrooms as protection against active shooters?

Should indigenous languages be taught in schools?

Should immigrants have access to free language classes?

Should books ever be banned in schools?

Should elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?

Should schools be cellphone free?

Should volunteering before graduation be compulsory?

Should school cafeterias serve more plant-based foods?

Should parents let their children play tackle football?

Should college sports teams receive less money?

Should there be more female priests or pastors of churches?

Should churches and other religious organizations pay taxes?

Should all priests be allowed to marry?

Should prayer be permitted in public schools?

On balance, does religion create more conflict or foster peace?

Should there be exceptions to the freedom to practice any religion?

Persuasion Isn’t All or Nothing

People often think persuasion means getting others to agree with you, but persuasion is more nuanced than that. You might persuade someone to go beyond sympathy and act. You might highlight the gray areas of a typically black and white debate.

When total agreement is out of reach, you can settle for agreement in part. Consider your audience thoughtfully when you decide on your goals and remember that you have options.

Step Up with Confidence

We hope these suggested persuasive speech topics have the wheels of your mind turning. Whether it’s for a speech or an argumentative essay , getting your ideas on paper and editing them is a necessary part of the process. Our editors are here to help you confidently put out your best work. Submit a free sample today .

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The Admissions Strategist

191 best persuasive speech topics: give an amazing speech.

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe?

While almost everyone experiences some stage fright speaking in front of an audience, there are ways to tame this debilitating fear.

Half the battle of giving a speech is selecting a topic that engages your audience.

For any speech, whether informative or persuasive, your speech idea should meet these criteria:

• Well-researched with solid examples and evidence
• Broad enough to be universal, narrow enough to be original
• Meaningful and customized to your audience

Additionally, you should possess a measure of expertise on your topic.

Understanding the nuances of what you are speaking about is a sure way to ease those jitters. This is how you come up with the best speech idea.

When choosing a persuasive speech topic, all of the above criteria apply, along with a few additional requirements.

Click above to watch a video on Speech Topics.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

While an informative speech merely presents factual information, a good informative speech topic goes a step further.

• The goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience that your perspective is valid.

This does not mean that the audience will agree with every opinion you present, but a good persuasive speech makes the audience think* .

A great persuasive speech makes an audience act.

As transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

Therefore, a strong persuasive speaker will:

• Present a clear and sincere perspective. The audience should not be questioning your stance on an issue.
• Exhibit passion that inspires others to think or act.
• Be confident in both your perspective and topic.

Not all persuasive speeches need to be deeply controversial, but there should be some gray area in your chosen topic.

Political , social and ethical issues make compelling persuasive speech topics for this reason.

The persuasive speech should address a burning question that incites intellectual debate:

• Should strict gun control laws be implemented?
• Is it possible to be an animal lover and a carnivore?
• Is the government at fault for the increasing homeless population?

Such questions may seem divisive, but, in a civilized society, they are essential to ask.

Posing such questions directly to your audience during your speech engages a group in the Socratic Method of critical thinking.

Furthermore, if a topic isn’t inherently controversial, then it might not make the most powerful speech.

Your job as a persuasive speaker is to argue your point, which is not necessary to do on topics that most people agree on.

In that vein, here are a handful of topics that would not make for good persuasive speeches.

• Learning a foreign language is important.
• Fighting in overseas wars can be dangerous.
• Social Security income is not sufficient for many retired Americans.
• Technical skills are crucial in the 21st-century job market.
• Cardiovascular fitness improves longevity.

…And you get the picture. So, what does make a good persuasive speech topic? Well, there are at least 191 answers to that question.

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191 best persuasive speech topics.

Before we reveal the 191 best persuasive speech topics, let’s preview each of the categories:

• Politics and law : This topic revolves around pressing issues including voting, Supreme Court decisions, political leadership, and criminal justice.
• Environmental activism : Climate change, offshore oil drilling, and green technology are just a few of the hot-button issues you’ll discover in this category.
• Social justice : Covering all issues of equality, social justice topics invite debate – and demand solid supporting facts or powerhouse emotional appeals .
• Ethics : Comprising our basic morals and values that drive our behaviors, the ethics category examines how to deal with issues like animal abuse, abortion, and stem cell research.
• Health : Regarding important issues like our food supply, how should we best protect and promote human health in the 21 st century?
• Potpourri : And now we come to the miscellaneous category of “everything else.” You’ll find engaging or even entertaining ideas related to music, movies, curriculum, and more.

Take a deep breath and read on!

Politics and Law

• Alternative political parties (i.e., Green Party, Libertarian Party, etc.)
• Declaring “Independent” or “No Party Affiliation” on voter registration.
• Should voters with no party affiliation be allowed to vote in primary elections?
• Are newly proposed voter registration laws discriminatory?
• How many terms should politicians be allowed to serve?
• Popular vote vs. Electoral College
• Are women underrepresented in Congress?
• Swing states (i.e., Florida and Ohio)
• Do current proposed abortion laws violate Roe v. Wade?
• Political correctness versus freedom of speech
• Terrorist watch lists – safety precaution or blatant prejudice?
• Corporate lobbyists and campaign contributions
• Are laws too lenient on violent criminals?
• Tax responsibility: income tax, property tax, sales tax.
• Should the voting age be increased or decreased?
• Capital punishment: right or wrong?
• DNA evidence in criminal cases: is it enough?
• Should criminal minors be prosecuted and sentenced as adults?
• How to deal with the issue of illegal immigration
• Should cigarettes be taken off the market and made illegal?
• Legalization of Marijuana
• Should health insurance be mandatory by law?
• Is the death penalty obsolete?
• Private vs. Public Prisons
• Should politicians be allowed to use private donations to campaign?
• Is it right for the government to fund partisan organizations?
• Appointment of Supreme Court Justice
• How can the mass shooting crisis be solved?
• Minimum wage: should it exist or be forgotten?
• Should citizens be required to serve in the military for a period of time?
• Gun rights on school campuses: is it safe?
• Military members and income tax

Environmental Activism

• Hybrid and electric cars on the road
• Oil spills and world wildlife
• Saving rainforests and their indigenous species
• Palm oil: should it be outlawed?
• Make all bills and business correspondence paperless.
• Dangers of drilling for oil
• Replacing plastic with glass and cardboard
• Trophy hunting: should the penalties be harsher?
• Banning disposable diapers in favor of cloth diapers
• Benefits of public transportation, biking, walking, or carpooling
• Conserving water in our everyday lives
• Wildfires on the rise in California
• Greenhouse gas emissions in Asia
• Global climate change and increased severity of storms
• Growing food as a homesteader
• Impact of big box stores on the environment
• Impact of online retailers’ packaging and shipping on the environment
• Turning the practice of recycling into a law punishable by hefty fines
• Overfishing and dwindling populations of marine wildlife
• Factory farms and greenhouse gas emissions
• Controlling E. Coli and other food borne illnesses
• Are is worth it to ban plastic straws?
• Drones and the environment
• Should hunting be outlawed in national parks to protect its wildlife?
• Hair care and air quality
• Better education for at home waste management
• Should it be illegal to flush certain things into the sewage system?
• Is it right to cut down a tree for the holidays?
• How do marijuana farms affect the surrounding area’s environment?
• Water contamination: What preventative measures can be taken?
• How to reduce your carbon footprint
• Should new homes support solar energy only?
• Organic farming practices

Social Justice

• Do you agree with the research on equal pay between men and women?
• Should government employees go without pay during a shutdown?
• Police brutality and shootings (in general or a specific case in the news such as Philando Castile in Minnesota)
• Should all policemen wear body cameras?
• Is racial discrimination on the rise? Why or why not?
• Scholarship opportunities for minority students
• The benefits (or challenges) of a multicultural society
• Should bullies be expelled from school?
• What can be done about anonymous online bullying?
• Unrealistic beauty/body standards and self-image
• How to create a strong community
• Welfare, SNAP, and other social assistance programs
• The 40-hour work week is too long.
• Comparing the work week in Europe to the work week in the United States
• Caring for an aging population: are Social Security and Medicare enough?
• Civil lawsuits should not receive so much attention in the media.
• Racial and ethnic profiling (including FBI criminal profiling)
• Being a foster or adoptive parent
• Buying local builds up the community.
• Refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
• Battling stereotypes and making them obsolete
• Mandatory community service for all U.S. citizens
• Is common law marriage outdated?
• Should companies be allowed to deny service to anyone?
• Changing gender on a driver’s license
• Affirmative Action today
• DACA DREAMers Movement
• Legalization of gay marriage
• Should individuals be allowed to adopt?
• Re-sentencing for crimes involving marijuana in states where it is now legal
• Unlimited Paid Time Off vs Accrued time off
• License revoking for older drivers: is it against their rights?
• Wearing fur or using fur for any profit
• Mistreatment of farm animals: what is the solution?
• How do we address the increasing problem of homelessness?
• Tithing – how much should each person give?
• Euthanasia for terminally ill individuals
• Was it right for Dr. Kevorkian (assisted suicide physician) to be imprisoned?
• Pet shops and breeders versus shelters
• Returning or rehoming pets: is it right?
• Preselecting the gender and other aspects of an unborn baby
• Abortion: pro-choice or pro-life?
• Product testing on animals in labs
• Stem cell research
• Protecting children from inappropriate websites
• When should a child be allowed to have a smartphone?
• Should children be allowed into an R-rated movie even with a guardian?
• Should violent movies and video games be banned?
• Do zoos and circuses abuse animals?
• Arranged marriage: a cultural tradition or outdated practice?
• Raising children without being married
• How to impart ethical behavior to the next generation
• Ethics as a mandatory high school class
• Do parents deceive children by telling tales of Santa Claus?
• Should pharmaceutical patents be removed so affordable generics can be made?
• 13 Reasons Why: Did it glorify suicide?
• Wrongful termination case study
• Is the borrowing limit for student loans too high?
• Pay for play in college athletics
• Performance enhancing steroids in competitive sports
• Is it right to own a gun for personal protection?
• Mandated reporting (Mandated reporters are individuals who are required to report any information they receive about abuse, suicidal ideation, etc.)
• Can an influencer be held responsible if they promote a harmful product unknowingly?
• Conventional versus organic produce
• Food additives, preservatives, and cancer rates
• Meat consumption and its effects on life expectancy
• Dangers of sitting at a desk all day
• Fast food industry and obesity rates
• Medical marijuana to treat chronic conditions
• GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in foods: to label or not to label?
• Mandatory CPR and First Aid training for new parents
• School cafeteria food and children’s health
• Alternative uses of oral contraceptives
• Restaurant responsibility with peanut, gluten, and other allergies
• Everyday products that could be dangerous: deodorant, toothpaste, etc.
• Teaching yoga and meditation in public schools
• Moving from the “medical model” to holistic health
• Massages as necessities rather than luxuries
• Which vitamin supplements are worthless and should go off the market?
• The mind-body connection and its influence on health
• Social media and mental health
• The cumulative effects of poor sleep (and how electronics impact our sleep)
• IVF (Invitro fertilization): Should becoming a parent be covered?
• Should there be more physical education in schools?
• Is diabetes reversible?
• Doctors and insurance: should they accept all insurance?
• Do detox diets really work?
• Is binge-watching Netflix bad for our health?
• Keto vs Paleo vs Vegan: which is better?
• Should a patient be allowed to deny medical care?
• Pre-existing conditions and insurance rates
• Employers should offer mental health days without question
• Alternative sex education (not abstinence-only and inclusive of LGBT lifestyle)
• Mind-body fitness versus traditional Western sports
• Best genre and time period of music
• Healthiest world cuisine
• Uneven distribution of wealth: the top 1% versus everyone else
• Cost of living versus average salaries
• What to do about cults, gangs, and similar groups
• How to get accepted into an Ivy League school
• Religion versus spiritualism
• Survival skills should be taught in school.
• Benefits of forest schools for children
• The best U.S. President in history
• The most influential leader or figure in history
• Most effective ways to manage stress
• Obscure movies that people should watch
• Multitasking: fact or fiction?
• Buying a house versus renting an apartment
• Most exciting travel destination
• How to ace any test
• Overcoming social anxiety
• How our phones are hurting our eyes
• Are multi-level marketing companies really pyramid schemes?
• Protests: are they effective?
• Is a wedding reception worth the price tag?
• Should catfishing be a criminal offense?
• Mandatory study abroad semester in college
• Student loan borrowing: should it ever be forgiven?
• Responsible credit card strategies
• Living with parents to save money
• Can someone find true love on The Bachelor?
• Telemarketers and Harassment
• Marvel vs DC

And there you have it – 100+ unique topics to stoke your imagination and help you identify your passion.

Feel free to go beyond these springboard ideas or customize them to your perspective.

Advice from Persuasive Speech Experts

To help you out even more, we asked the experts on the best tips for giving a persuasive speech.

From Melora Kordos, visiting assistant professor of theatre arts at Sweet Briar College:

When selecting a persuasive speech topic, a student should first look to her own interests and passions. If she chooses something that she cares deeply about or has great interest in, then she will be able to more easily identify the best three points that support her argument and focus on those in her speech. If she is not already engaged in the topic, it will be much harder to persuade others to agree with her point of view. She should use both logical and emotional appeals throughout her speech, giving her a better chance of resonating with a larger percentage of her audience.

From Dr. Allison Beltramini, associate professor of communications at Waubonsee Community College:

When doing a persuasive  speech , it’s helpful to choose a topic that you personally believe in or support. It’s much easier to speak on something that you have a connection to. The next tip is to do your homework. This includes exploring the opposite side of the issue. Your audience needs to know that you are well-versed in the topic. Incorporate this research to support the claims you are making. Curate your sources carefully. Know who/what organizations are behind the sources you are using. And please, verbally cite your sources. Using research without the verbal citations in your  speech  is plagiarism. Persuasion is incremental. You can’t just tell someone something and expect they will believe you. You have to set up the issue, show how the problem effect people, talk about what will help or fix the problem and show why the solutions will work. All of these steps are vital. Finally – practice is essential. Your  speech  should be prepared but conversational. Reading to an audience word for word is not a good idea.

From Nate Masterson, HR manager of Maple Holistics :

The key to giving a persuasive  speech  is to engage your audience, and there are several ways to do this. Firstly, make eye contact with different people in the audience, but make sure to scan the whole room and not just focus on one area. Also, research the group of people you will be addressing so that you better know their priorities, cultural norms, inside jokes, etc. To make sure that your speech is sufficiently compelling, stick to just a few main talking points or objectives. This will ensure that your speech stays focused and that you can spend adequate time and energy backing up these main points without boring your audience.

From Jeffrey Davis, executive speech coach at Speak Clear Communications :

First, the best speakers build their argument emotionally as well as logically. Every point has a complelling story attached to it. Second, they make arguments that are novel and innovative. The “how” of the argument is as important as the “why.” Lastly, great speakers do not hold back on hand gestures!  Gesturing is scientifically proven to enhance a speaker’s impression with the audience.

From Bridgett McGowen, CEO of BMcTALKS :

While it’s important your audience has a memorable experience during your presentation and that it learns something new or gains a new perspective on something it already knew, it is equally important to move the audience to actually do something with what you shared … something that will inspire or change their lives, professions, or communities … because you are there to persuade! Remember any time you present, consistently think to yourself “In what difference-making endeavor do I want my audience to join?” or “Now that everyone has heard this, now what?” Give them the answers to those questions to further your persuasive message.

From Martha Krejci, business coaching leader :

Don’t write everything out! The last thing you want to do is look like you’re reading a speech verbatim. You want to illuminate your authority in the field you are speaking about. Reading does not do that….at all. So, here’s what I do. I think about the end goal of what I’m trying to communicate. Then, reverse engineer the points that take us there. Write the points out on a notecard if you need it, or if you’re lucky enough to have a teleprompter, use that. And finally, above all…tell stories! Don’t just have a bunch of dry information that anyone with a wifi signal could google. Tell stories that bring your audience into your problem, but also your solution you propose. If you can master storytelling, you may just be surprised by how good you can get at public speaking.

From Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek :

Telling an easy-to-follow story is crucial in being persuasive. If people have to think too hard to understand what you’re talking about, they’re less likely to listen. If they don’t listen, you won’t have a chance to persuade them. If there are studies, surveys, or other types of data that can vouch for what you’re saying, that’ll also go a long way to persuading others. Lastly, you have to believe what you’re talking about. If you truly believe your message, it’ll shine through and people will be inclined to believe you, too.

From Adam Cole, expert writer and author:

Number one is the invitation to listen. It ensures that the listener has a context in which to understand what you are presenting so that everyone is on the same page when the important information comes. The invitation may contain relevant humorous anecdotes to break the tension and present the speaker as appealing, and it must be accessible enough that the listener will at least know what the topic is and why they should care. Number two is the topic. Depending on the complexity of the topic, it should be structured for maximum clarity. While humor and anecdotes can be used to illustrate the point, they should not distract from it or become the focus (unless the task is to highlight the speaker, rather than the topic, which is ok). Number three is the follow-through. If the listener has learned something, a good summation will help them retain the most important points from the learning so that they can remember it and follow up with more learning (perhaps from the speaker’s books, videos, or other appearances!) Taking the topic and framing it in terms of an action step for the audience may be a powerful way for them to keep the presentation (and the speaker) in their heads.

Conclusion: Best Persuasive Speech Topics

Remember, your passion and expertise on the topic will translate to audience engagement – and hopefully a good grade!

• Delivering a persuasive speech doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience if you’re prepared and passionate.

In the words of Cicero: “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”

To follow the advice of the great Roman orator, find your passion and then express it through your persuasive speech.

The skills you develop now in this area will benefit you throughout your professional and personal life.

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Persuasive Speech: How to Write an Effective Persuasive Speech

Most often, it actually causes the other person to want to play “Devil’s advocate” and argue with you. In this article, we are going to show you a simple way to win people to your way of thinking without raising resentment. If you use this technique, your audience will actually WANT to agree with you! The process starts with putting yourself in the shoes of your listener and looking at things from their point of view.

Background About How to Write a Persuasive Speech. Facts Aren’t Very Persuasive.

Most people think that a single fact is good, additional facts are better, and too many facts are just right. So, the more facts you can use to prove your point, the better chance you have of convincing the other person that you are right. The HUGE error in this logic, though, is that if you prove that you are right, you are also proving that the other person is wrong. People don’t like it when someone proves that they are wrong. So, we prove our point, the other person is likely to feel resentment. When resentment builds, it leads to anger. Once anger enters the equation, logic goes right out the window.

In addition, when people use a “fact” or “Statistic” to prove a point, the audience has a natural reaction to take a contrary side of the argument. For instance, if I started a statement with, “I can prove to you beyond a doubt that…” before I even finish the statement, there is a good chance that you are already trying to think of a single instance where the statement is NOT true. This is a natural response. As a result, the thing that we need to realize about being persuasive is that the best way to persuade another person is to make the person want to agree with us. We do this by showing the audience how they can get what they want if they do what we want.

You may also like How to Design and Deliver a Memorable Speech .

A Simple 3-Step Process to Create a Persuasive Presentation

The process below is a good way to do both.

Step One: Start Your Persuasive Speech with an Example or Story

When you write an effective persuasive speech, stories are vital. Stories and examples have a powerful way to capture an audience’s attention and set them at ease. They get the audience interested in the presentation. Stories also help your audience see the concepts you are trying to explain in a visual way and make an emotional connection. The more details that you put into your story, the more vivid the images being created in the minds of your audience members.

This concept isn’t mystical or anything. It is science. When we communicate effectively with another person, the purpose is to help the listener picture a concept in his/her mind that is similar to the concept in the speaker’s mind. The old adage is that a “picture is worth 1000 words.” Well, an example or a story is a series of moving pictures. So, a well-told story is worth thousands of words (facts).

By the way, there are a few additional benefits of telling a story. Stories help you reduce nervousness, make better eye contact, and make for a strong opening. For additional details, see Storytelling in Speeches .

I’ll give you an example.

Factual Argument: Seatbelts Save Lives

• 53% of all motor vehicle fatalities from last years were people who weren’t wearing seatbelts.
• People not wearing seatbelts are 30 times more likely to be ejected from the vehicle.
• In a single year, crash deaths and injuries cost us over $70 billion dollars.

These are actual statistics. However, when you read each bullet point, you are likely to be a little skeptical. For instance, when you see the 53% statistic, you might have had the same reaction that I did. You might be thinking something like, “Isn’t that right at half? Doesn’t that mean that the other half WERE wearing seatbelts?” When you see the “30 times more likely” statistic, you might be thinking, “That sounds a little exaggerated. What are the actual numbers?” Looking at the last statistic, we’d likely want to know exactly how the reporter came to that conclusion.

As you can see, if you are a believer that seatbelts save lives, you will likely take the numbers at face value. If you don’t like seatbelts, you will likely nitpick the finer points of each statistic. The facts will not likely persuade you.

Example Argument: Seatbelts Save Lives

When I came to, I tried to open my door. The accident sealed it shut. The windshield was gone. So I took my seatbelt off and scrambled out the hole. The driver of the truck was a bloody mess. His leg was pinned under the steering wheel.

The firefighters came a few minutes later, and it took them over 30 minutes to cut the metal from around his body to free him.

A Sheriff’s Deputy saw a cut on my face and asked if I had been in the accident. I pointed to my truck. His eyes became like saucers. “You were in that vehicle?”

I nodded. He rushed me to an ambulance. I had actually ruptured my colon, and I had to have surgery. I was down for a month or so, but I survived. In fact, I survived with very few long-term challenges from the accident.

The guy who hit me wasn’t so lucky. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. The initial impact of the accident was his head on the steering wheel and then the windshield. He had to have a number of facial surgeries. The only reason he remained in the truck was his pinned leg. For me, the accident was a temporary trauma. For him, it was a life-long tragedy.

The Emotional Difference is the Key

As you can see, there are major differences between the two techniques. The story gives lots of memorable details along with an emotion that captures the audience. If you read both examples, let me ask you a couple of questions. Without looking back up higher on the page, how long did it take the firefighters to cut the other driver from the car? How many CDs did I have? There is a good chance that these two pieces of data came to you really quickly. You likely remembered this data, even though, the data wasn’t exactly important to the story.

However, if I asked you how much money was lost last year as a result of traffic accidents, you might struggle to remember that statistic. The CDs and the firefighters were a part of a compelling story that made you pay attention. The money lost to accidents was just a statistic thrown at you to try to prove that a point was true.

The main benefit of using a story, though, is that when we give statistics (without a story to back them up,) the audience becomes argumentative. However, when we tell a story, the audience can’t argue with us. The audience can’t come to me after I told that story and say, “It didn’t take 30 minutes to cut the guy out of the car. He didn’t have to have a bunch of reconstructive surgeries. The Deputy didn’t say those things to you! The audience can’t argue with the details of the story, because they weren’t there.

Step 2: After the Story, Now, Give Your Advice

When most people write a persuasive presentation, they start with their opinion. Again, this makes the listener want to play Devil’s advocate. By starting with the example, we give the listener a simple way to agree with us. They can agree that the story that we told was true. So, now, finish the story with your point or your opinion. “So, in my opinion, if you wear a seatbelt, you’re more likely to avoid serious injury in a severe crash.”

By the way, this technique is not new. It has been around for thousands of years. Aesop was a Greek slave over 500 years before Christ. His stories were passed down verbally for hundreds of years before anyone ever wrote them down in a collection. Today, when you read an Aesop fable, you will get 30 seconds to two minutes of the story first. Then, at the conclusion, almost as a post-script, you will get the advice. Most often, this advice comes in the form of, “The moral of the story is…” You want to do the same in your persuasive presentations. Spend most of the time on the details of the story. Then, spend just a few seconds in the end with your morale.

Step 3: End with the Benefit to the Audience

So, the moral of the story is to wear your seatbelt. If you do that, you will avoid being cut out of your car and endless reconstructive surgeries .

Now, instead of leaving your audience wanting to argue with you, they are more likely to be thinking, “Man, I don’t want to be cut out of my car or have a bunch of facial surgeries.”

The process is very simple. However, it is also very powerful.

How to Write a Successful Persuasive Speech Using the “Breadcrumb” Approach

Once you understand the concept above, you can create very powerful persuasive speeches by linking a series of these persuasive stories together. I call this the breadcrumb strategy. Basically, you use each story as a way to move the audience closer to the ultimate conclusion that you want them to draw. Each story gains a little more agreement.

So, first, just give a simple story about an easy to agree with concept. You will gain agreement fairly easily and begin to also create an emotional appeal. Next, use an additional story to gain additional agreement. If you use this process three to five times, you are more likely to get the audience to agree with your final conclusion. If this is a formal presentation, just make your main points into the persuasive statements and use stories to reinforce the points.

Here are a few persuasive speech examples using this approach.

An Example of a Persuasive Public Speaking Using Breadcrumbs

Marijuana Legalization is Causing Huge Problems in Our Biggest Cities Homelessness is Out of Control in First States to Legalize Marijuana Last year, my family and I took a mini-vacation to Colorado Springs. I had spent a summer in Colorado when I was in college, so I wanted my family to experience the great time that I had had there as a youth. We were only there for four days, but we noticed something dramatic had happened. There were homeless people everywhere. Keep in mind, this wasn’t Denver, this was Colorado City. The picturesque landscape was clouded by ripped sleeping bags on street corners, and trash spread everywhere. We were downtown, and my wife and daughter wanted to do some shopping. My son and I found a comic book store across the street to browse in. As we came out, we almost bumped into a dirty man in torn close. He smiled at us, walked a few feet away from the door, and lit up a joint. He sat on the corner smoking it. As my son and I walked the 1/4 mile back to the store where we left my wife and daughter, we stepped over and walked around over a dozen homeless people camped out right in the middle of the town. This was not the Colorado that I remembered. From what I’ve heard, it has gotten even worse in the last year. So, if you don’t want to dramatically increase your homelessness population, don’t make marijuana legal in your state. DUI Instances and Traffic Accidents Have Increased in Marijuana States I was at the airport waiting for a flight last week, and the guy next to me offered me his newspaper. I haven’t read a newspaper in years, but he seemed so nice that I accepted. It was a copy of the USA Today, and it was open to an article about the rise in unintended consequences from legalizing marijuana. Safety officials and police in Colorado, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon, the first four state to legalize recreational marijuana, have reported a 6% increase in traffic accidents in the last few years. Although the increase (6%) doesn’t seem very dramatic, it was notable because the rate of accidents had been decreasing in each of the states for decades prior to the law change. Assuming that only one of the two parties involved in these new accidents was under the influence, that means that people who aren’t smoking marijuana are being negatively affected by the legalization. So, if you don’t want to increase your chances of being involved in a DUI incident, don’t legalize marijuana. (Notice how I just used an article as my evidence, but to make it more memorable, I told the story about how I came across the article. It is also easier to deliver this type of data because you are just relating what you remember about the data, not trying to be an expert on the data itself.) Marijuana is Still Largely Unregulated Just before my dad went into hospice care, he was in a lot of pain. He would take a prescription painkiller before bed to sleep. One night, my mom called frantically. Dad was in a catatonic state and wasn’t responsive. I rushed over. The hospital found that Dad had an unusually high amount of painkillers in his bloodstream. His regular doctor had been on vacation, and the fill-in doctor had prescribed a much higher dosage of the painkiller by accident. His original prescription was 2.5 mg, and the new prescription was 10 mg. Since dad was in a lot of pain most nights, he almost always took two tablets. He was also on dialysis, so his kidneys weren’t filtering out the excess narcotic each day. He had actually taken 20 MG (instead of 5 MG) on Friday night and another 20 mg on Saturday. Ordinarily, he would have had, at max, 15 mg of the narcotic in his system. Because of the mistake, though, he had 60 MGs. My point is that the narcotics that my dad was prescribed were highly regulated medicines under a doctor’s care, and a mistake was still made that almost killed him. With marijuana, there is really no way of knowing how much narcotic is in each dosage. So, mistakes like this are much more likely. So, in conclusion, legalizing marijuana can increase homelessness, increase the number of impaired drivers, and cause accidental overdoses.

If you use this breadcrumb approach, you are more likely to get at least some agreement. Even if the person disagrees with your conclusion, they are still likely to at least see your side. So, the person may say something like, I still disagree with you, but I totally see your point. That is still a step in the right direction.

For Real-World Practice in How to Design Persuasive Presentations Join Us for a Class

Our instructors are experts at helping presenters design persuasive speeches. We offer the Fearless Presentations ® classes in cities all over the world about every three to four months. In addition to helping you reduce nervousness, your instructor will also show you secrets to creating a great speech. For details about any of the classes, go to our Presentation Skills Class web page.

For additional details, see Persuasive Speech Outline Example .

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How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech

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The purpose of a persuasive speech is to convince your audience to agree with an idea or opinion that you present. First, you'll need to choose a side on a controversial topic, then you will write a speech to explain your position, and convince the audience to agree with you.

You can produce an effective persuasive speech if you structure your argument as a solution to a problem. Your first job as a speaker is to convince your audience that a particular problem is important to them, and then you must convince them that you have the solution to make things better.

Note: You don't have to address a real problem. Any need can work as the problem. For example, you could consider the lack of a pet, the need to wash one's hands, or the need to pick a particular sport to play as the "problem."

As an example, let's imagine that you have chosen "Getting Up Early" as your persuasion topic. Your goal will be to persuade classmates to get themselves out of bed an hour earlier every morning. In this instance, the problem could be summed up as "morning chaos."

A standard speech format has an introduction with a great hook statement, three main points, and a summary. Your persuasive speech will be a tailored version of this format.

Before you write the text of your speech, you should sketch an outline that includes your hook statement and three main points.

Writing the Text

The introduction of your speech must be compelling because your audience will make up their minds within a few minutes whether or not they are interested in your topic.

Before you write the full body you should come up with a greeting. Your greeting can be as simple as "Good morning everyone. My name is Frank."

After your greeting, you will offer a hook to capture attention. A hook sentence for the "morning chaos" speech could be a question:

• How many times have you been late for school?
• Does your day begin with shouts and arguments?
• Have you ever missed the bus?

Or your hook could be a statistic or surprising statement:

• More than 50 percent of high school students skip breakfast because they just don't have time to eat.
• Tardy kids drop out of school more often than punctual kids.

Once you have the attention of your audience, follow through to define the topic/problem and introduce your solution. Here's an example of what you might have so far:

Good afternoon, class. Some of you know me, but some of you may not. My name is Frank Godfrey, and I have a question for you. Does your day begin with shouts and arguments? Do you go to school in a bad mood because you've been yelled at, or because you argued with your parent? The chaos you experience in the morning can bring you down and affect your performance at school.

Add the solution:

You can improve your mood and your school performance by adding more time to your morning schedule. You can accomplish this by setting your alarm clock to go off one hour earlier.

Your next task will be to write the body, which will contain the three main points you've come up with to argue your position. Each point will be followed by supporting evidence or anecdotes, and each body paragraph will need to end with a transition statement that leads to the next segment. Here is a sample of three main statements:

• Bad moods caused by morning chaos will affect your workday performance.
• If you skip breakfast to buy time, you're making a harmful health decision.
• (Ending on a cheerful note) You'll enjoy a boost to your self-esteem when you reduce the morning chaos.

After you write three body paragraphs with strong transition statements that make your speech flow, you are ready to work on your summary.

Your summary will re-emphasize your argument and restate your points in slightly different language. This can be a little tricky. You don't want to sound repetitive but will need to repeat what you have said. Find a way to reword the same main points.

Finally, you must make sure to write a clear final sentence or passage to keep yourself from stammering at the end or fading off in an awkward moment. A few examples of graceful exits:

• We all like to sleep. It's hard to get up some mornings, but rest assured that the reward is well worth the effort.
• If you follow these guidelines and make the effort to get up a little bit earlier every day, you'll reap rewards in your home life and on your report card.

Tips for Writing Your Speech

• Don't be confrontational in your argument. You don't need to put down the other side; just convince your audience that your position is correct by using positive assertions.
• Use simple statistics. Don't overwhelm your audience with confusing numbers.
• Don't complicate your speech by going outside the standard "three points" format. While it might seem simplistic, it is a tried and true method for presenting to an audience who is listening as opposed to reading.
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6 Tips for Writing a Persuasive Speech (On Any Topic)

B y far, the best way to learn how to write speeches is to read the great ones, from Pericles’ Funeral Oration, to Dr. King’s Mountaintop speech, to Faulkner’s Nobel acceptance address. But if you’re looking for some quick tips, here are a few things to bear in mind next time you’re asked to give a speech:

1. Write like you talk. There is no First Law of Speechwriting, but if there were, it would probably be something like this: a speech is meant to be spoken, not read. That simple (and obvious) fact has a few important (and less obvious) implications. Use short words. Write short sentences. Avoid awkward constructions that might cause a speaker to stumble. Tip: Read the speech aloud as you’re writing. If you do it enough, you’ll start hearing the words when you type them.

2. Tell a story . I once wrote speeches for a governor whose aide told me: speechwriting is about slinging soundbites together. That approach is a recipe for writing neither good speeches nor good soundbites. Whenever we sat down to discuss a speech for the first time, President Obama would ask us: What’s the story we’re trying to tell? Like any good story, a speech has its own narrative arc. For the President, it’s usually a slow warm-up, a substantive middle, and an inspirational end. That’s his style. Tell your story in whatever way feels natural. Tip: A good story can be a lot more powerful than the most compelling facts and statistics.

3. Structure matters . It’s usually harder to figure out the right structure for a speech – the order of the points to make – than the words themselves. The order of those points matters because an argument that’s clear and logical is more likely to be persuasive. There is a reason that some of America’s greatest speechwriters – from Lincoln to JFK’s speechwriter Ted Sorensen to President Obama himself – studied the law, a profession that values the ability to make a logical argument. Tip: Lists (like this one) are one way to impose a structure on a speech.

4. Be concise. It is said that Woodrow Wilson once gave the following reply to a speaking request: “If you’d like me to speak for five minutes, I’ll need a month to prepare. If you’d like me to speak for 20 minutes, I’ll need two weeks. But if you’d like me to speak for an hour, I’m ready right now.” As Wilson knew, it’s harder to be concise than verbose. But the best way to make a point is concisely, as Churchill did when he announced during a wartime address: “The news from France is very bad.” Next time you think you can’t afford to cut that paragraph you love, remember: the Gettysburg Address, perhaps the greatest speech in American history, is fewer than 300 words. Tip: Challenge yourself to cut as many words as possible from each sentence without losing the line’s meaning.

5. Be authentic. If you’ve ever given a speech, you’ve probably been told, “Just speak from the heart.” It’s not very helpful writing advice, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Once, when we were writing President Obama’s 2008 Democratic Convention address, we got stuck on a certain section of the speech. The President advised us: Think about the moment we’re in, think about what the country is going through, and write something that feels true. It was a helpful reminder to stop focusing on polls and soundbites and simply say something we believed in as simply as we could. Tip: Sharing a personal story can help you find your voice and build a connection with the audience.

6. Don’t just speak – say something. When Michelangelo was tasked with painting the Sistine Chapel, he considered it a thankless job. He would have much rather spent his time sculpting than painting. But he used the occasion to paint perhaps the most revered fresco in history. So, the next time you’re asked to speak, don’t just write a speech, write a great one. A speech’s greatness has as much to do with its values as anything else. No one remembers the speeches of segregationists, though there were no doubt eloquent preachers spewing hate in the days of Jim Crow. No one remembers Hitler’s speeches, though few would dispute his oratorical prowess. Of course, Hitler, like the segregationists, lost. But it’s also because hope will always be more compelling than hate. It’s no accident that the best-known, best-loved speech in history – the Sermon on the Mount – is an articulation of humanity’s highest ideals. Tip: Before sitting down to write, get inspired by reading great speeches from collections like William Safire’s “Lend Me Your Ears.”

Adam Frankel is VP, External Affairs at Andela . Previously, he was Special Assistant and Senior Speechwriter to President Barack Obama.

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162 lies and distortions in a news conference. NPR fact-checks former President Trump

Domenico Montanaro

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, speaks during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Aug. 8. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

There were a host of false things that Donald Trump said during his hour-long news conference Thursday that have gotten attention.

A glaring example is his helicopter emergency landing story, which has not stood up to scrutiny .

But there was so much more. A team of NPR reporters and editors reviewed the transcript of his news conference and found at least 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in 64 minutes. That’s more than two a minute. It’s a stunning number for anyone – and even more problematic for a person running to lead the free world.

Politicians spin. They fib. They misspeak. They make honest mistakes like the rest of us. And, yes, they even sometimes exaggerate their biographies .

The expectation, though, is that they will treat the truth as something important and correct any errors.

But what former President Trump did this past Thursday went well beyond the bounds of what most politicians would do.

Here’s what we found, going chronologically from the beginning of Trump’s remarks to the end:

1. “I think our country right now is in the most dangerous position it’s ever been in from an economic standpoint…” 

The U.S. economy has rebounded from the pandemic downturn more rapidly than most other countries around the world. Growth has slowed in recent months, but gross domestic product still grew at a relatively healthy annual clip of 2.8% in April, May and June – which is faster than the pace in three of the four years when Trump was president. — Scott Horsley, NPR chief economics correspondent

2. “…from a safety standpoint, both gangs on the street…”

We don’t have great, up-to-date data on gang activity in the U.S., but violent crime trends offer a good glimpse into safety in the country. Nationally, violent crime – that includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault – has been trending way down after a surge in 2020, according to the most recent data from the FBI . That data is preliminary and incomplete, covering around three-quarters of the country, but other crime analysts have found similar trends. Crime levels, of course, vary locally : murders are down in Philadelphia, for instance, but up in Charlotte, N.C. — Meg Anderson, NPR National Desk reporter covering criminal justice

3. “...and frankly, gangs outside of our country in the form of other countries that are, frankly, very powerful. They’re very powerful countries.”

The U.S. is not in the “most dangerous position” from a foreign-policy standpoint than ever before. Biden pulled troops out of Afghanistan in his first year in office — though the withdrawal itself was chaotic and a target of much criticism — and since then, U.S. troops have not been actively engaged in a war for the first time in 20 years. The U.S. is supporting Ukraine and Israel, of course, and has troops in Iraq and Syria, but they’re not fighting on any regular basis.

What’s more, however, FBI Director Christopher Wray has said the greatest threat to the country is domestic extremism . And beyond organized groups the very definition of extremism is changing, as fringe ideologies move into the mainstream, and radicalization takes hold amongst parts of the populace. Consider: the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and the assassination attempt on Trump’s life, even with a motive that remains murky at best. Regardless, the call is coming from inside the house, domestic extremism experts warn. Many polls show a sobering degree of support for political violence to drive change. — Andrew Sussman, NPR supervising editor for national security

4-5. “ We have a lot of bad things coming up. You could end up in a Depression of the 1929 variety, which would be a devastating thing, took many years– took many decades to recover from it, and we’re very close to that.”

There is nothing to suggest that a 1930s style Depression is on the horizon for the United States. And the Depression did not take “many decades to recover from.” It ended during World War Two , in 1941. — Scott Horsley

6. “And we’re very close to a world war. In my opinion, we’re very close to a world war.”

No serious person thinks that the U.S., Russia and China are about to start a world war. Right now, Russia appears to be having a hard time defending Russia, given Ukraine’s recent incursions. While there are concerns about things like the potential for regional conflagrations in the Middle East, only Trump is talking about world war. — Andrew Sussman

7. “ Kamala's record is horrible. She's a radical left person at a level that nobody's seen.” 

It’s debatable how liberal Harris is. Some in California didn’t like her record on criminal justice and thought she was not progressive enough. She’s clearly liked by progressives and her voting scores as a senator are on the liberal end of the spectrum, but is she “radical left” and “at a level that nobody’s seen”? There are plenty of people alive and in history who would be considered far more liberal and more radical.

8. “She picked a radical left man.”

Few, if any, reasonable people would say Walz is a “radical left man.” He had a progressive record as governor with a Democratic legislature, but the things passed are hardly radical – free school lunch, protecting abortion rights, legalizing marijuana, restricting access to certain types of guns. All of these things have majority support from voters. What’s more, that “progressive” record ignores Walz’s first term as governor when he worked with Republicans because Democrats didn’t control the legislature. And it ignores Walz’s time as a congressman when he was considered a more moderate member given that he was from a district that had been previously held by a Republican.

9. “He's going for things that nobody's ever even heard of. Heavy into the transgender world.” 

Last year, Walz championed and signed a bill that prevented state courts of officials from complying with child-removal requests, extraditions, arrests or subpoenas related to gender-affirming health care that a person receives or provides in Minnesota. “Heavy into the transgender world” is vague and misleading.

10. “He doesn't want to have borders. He doesn't want to have walls.”

Walz has never called for having no borders. He has voiced opposition to a wall because he doesn't think it will stop illegal immigration. He told Anderson Cooper on CNN , for example, that a wall "is not how you stop" illegal immigration He called for more border-control agents, electronics and more legal ways to immigrate.

11. “He doesn't want to have any form of safety for our country.”

Trump himself praised Walz’s handling of the aftermath of the George Floyd murder at the hands of a police officer. And it’s certainly hyperbole to say he “doesn’t want any form of safety for our country.” Walz served in the U.S. National Guard for 24 years, so clearly, he’s interested in the country having national security. And domestically, he’s never been a “defund the police” advocate. Walz opposed a ballot measure that would have gotten rid of minimum police staffing levels, for example. That angered advocates. He signed police reforms into law , but that does not prove wanting no safety.

12. “He doesn't mind people coming in from prisons.”

Walz has not said he wants people coming in from prisons. Trump is trying to tie his claim that other countries are sending prisoners to the United States to Democrats’ immigration policies.

13. “And neither does she, I guess. Because she's not, she couldn't care less.”

Harris has said a lot to the contrary of not caring about the levels of migrants coming across the border, let alone people coming in from prisons. In fact, when in Guatemala, she said her message for people thinking of immigrating to the United States was: " Do not come. Do not come ."

14. “She's the border czar. By the way, she was the border czar, 100%. And all of a sudden, for the last few weeks, she's not the border czar anymore, like nobody ever said it.”

Harris was never appointed “border czar.” That’s a phrase that was used incorrectly by some media outlets. Biden tasked Harris with leading the “ diplomatic effort ” with leaders in Central American countries, where many migrants are coming from.

Biden said he wants Harris “to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle and the countries that help — are going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border.” He added that Harris “agreed to lead our diplomatic effort and work with those nations to accept — the returnees, and enhance migration enforcement at their borders — at their borders.”

Harris herself that day spoke of “the need to address root causes for the migration that we’ve been seeing.”

15. “We have a very, very sick country right now. You saw the other day with the stock market crashing. That was just the beginning. That was just the beginning.”

The stock market did not “crash.” The stock market fell sharply at the end of last week as investors fretted about a softening job market. This was amplified on Monday when Japan’s stock market tumbled 12%, sparking a selloff around the world. Stocks in Japan and elsewhere have since regained much of this ground, however. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 683 points on the day of Trump’s news conference. — Scott Horsley

16. “Fortunately, we've had some very good polls over the last fairly short period of time.”

Most good polls have shown Harris gaining not just nationally, but also in the swing states, though these same polls show a very close race.

17. “Rasmussen came out today. We're substantially leading.” 

Trump is not substantially leading, and Rasmussen is viewed as one of the least credible pollsters in the country.

18. “And others came out today that we're leading, and in some cases, substantially, I guess, MSNBC came out, or CNBC came out also, with a poll that was, you know, has us leading.” 

Polls have not shown substantial leads. CNBC had Trump leading by 2, unchanged from his 2-point lead in July.

19. “And leading fairly big in swing states. In some polls, I'm leading very big in swing states… .”

Again, polls in swing states have shown a tightened race.

20. “But as a border czar, she's been the worst border czar in history, in the world history.”

Vice President Harris was never asked to lead immigration policy. That’s the job of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Again, the term “border czar” was used inaccurately by some media outlets, and it’s a term conservatives have been using to attack her, in part, because she has only visited the Southern U.S. border a few times since 2021. But in reality, Harris was tapped by President Biden to address the root causes of migration . Her approach has focused on deterrence. She’s told migrants to not come to the U.S., and she has been able to secure more than $5 billion in commitments from private companies to help boost the economy in Central American countries. — Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR immigration correspondent based in Texas 

21. “I think the number is 20 million, but whether it's 15 or 20, it's numbers that nobody's ever heard before. 20 million people came over the border in the last– during the Biden-Harris administration. Twenty-million people. And it could be very much higher than that. Nobody really knows what the number is.”

It’s unclear where Trump is getting this number from. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection , since 2021 agents have had more than 7.3 million encounters nationwide with migrants trying to cross into the country illegally. Under Biden, unlawful crossings hit an all-time high last year, but that number has decreased significantly, in part, due to Biden’s asylum restrictions at the Southern U.S. border. An April report from the Office of Homeland Security Statistics found there’s nearly 11 million unauthorized migrants in the country. — Sergio Martínez-Beltrán

22. “Just like far more people were killed in the Ukraine-Russia war than you have reported.”

Neither Russia nor Ukraine is revealing its own casualty figures, so there are only very broad estimates. — Andrew Sussman 

23. “A lot of great things would have happened, but now you have millions and millions of dead people. And you have people dying financially, because they can't buy bacon; they can't buy food; they can't buy groceries; they can't do anything. And they're living horribly in our country right now.”

Grocery prices actually jumped sharply during Trump’s last year in office, as pandemic lockdowns disrupted the food supply chain and Americans were suddenly forced to eat more of their meals at home. Grocery inflation in June 2020 hit 5.6%. This was masked, however, by a plunge in other prices, as the global economy fell into pandemic recession.

As the economy rebounded, prices did, too. Inflation began to rise in 2021, and spiked in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent food and energy prices soaring. Inflation has since moderated, falling from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022 to 3% in June 2024 . (July’s inflation figures will be released next week.) Grocery prices have largely leveled off in the last year, although they remain higher than they were before the pandemic – a potent reminder of the rising cost of living.

Economists have warned that Trump’s proposed import tariffs and immigration restrictions could result in higher inflation in the years to come. Researchers from the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimate the tariffs alone would cost the typical family about $1,700 a year . — Scott Horsley

24. “We've agreed with NBC, fairly full agreement, subject to them, on Sept. 10th.”

This is ABC, not NBC.

25. “She can't do an interview. She's barely competent and she can't do an interview.” 

Harris hasn’t done interviews since getting into the campaign, but she has done them in the past, so saying “she can’t do” one or that she is “barely competent” are just insults. Trump tends to revert to questioning the intelligence of Black women who challenge him. In fact, Trump did it nine times in this news conference, saying either Harris is not that “smart” (five times) "incompetent” (three times) or “barely competent,” as he did here.

26-27. “Why is it that millions of people were allowed to come into our country from prisons, from jails, from mental institutions, insane asylums, even insane asylums, that's a– it's a mental institution on steroids. That's what it is.”

Immigration experts have said they have not been able to find any evidence of this. Adam Isacson, director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, told FactCheck.org : “It’s hard to prove a negative — nobody’s writing a report saying, ‘Ecuador is not opening its mental institutions’ — but what I can say is that I work full-time on migration, am on many coalition mailing lists, correspond constantly with partners in the region, and scan 300+ RSS feeds and Twitter lists of press outlets and activists region wide, and I have not seen a single report indicating that this is happening. … As far as I can tell, it’s a total fabrication.”

Notably, a version of this did happen in 1980 during the Mariel boatlift from Cuba . The Washington Post noted three years later: “Back in 1980, it seemed to be a humanitarian and patriotic gesture to accept provisionally, without papers or visas, all those fleeing from the port of Mariel. More than 125,000 came. Most were true refugees, many had families here, and the great majority has settled into American communities without mishap. But the Cuban dictator played a cruel joke. He opened his jails and mental hospitals and put their inmates on the boats too.”

Without a question, some migrants who have come into the U.S. have committed crimes, but the data show the vast majority do not. According to Northwestern University , immigrants are less likely to commit a crime than U.S.-born people and certainly at no higher rates that the population writ large. (Trump goes on to repeat this claim minutes later in the news conference as well, so it is included in our count here.)

28. “We have a president that's the worst president in the history of our country.”

Trump may have this opinion, but he says it as if it’s fact, and a 2022 survey of historians ranked Biden in the top half of presidents. Trump, on the other hand, was No. 43. The two below Trump were James Buchanan, who did little to stop the impending U.S. Civil War, and the impeached and nearly convicted Andrew Johnson.

29. “We have a vice president who is the least admired, least respected, and the worst vice president in the history of our country.” 

A recent rating of vice presidents did not show this. Harris was in the bottom half of vice presidents, but Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle, Henry A. Wallace and were toward the bottom of the list.

30. “The most unpopular vice president.”

This might have been true about a year ago or so, but not anymore. An NBC poll then showed Harris had the lowest favorability rating of any modern VP they’d tested. But her numbers have turned around. The NPR poll had Harris with a 46%/48% favorable to unfavorable rating, which was higher than Trump’s and his running mate, JD Vance, who is among the least popular running mates in recent history .

31. “Don't forget, she was the first one defeated. As I remember it, because I watched it very closely, but she was the first one.”

Harris was not “defeated,” because she dropped out of the Democratic presidential race before Iowa. But even if one considers her dropping out on Dec. 3, 2019, a defeat, she was not the first of the Democratic candidates in that primary campaign to do so. At least 10 others dropped out sooner .

32-34. “And I'm no Biden fan, but I'll tell you what, from a constitutional standpoint, from any standpoint you're looking at, they took the presidency away. … And they took it away.” 

There’s nothing in the U.S. Constitution about picking presidential candidates. This is a party process, and everything has been done within party rules. And, again, the presidency wasn’t taken away: Biden is still president.

35. “They said they're going to use the 25th Amendment.”

This was never floated as a possibility to get Biden to withdraw from the race. Biden’s Cabinet members are all people he appointed and who are loyal to him. In addition, the 25th Amendment outlines a procedure for removing a sitting president from office, not from running for a second term.

36-39. "They're going to hit you hard. ‘Either we can do it the nice way. I heard, I know exactly, because I know a lot of people on the other side, believe it or not. And, they said, ‘We'll do it the nice way, or we'll do it the hard way.’ And he said, ‘All right.”

This was not said; he did not hear; no Democrats in the know are talking to Trump; and this dialogue is made up.

40. “We're leading, we're leading.”

The race is statistically tied in national polls and in the states. In some national polls, Harris leads. In some, Trump does.

41-42. “I'm saying it's a–, for a country with a Constitution that we cherish, we cherish this Constitution to have done it this way is pretty severe, pretty horrible. … But to just take it away from him, like he was a child.”

Again, this is Trump talking about how Biden stepped aside, and there’s nothing in the Constitution about how the political parties should pick candidates. And nothing was taken away.

43-46. “And he's a very angry man right now, I can tell you that. He's not happy with Obama, and he's not happy with Nancy Pelosi. Crazy Nancy, she is crazy, too. She's not happy with any of the people that told him that you've gotta leave. He's very unhappy, very angry, and I think he, He also blames her. He's trying to put up a good face, but it's a very bad thing in terms of a country when you do that. I'm not a fan of his, as you probably have noticed, and he had a rough debate, but that doesn't mean that you just take it away like that.” 

Trump can’t speak to Biden’s state of mind; all evidence is that Nancy Pelosi is perfectly sane – see her recent multiple rounds of interviews about her book, including with NPR ; again, Trump doesn’t know Biden’s state of mind; and again, nobody took it away.

47-51. “She's trying to say she had nothing to do with the border. She had everything. She was appointed to head the border. And then they said border czar. Oh, she loved that name. She loved that name. But she never went there. She went to a location once along the border, but that was a location that you would love to go and have dinner with your husband or whoever. That was a location that was not part of the problem. That was not really going to the border. So I– essentially she never went to the border.”

(1) As previously noted, she was not put in charge of the border and certainly did not have “everything” to do with it; (2) she was not appointed to head the border; (3) if “they” is the White House, then “they” did not call her “border czar”; (4) Trump doesn’t know what Harris might have thought about the term; (5) Harris did not go to a place at the border “you would love to go and have dinner with your husband or whoever.”

In 2021, Harris toured border patrol facilities in El Paso, Texas, visited an area where asylum seekers were screened, and met with migrants. Republicans criticized her at the time for not going to the Rio Grande Valley.

52. “Now we have the worst border in the history of the world.” 

World history is filled with cases where one country has crossed a border and invaded a neighboring country.

53. “She destroyed San Francisco. She destroyed California as the A.G. But as the D.A. She destroyed it. She– San Francisco. … She destroyed– no cash bail, weak on crime, uh, she's terrible.”

As San Francisco’s district attorney from 2004 to 2011, and then California’s attorney general until 2017, it’s true that Kamala Harris was deeply connected to how crime was prosecuted during that particular period. However, no single person is responsible for destroying any city or state, not to mention that both are not destroyed.

There are just too many factors that contribute to why crime rises and falls. What’s more, according to the FBI , both violent and property crime rates in California more or less mirrored national trends during her tenures. As a prosecutor, Harris was largely seen as aligning more with law-and-order tendencies, though she has supported some progressive reforms, like offering certain criminal defendants drug treatment instead of going to trial. She also tweeted support for a Minnesota bail fund after the 2020 protests of George Floyd’s murder. — Meg Anderson

During her campaign for the 2020 nomination, she rolled out a plan that would have phased out cash bail , and she pledged to eliminate it as president because “no one should have to sit in jail for days or even years because they don’t have the money to pay bail.” But in the same campaign, during a debate, former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard criticized Harris for keeping cash bail in place as district attorney.

54. “And yet they weaponized the system against me.” 

The justice system was not weaponized against Trump. Biden went through pains to not show any interference with the Justice Department. And Trump was found guilty by a jury of his peers in New York in a state case.

55-58. “I won the big case in Florida. I won the big case. … Nobody even wrote about it. The big case.” 

(1) Trump did not “win” the classified documents case against him in Florida; (2) this was not “the big case” against him; (3) there was plenty of coverage of it; and (4) he goes on to repeat that he won the case later.

For context: the judge in the case controversially dismissed it, claiming the special counsel was unconstitutionally appointed despite Supreme Court decisions upholding independent counsels. The Justice Department has signaled it will appeal by the end of August but by the time the decision comes back, the election will be over.

Trump had four criminal cases against him including the classified documents case – the fraudulent business practices case in New York, for which he was convicted on 34 felony counts; an election interference case in Georgia; and the other federal case dealing with Jan. 6. If there was a biggest case, it was the last one.

59. “The judge was a brilliant judge, and all they do is they play the ref with the judges. But this judge was a fair but brilliant judge.”

There has been lots of criticism of the judge in the case, Aileen Cannon, who Trump appointed. She had very little experience as a trial judge, made several decisions that were questioned by legal experts and early in this case, had a ruling, in which she called for a special master to review classified documents first, overturned by the 11th Circuit.

60. “Now Biden lost it because he didn't have presidential immunity. He didn't have the Presidential Records Act. He lost it.”

This was not “Biden’s case.” It was to be tried by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. The Biden White House has made efforts to keep an arms-length distance from the investigation. Biden often declined to comment on the Justice Department’s and state investigations into Trump when it would likely have been politically advantageous for him to talk about it on the campaign trail.

61. “But the– I call it prosecutors, special counsel, special prosecutor to me. He–, appointed by him and appointed by Garland. He said the man's incompetent. He can't stand trial, but he can run for president.” 

This appears to be a misrepresentation of what special counsel Robert Hur said of Biden in a report he released investigating the president’s handling of classified documents. Hur said he wouldn’t be charging Biden, called the president “an elderly man with a poor memory" and said a jury might find sympathy with him because of it. He did not say Biden was incompetent and could not stand trial.

62. “She couldn't pass her bar exam.”

This is false. Harris passed her bar exam on the second try . She failed on first attempt, which is not unusual for California’s bar exam given its difficulty.

63. “I was doing very well with Black voters, and I still am. I seem to be doing very well with Black males. This is according to polls, as you know. 

Trump was not doing “very well” with Black voters. Biden was not doing as well with Black voters as he did in 2020, according to most surveys, but that didn’t mean Black voters were moving heavily toward Trump. Many seemed more likely not to vote. There were signs that Trump was doing better with Black men, but there wasn’t much good evidence to support this in polling, considering most national polls have such high margins of error with voter groups. A typical national survey might have 1,000 voters and 100 or so Black voters, give or take. That’s typically a margin of error upward of +/- 10 percentage points, meaning results could be a whopping 10 points higher or lower.

64. “Extremely well with Hispanic.”

Like with Black voters, it’s difficult to tell in most national surveys exactly how well a candidate is doing with Latino voters because of high margins of error. “Extremely well” depends on how it’s defined, but this is an exaggeration.

65. “Jewish voters, way up.”

Jewish voters traditionally vote roughly 2-to-1 for Democrats in presidential elections, so this seems more like a hope than reality.

66. “White males, way up. White males have gone through the roof. White males, way up.” 

It’s just not the case that Trump is “way up.” NPR polling finds that while Trump is doing as well as ever with white men without college degrees, Harris – and Biden before her – is actually leading with white men with college degrees, a group Trump won in 2020, according to exit polls .

67. “It could be that I'll be affected somewhat with Black females. Well, we're doing pretty well. And I think ultimately they'll like me better, because I'm gonna give them security, safety and jobs.”

Trump is not doing well with Black females. Black women are a key pillar Democratic voting group, and Black voters have moved more in Harris’ favor since she’s gotten in.

69. “We have a very bad economy right now. We could, we could literally be on the throes of a depression. Not recession, a Depression. And they can't have that. They can't have that.”

This is not the case. See earlier fact check. (He repeats this again later in the press conference, so it is included here in the count.)

70. “I know Josh Shapiro. He's a terrible guy. And he's not very popular with anybody.” 

A Fox News poll last month showed Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a finalist to be Harris’ running mate, had a 61% approval rating in the state. Other polls also found him with a net-positive rating, though, not quite as high.

71. “Listen, I had 107,000 people in New Jersey. You didn't report it.”

It was reported that the numbers come from faulty information about the size of a crowd at Trump’s rally. More accurate estimates appear to be anywhere from 30,000 to 60,000 . Still, a very large crowd, but Trump is exaggerating here.

72-77. “What did she have yesterday? 2,000 people? If I ever had 2,000 people, you'd say my campaign is finished. It's so dishonest, the press. … When she gets 1,500 people, and I saw it yesterday on ABC, which they said, ‘Oh, the crowd was so big.’ … I have 10 times, 20 times, 30 times the crowd size. And no, they never say the crowd was big. … I think it's so terrible when you say, ‘Well she has 1,500 people, 1,000 people,’ and they talk about, oh, the enthusiasm.” 

(1-3) Trump gave at least three incorrect estimates here, downplaying Harris’ crowd sizes (2,000, 1,500 and 1,000); (4) He also far overestimated how big his crowd sizes are compared to Harris’; (5-6) He twice said the press is dishonest about her crowd size and about his.

For context, the Harris campaign’s estimate was 10,000 or more at each rally. What the exact number is might be unclear — as is often the case with crowd-size estimates — but they were bigger than 2,000 and 1,500. Reporters have often commented on the size of Trump’s crowds. Frequently, they are very large, certainly larger than ones that Hillary Clinton drew in 2016 or Joe Biden this year, but Trump also regularly exaggerates their sizes.

78. “If I were president, you wouldn't have Russia and Ukraine, where it never happened. Zero chance. You wouldn't have had Oct. 7th of Israel.”

This is speculation, and that there is simply no way to know what would have happened in either case if he'd been reelected.

79. “You wouldn't have had inflation. You wouldn't have had any inflation because inflation was caused by their bad energy problems.” 

Again, this is speculative. Energy and food prices jumped sharply around the world following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russian energy. Gasoline prices in the U.S. hit a record high topping $5 a gallon. But domestic energy production has not suffered during the Biden administration. In fact, U.S. oil and natural gas production hit record highs last year. AAA reports the average price of gasoline today is $3.45/gallon. — Scott Horsley

80. "I don't know if you know, they're drilling now because they had to go back because gasoline was going up to $7, $8, $9 a barrel."

Oil and gas production has largely been determined by energy companies. They were disciplined about not expanding production when prices were low but have become more aggressive as prices climbed. While Kamala Harris opposed “fracking” for oil and gas during her 2019 presidential campaign, she now says she would not try to outlaw the practice – which is important in battleground states such as Pennsylvania. — Scott Horsley

81. “Everybody's going to be forced to buy an electric car, which they're not going to do because they don't want that. It's got a great market. It's got a market. It's really a sub market.”

The Biden administration has set a goal of having 50% of new vehicle sales be electric by 2030 . It has primarily tried to achieve this through carrots rather than sticks, offering incentives to make electric cars more affordable, encouraging the development of electric charging stations and using the federal government’s own purchasing power to create demand. — Scott Horsley

82. “We don't have enough electricity. We couldn't make enough electricity for that.”

A shift to electric vehicles will require a rapid updating and expansion of the U.S. power grid, according to the Electric Power Research Institute . However, as EVs become more efficient, the increased demand could be reduced by as much as 50% per mile traveled over the next three decades. — Scott Horsley

83. “The weight of a car, the weight of a truck, they want all trucks to be electric. Little things that a lot of people don't talk about. The weight of a truck is two-and-a-half times, two-and-a- half times heavier.” 

Electric vehicles are typically heavier than gasoline-powered vehicles, because of the batteries. But the weight difference is about 30% , not 250% as Trump said. What’s more, American vehicles have been getting heavier for decades, long before the move to EVs, thanks to the popularity of pickup trucks and SUVs.

84. “You would have to rebuild every bridge in this country, if you were going to do this ridiculous policy.”

While many bridges and other transportation infrastructure need improvement , the additional weight of EVs is just one of many factors that will need to be considered. Another challenge is that bridges and highways are typically funded through gasoline taxes. The shift to EVs, which don’t use gasoline, will require an alternate source of highway funding.

85-90. “So, but on crowd size in history, for any country, nobody's had crowds like I have, and you know that. And when she gets 1,000 people and everybody starts jumping, you know that if I had a thousand people would say, people would say, that's the end of his campaign. I have hundreds of thousands of people in, uh, South Carolina. I had 88,000 people in Alabama. I had 68,000 people. Nobody says about crowd size with me, but she has 1,000 people or 1,500 people, and they say, oh, the enthusiasm's back.”

There were at least six different misstatements here – (1) Trump has had large crowds, but “in history,” there certainly there have been people with larger crowds, from Barack Obama and others; (2, 3) her crowds have been larger than 1,000, which he repeats twice; (4) no serious analysts have said this is the end of Trump’s campaign. This race is very close; (5) there’s no evidence for crowds of the size Trump notes in South Carolina and Alabama; (6) people do talk about Trump’s crowd sizes.

91. “They wanna stop people from pouring into our country, from places unknown and from countries unknown from countries that nobody ever heard of.”

Someone has likely heard of whatever the unnamed country is.

92-93. “We're leading in Georgia by a lot. We're leading in Pennsylvania by a lot.”

The races in Georgia and Pennsylvania are within the margin of error, according to an average of the polls.

94. “So I won Alabama by a record. Nobody's ever gotten that many votes. I won South Carolina by a record. You don't win Alabama and South Carolina by records and lose Georgia. It doesn't happen.”

It does, and here’s why. Demographically, Georgia has become very different from South Carolina and Alabama. Georgia’s population is now majority-minority, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Alabama and South Carolina are 64% and 63% white, respectively.

Georgia’s Black population is also significant politically — 33% of the state’s population is Black. By comparison, Alabama is 27% Black, South Carolina 26%. Latinos also make up 11% of Georgia’s population and Asian Americans are 5%, both of which are higher than Alabama and South Carolina. And Georgia’s population is marginally younger — 15% of Georgia’s population is older than 65% compared to 18% in Alabama and 19% in South Carolina.

95. “If we have honest elections in Georgia, if we have honest elections in Pennsylvania, We're gonna win them by a lot.”

Winning them by a lot is highly unlikely, considering how close the states have been in recent elections, but perhaps more pressing is Trump’s insinuation that there were voting problems in the two states, which there were not. That’s why Trump is upset with Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, for example, because he upheld the valid 2020 election results even in the face of pressure from Trump.

96. “Of course there'll be a peaceful transfer. And there was last time.”

This wholly ignores the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol, which took place because of Trump’s election lies.

97. “Because I'm leading by a lot.”

Again, this is a very close race.

98. “We have commercials that are at a level I don't think that anybody's ever done before.”

This is false. Since Super Tuesday, Democrats have outspent Trump’s campaign and outside groups supporting him by more than double, according to data provided by AdImpact and analyzed by NPR — $373.5 million to $150.6 million.

99. “She's not smart enough to do a news conference.”

There is plenty of evidence that Harris is “smart enough to do a news conference,” as she has done in the past.

100. "We're in great danger of being in World War III. That could happen." 

Again, no serious analyst believes this.

101. “I think those people were treated very harshly, when you compare them to other things that took place in this country where a lot of people were killed.”

The Justice Department investigation into the events of Jan. 6, 2021, is the largest and most complex federal criminal probe in U.S. history, the attorney general has said. More than 140 law enforcement officers were injured that day, in what U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves has described as the biggest mass casualty event involving police. It’s hard to find any comparable event in recent American history.

As of Aug. 6, 2024, according to Graves’s office, prosecutors have charged more than 160 people with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. Prosecutors have also secured convictions on the rarely-deployed charge of seditious conspiracy, or attempting to overthrow the government by use of force, against top leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.

Even so, only a small number of Jan. 6 defendants have been held in federal custody while they await trial. Mostly, these are the rioters who allegedly used the most violence on that day more than three years ago. Republican members of Congress have toured the jail facilities and decried conditions there, expressions of support that defendants facing ordinary charges in D.C. have not received. — Carrie Johnson, NPR national justice correspondent

102. “Nobody was killed on Jan. 6th.” 

Conservatives were upset at the time that one of the rioters, Ashli Babbitt, was killed when she was shot by police, as she was trying to force her way into the Speaker’s Lobby of the Capitol, which leads to the House chamber, with a crowd of others. Many officers were injured that day; one died of a stroke as a result of Jan. 6; and others later died by suicide that their families say was also a result of Jan. 6.

103-105. “And, you know, it's very interesting, the biggest crowd I've ever spoken to. … The biggest crowd I've ever spoken before was that day. … The biggest crowd I've ever spoken. … I've spoken to the biggest crowds. Nobody's spoken to crowds bigger than me.” 

It was not the biggest crowd he’s ever spoken to. His inauguration would have topped that. And others have had bigger crowds, as noted earlier.

106. “I said peacefully and patriotically.”

While Trump did utter those words, it is misleading. Trump also said the word “fight” multiple times , and he told the already angry crowd because of the election lies he fed them: “We fight like Hell and if you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Trump aides testified that he “refused” to tweet the word “peaceful” in the days leading up to the rally because he thought it might discourage people from being there, and he was concerned about his crowd size.

107-108. “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. If not, we had more. …You look at the picture of his crowd, my crowd, uh, we actually had more people.”

First, the speeches did not take place at the “same real estate.” Trump spoke from a position just south of the Ellipse. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

Second, the crowds were not the same size and Trump’s was certainly not larger. It is an extraordinary claim and shows just how much Trump cares about crowd size.

109. “We have a Constitution. It's a very important document, and we live by it. She has no votes.” 

Again, there’s nothing in the Constitution about how parties should pick their presidents.

110-111. “They said, ‘You're not going to win, you can't win, you're out.’ And at first they said it nicely, and he wasn't leaving, and then you, you know, the, you know it better than anybody. … At first, they were going to go out to another vote, they were going to go through a primary system, a quick primary system, which it would have to be. And then it all disappeared, and they just picked a person.”

As explained earlier, this is not how Biden wound up stepping aside. The story is yet another Trump invention. He also lies here in saying that “they were going to go through a primary system” and “it would have to be” a quick primary system.” There’s no requirement that a primary is held. In fact, for many years, candidates’ selection as party nominees had nothing to do with primaries, and they were not as prevalent as today.

112-113. “That was the first out. She was the first loser, OK? So, we call her the first loser. She was the first loser when– during the primary system, during the Democrat primary system, she was the first one to quit. And she quit.”

As explained earlier, Harris was not the first one out in the 2020 Democratic primary race. And “first loser” appears to be a name Trump made up at this news conference, as Harris has not been referred to that way as a result of her run for the 2020 nomination.

114. “She did, obviously, a bad job. She never made it to Iowa. Then for some reason, and I'm, I know he regrets it, you do too, uh, he picked her, and she turned on him too. She was working with the people that wanted him out."

Once again, this is a false conspiracy invented by Trump.

115. “She was the first one out.” 

Trump repeats this false line again.

116. “I think the abortion issue is written very much tempered down, and I've answered I think very well in the debate, and it seems to be much less of an issue, especially for those where they have the exceptions.”

Abortion rights as a political and social issue has certainly not “tempered down.” There are millions of women, especially across the South, who do not have access to abortion and women who have experienced pregnancy losses with the inability to access medications for those necessary procedures.

117. “As you know, and I think it's when I look for 52 years, they wanted to bring abortion back to the states. They wanted to get rid of Roe v. Wade and that's Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, and everybody. Liberals, conservatives, everybody wanted it back in the states. And I did that.”

Everybody absolutely did not want that. It was actually quite unpopular for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe . And he again repeats that it has become less of an issue.

118-119. “I think that abortion has become much less of an issue. It's a very small.” 

“I think it's actually going to be a very small issue. What I've done is I've done what every Democrat and every Every Republican wanted to have done.” 

“I think the abortion issue has been taken down many notches. I don't think it's of– I don't think it's a big factor anymore, really.”

Minutes apart from each other, he repeats these three false claims. Abortion rights is not a “very small” issue for millions of voters. Democrats are organizing around it, and it has been seminal to Biden and Harris’ campaigns.

120. “Previous to [Virginia Gov.] Glenn [Youngkin], the governor, he said the baby will be born, we will put the baby aside, and we will decide with the mother what we're going to do. In other words, whether or not we're going to kill the baby.”

This is a distortion Republicans continue to push about what former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said. This has been fact-checked by others multiple times .

121-122. “I think the abortion issue has been, uh, taken down many notches. I don't think it's of, uh, I don't think it's a big factor anymore, really.”

“Everybody wanted it in the states.”

“But that issue has is very much subdued.”

He once again returns to the issue of abortions, which remains a “factor,” not everybody wanted it in the states, the issue is not “very much subdued.”

123-124. “ She wants to take away everyone's gun.” 

Harris has not proposed taking away all guns. She has proposed banning assault-style weapons, something that was in place for a decade. Some surveys had shown majority support for this. Others show a split. (Trump makes this case later, as well, so that is also included in the count.)

125. “Some countries have actually gone the opposite way. They had very strong gun laws and now they have gone the opposite way, where they allowed people to have guns, where in one case they encouraged people to go out and get guns, and crime is down 29%.”

It’s difficult to compare gun violence and gun laws in the United States to other countries, simply because of the staggering amount of guns we have here. Although the U.S. has less than 5% of the world’s population, it holds almost 40% or more of the world’s civilian-owned guns. And it has “the highest homicide-by-firearm rate of the world’s most developed nations,” per the Council on Foreign Relations . Norway, Canada and Australia all tightened their gun restrictions after shootings. — Meg Anderson

126. “On July 4th, 117 people were shot and 17 died. The toughest gun laws in the United States are in the city of Chicago. You know that. They had 117 people shot. Afghanistan does not have that.” 

Though Trump didn’t get the numbers exactly right, Chicago did have an incredibly violent July 4th holiday weekend this year. According to Mayor Brandon Johnson, more than 100 people were shot and 19 of those people died. Chicago does have strict gun laws, in part because its state does: Everytown For Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, ranks Illinois third in the nation for the strength of its gun-control laws. However, no state or city exists within a bubble, and Illinois is surrounded by states with much weaker laws, including Indiana, which is just a short drive from Chicago. — Meg Anderson

127. “For 18 months, not one American soldier was shot at or killed, but not even shot at.” 

This is, to put it charitably, misleading. It appears that he’s actually referencing the period when the Trump administration signed the deal with the Taliban, in advance of U.S. troops leaving. The deal said the U.S. would be out in 14 months, and in exchange the Taliban wouldn’t harbor terrorists and would stop attacking U.S. service members. Needless to say, the deal didn’t hold. But as the AP notes , “There was an 18-month stretch that saw no combat, or ‘hostile,’ deaths in Afghanistan: from early February 2020 to August 2021.” – Andrew Sussman

128. “Kamala is in favor of not giving Israel weapons. That's what I hear.”

Harris does not support an Israel weapons embargo. A Biden administration official posted on social media that Harris "has been clear: she will always ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.” A leader of the uncommitted movement said Harris “expressed an openness” to a meeting about an embargo, but the Biden administration official said Harris "will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law,” not that she would support an embargo.

129. “She's been very, very bad to Israel, and she's been very bad and disrespectful to Jewish people.”

Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish. The couple has hosted Passover Seders.

130. “Well, I know Willie Brown very well. In fact, I went down in a helicopter with him. We thought maybe this is the end. We were in a helicopter going to a certain location together and there was an emergency landing.”

This claim has not held up to scrutiny. Politico reported that Trump did have to make an emergency landing in a helicopter with a Black California politician decades ago, but it wasn’t Willie Brown, the former San Francisco mayor and state assembly speaker. It was Nate Holden, a former Los Angeles city councilman and state senator.

131-132. “This was not a pleasant landing, and Willie was— he was a little concerned. So I know him. I know him pretty well. I mean, I haven't seen him in years. But he told me terrible things about her.”

“He was not a fan of hers very much at that point.”

This is something Trump repeated twice, minutes apart from each other. Brown strongly denies having been on a helicopter with Trump or telling Trump negative things about Harris, whom he dated in the mid-1990s and supports now for president. The relationship ended in 1995.

133. “Our tax cuts, which are the biggest in history… .”

The 2017 tax cuts were not the biggest in history. As a share of the economy, they barely make the top 10 . They were big enough, however, to blow a big hole in the federal budget, which is why Trump was overseeing a nearly $1 trillion dollar annual deficit before the pandemic. — Scott Horsley

134. “It'll destroy the economy.”

This is what Trump said will happen if his tax cuts are not renewed. But The 2017 tax cut did not deliver the economic boom that its supporters promised, and there’s no reason to think reversing a portion of the cut would cause economic destruction. — Scott Horsley

135. “I've never seen people get elected by saying, 'We're going to give you a tax increase.'”

Vice President Harris has echoed President Biden’s pledge not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000. However, Biden has called for raising taxes on wealthy individuals and raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% – halfway back to where it was before the 2017 cut. — Scott Horsley

136. “These guys get up, think of it. ‘We're going to give you no security.’ …”

No Democratic presidential candidate has advocated “no security.”

137. “We're going to give you a weak military… .’ ”

An analysis by the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, showed a “review of historical defense budget trends shows there is more at play in determining overall investments in defense than just which party is in the White House.” Indeed, since the year 2000, U.S.-led wars overseas have resulted in a surge of spending by both Democratic and Republican administrations.

138-139. “…We're going to give you no walls, no borders, no anything.”

Harris, Walz and the Democratic Party have never said they want “no borders.” They certainly oppose Trump’s wall/fence along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, citing the exorbitant cost and its relative ineffectiveness, they say, compared to using other methods. (Trump later says that Harris wants “open borders,” so that’s included in the count here.)

140. “...We're going to give you a tax increase.”

Again, this is misleading and suggests Harris wants to increase taxes across the board when they have consistently talked about increasing taxes only on the wealthy. In Harris’ view, those making more than $400,000 a year .

141. “They're gonna destroy Social Security.”

Democrats have consistently advocated for keeping Social Security and making it solvent.

142. “They've weaponized government against me. Look at the Florida case. It was a totally weaponized case. All of these cases, by the way, the New York cases are totally controlled out of the Department of Justice. They sent their top person to the various places. They went to the A.G.'s office, got that one going, then he went to the D.A.'s office, got that one going, ran through it. No, no, this is all politics, and it's a disgrace.”

In congressional testimony this year, Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers that President Biden had never called him to discuss any of the cases against Trump. Garland also had aides review Justice Department leaders’ email for any correspondence with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. In a letter to Congress in June 2024, the Justice Department said it had found no such contacts.

In that same letter, Justice Department legislative affairs chief Carlos Uriarte said the department did not “dispatch” former acting Associate Attorney General Matthew Colangelo to New York to join Bragg’s team prosecuting Trump. “Department leadership was unaware of his work on the investigation and prosecution involving the former president until it was reported in the news,” Uriarte wrote. — Carrie Johnson

143. “Any time you have mail-in ballots, you're gonna have problems. ... We should have one-day voting; we should have paper ballots; we should have voter ID; and we should have proof of citizenship.” 

Trump continues to spread baseless claims about mail ballots. There’s no proof of widespread fraud with the voting method. When it comes to paper ballots, they're standard. One estimate found that in the 2024 general election, "nearly 99% of all registered voters will live in jurisdictions where they can cast a ballot with a paper record of the vote."

The proof of citizenship comment echoes a Republican push on the issue , though studies have shown voting by non-U.S. citizens in federal elections to be exceedingly rare. The GOP-led House has passed a bill to require such documentary proof, but it’s likely to go no further in a Senate led by Democrats who are opposed to adding new voting restrictions. — Ben Swasey, voting editor

144. “The polls have suggested, there are some polls that say we're going to win in a landslide.” 

There are no polls that suggest Trump will win in a landslide. By all accounts, this is a very close race.

145. “...they're paying 50, 60, 70 percent more for food than they did just a couple of years ago.”

The rise in grocery prices is a common complaint , but Trump exaggerates the scale of the increase. According to the Consumer Price Index, grocery prices have risen 25% since before the pandemic and 21% since President Biden took office. (At the same time, average wages have risen 23% since before the pandemic and 17% since President Biden took office.)

146-149. The Strategic National Reserve is “virtually empty now. We've never had it this low.”

“He's sucked all of the oil out.”

“Essentially the gasoline to keep the, to keep the price down a little bit. … But you know what? We have no strategic national reserves now. He's emptied it. It's almost empty. It's never been this low.”

“They've just, for the sake of getting some votes, for the sake of having gasoline–. You know, that's meant for wars. It's meant for, like, tragedy. It's not meant to keep a gasoline price down, so that somebody can vote for Biden or, in this case, Kamala.” 

The strategic oil reserve is actually up in the past year . Biden has since repurchased about 32 million barrels of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. As of this month, the reserve held about 376 million barrels of oil. The reserve was lower when Trump left office than when he got in.

150. “I see it right now, I see her going way down on the polls now.”

The opposite is true. Harris has continued her momentum since getting into the race.

151-152. “...now that people are finding out that she destroyed San Francisco, she destroyed the state of California.” 

As addressed earlier, Harris is not entirely responsible for San Francisco or the state of California. Crime trends there were similar to national crime trends during her time as district attorney in San Francisco and as the state’s attorney general. What’s more, preliminary data for this year indicates that many cities in California, including San Francisco, are seeing murder rates falling. (Trump repeats the claim one more time later in the news conference, so it is included in the count here.) — Meg Anderson

153. “She was early, I mean, she was the first of the prosecutors, really, you know, now you see Philadelphia, you see Los Angeles, you see New York, you see various people that are very bad, but she was the first of the bad prosecutors, she was early.”

Although Harris did refer to herself in her 2019 memoir as a “progressive prosecutor,” her legacy has largely been seen as tougher on crime. She has supported some progressive reforms, such as pretrial diversion, which offers certain criminal defendants things like drug treatment instead of going to trial. — Meg Anderson

154. “You know, with Hillary Clinton, I could have done things to her that would have made your head spin. I thought it was a very bad thing – take the wife of a president of the United States, and put her in jail. And then I see the way they treat me. That's the way it goes. But I was very protective of her. Nobody would understand that. But I was. I think my people understand it. They used to say, lock her up, lock her up. And I'd say, just relax, please.”

Trump called for Clinton’s imprisonment multiple times , including going along with crowd chants of “lock her up.”

155. “Don't forget, she got a subpoena from the United States Congress, and then after getting the subpoena, she destroyed everything that she was supposed to get. 

Clinton aides requested emails be deleted months before the subpoena, and the FBI said there’s no evidence the messages were deleted with a subpoena in mind. — Carrie Johnson

156. “I thought it was so bad to take her, and put her in jail, the wife of a president of the United States. And then, when it's my turn, nobody thinks that way.”

The Justice Department closed an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server to conduct some State Department business in 2016. Then-FBI Director Jim Comey gave a press conference to explain his reasoning in July of that election year. Comey said, “We did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information,” but he criticized Clinton and her aides for being “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information” that flowed through the server.

By contrast, prosecutors in the Florida case against former President Donald Trump said Trump had flouted requests from the FBI and a subpoena for highly classified materials he stored in unsecure spaces like a ballroom and a bathroom at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The indictment in that case accuses Trump of unlawfully retaining government secrets and of intentionally obstructing justice with the help of an aide who moved boxes of materials and otherwise allegedly thwarted the FBI probe. Trump and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty. The Justice Department says it is appealing the district court’s decision to toss the case on constitutional grounds. — Carrie Johnson

157. “A lot of the MAGA, as they call them, but the base. And I think the base is, I think the base is 75% of the country, far beyond the Republican Party.”

Rounding up, Trump won 46% of the vote in 2016 and 47% of the vote in 2020. He has a high floor, but a low ceiling politically. Majorities continue to say they have an unfavorable rating of Trump, which has been consistent for years. No American presidential candidate has ever gotten 75% of the vote in this country, dating back to 1824 since data was kept for popular votes. Lyndon B. Johnson got 61% in 1964, Richard Nixon slightly less than 61% in 1972, Ronald Reagan 59% in 1984. Since then, Barack Obama got nearly 53% in 2008 and 51% in 2012, the first candidate since Eisenhower to win at least 51% of the vote twice.

158. “My sons are members, and I guess indirectly I'm a member, too.”

Trump here is talking about membership in the National Rifle Association. Another family member being an NRA member does not make someone else an NRA member “indirectly.”

159. “She served 24 years for being on a phone call having to do with drugs. You know who I'm talking about. She was great. And she had another 24 years to go. And it was largely about marijuana, which in many cases is now legalized, OK?”

Presumably, Trump is talking about Alice Marie Johnson, who had been convicted on cocaine conspiracy and money laundering charges . Kim Kardashian advocated for Johnson and won a pardon for her from Trump.

160. “They're either really stupid, and I don't believe they're stupid, because anybody that can cheat in elections like they cheat is not stupid.”

More than 60 court cases proved there was not widespread fraud or cheating that would have made any difference in any state.

161. “Lately I've seen where they're trying to sign these people up to vote. And they have to stop. They cannot let illegal immigrants vote in this upcoming election.”

This is a conspiracy not based in fact. Immigrants in the country illegally cannot vote in presidential elections, and there’s no evidence there is an intentional effort to sign them up in mass numbers to sway elections.

162. “If you go to California, and you ask the people of California, do they like the idea of sanctuary cities? They don't like it.”

The subject of sanctuary cities actually mostly splits Californians. Slim majorities have actually said that they favor the sanctuary-state law and are against their cities opting out of the law. Of course, this breaks down along party lines, and since California is heavily Democratic, those results might not be surprising. But it’s more divided than Trump suggests.

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Trump keeps losing his train of thought. Cognitive experts have theories about why

By Olivia Goldhill Aug. 7, 2024

I n a speech earlier this year, former President Trump was mocking President Biden’s ability to walk through sand when he suddenly switched to talking about the old Hollywood icon Cary Grant.

“Somebody said he [Biden] looks great in a bathing suit, right? When he was in the sand and he was having a hard time lifting his feet through the sand, because you know, sand is heavy. They figure three solid ounces per foot. But sand is a little heavy. And he’s sitting in a bathing suit. Look, at 81, do you remember Cary Grant? How good was Cary Grant, right? I don’t think Cary Grant — he was good. I don’t know what happened to movie stars today,” he said at a March rally in Georgia. Trump went on to talk about contemporary actors, Michael Jackson, and border policies before returning to the theme of how Biden looks on the beach.

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This shifting from topic to topic, with few connections — a pattern of speech called tangentiality — is one of several disjointed and occasionally incoherent verbal habits that seem to have increased in Trump’s speech in recent years, according to interviews with experts in memory, psychology, and linguistics.

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A few months ago, the Opinion columnist David French and his family were canceled by their former church. In response, French wrote about the painful experience of being abandoned by his faith community. The column led to an outpouring from readers sharing their own thoughts and similar experiences. In this audio essay, French sits down with his editor, Aaron Retica, to discuss the fallout and listen to some of the responses he received from readers.

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We’re thinking constantly in Opinion about the divisions in the country. And one of our columnists and someone I work closely with who has really explored this deeply is David French.

He is in a unique position because he was once a fierce partisan, as he says himself, a Romney delegate in 2012, but for the apostasy of not wanting Donald Trump to be president, he was cast out of a number of Republican institutions. But it was not only Republican institutions he was cast out of but also his church, in the end.

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A linguist explores what Kamala Harris's voice and speech reveal about her identity

by Jason Pohl, University of California - Berkeley

Every now and then, a scholar's niche expertise lines up with a cultural or political moment and finds an audience hungry for the details. Nicole Holliday is having one of those moments.

Holliday is an acting associate professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley who studies what politicians say, how they speak and what their speech reveals about their identity. Perhaps more than any other scholar, Holliday has spent years examining the speaking style of a politician who is also having a moment: Kamala Harris.

What does Harris's enunciation of vowels say about her California roots? How do a few choice words on the debate stage speak to her background as a Black woman? And how does that all change when she's working a crowd in Georgia or delivering a policy statement in Washington?

"I'm really interested in what happens with the voice, with the body, to inhabit these different parts of a person's style," said Holliday, who has also researched Barack Obama's speaking style. "Politicians are the best people to study this on because you know what their motivations are—they're all trying to get elected, or they're trying to get money, or they're trying to get voters."

Journalists and the general public have become increasingly interested in Holliday's work ever since President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid and Harris soared to the top of the ticket as the Democratic presidential nominee. Holliday's TikTok videos describing the science of Harris's tone, style and word choice have gone viral, as have her explanations on why, linguistically, it's problematic when people intentionally mispronounce her name. (It's "comma-la.")

Individuals shifting how they speak based on their goals isn't reserved for politicians, and it shouldn't be viewed as inauthentic, Holliday said. Regular people vary their tone and word choice from their workplaces to their homes. Those variations fascinate Holliday.

"Most of the stuff that I'm talking about happens way below the level of consciousness," Holliday said, "It would be really hard to control, even if you were trying."

Berkeley News asked her what her research on Harris says about Harris's culture and identity, why it matters that some people—including Donald Trump—continue to mispronounce her name, and what language can teach us about the current political moment.

Berkeley News : Can you give me the 30,000-foot assessment of what your research has found especially interesting or special about the way Kamala Harris speaks?

Nicole Holliday: She has a really unique style that reflects her biography. She sounds like an African American woman. She sounds like she's from Northern California. She sounds like a charismatic political figure. But these are different identities that one person would have to inhabit all at once, and they're traditionally seen as in conflict.

Our stereotype of a persuasive politician is not a Black and Indian woman. If you ask somebody to draw a picture of an American politician, they're not drawing Kamala Harris. So she's got to be a politician and, at the same time, sound like herself: a woman and Black and Indian American. And rep her hometown because she is a hometown girl, which can be a little bit of a liability for her now on a national stage because of the way that California is painted.

But damn, she is so California.

Say more. As a linguist, what do you hear in her speech that signals her California roots?

When people describe the features that are geographically unique to California in the linguistic literature, they focus on a few things. There is this thing called the California vowel shift , where the back vowels move forward, and this is something that we see Harris do.

She doesn't say "cool." She says "kewl." She doesn't say goat. She says "gewt," with the tongue far forward in the mouth. This is also a change that's been in progress across America, so a lot of young people, even in the Midwest, will pronounce their back vowels far forward like this. But it started in California. It would be very strange if she had those vowels and she was her age and she was from New York. This is not something that they do over there.

Another example: She has this interesting thing going on with what we call the low back vowels. Her low back vowels are distinct, which is not the case for most Californians, but they're both kind of shifted up.

What that means is that words that are like "cot" and "caught," those for me, a person from Ohio, are the same. But for her, they're slightly distinct, but higher than we would expect. That's a really interesting interplay, because I think that has to do with her being a Black woman from California.

If she were a white woman , or if she were a Black man, we might not see this exact pattern.

You also say she's embodying what's called African American English. What do you mean?

I looked at her debate speech from when she was running as a primary candidate for the 2020 nomination. And when she talks about things that have to do with her biography, specifically about race or about immigration—these things that she can speak on from personal experience—she uses a set of tones that is more what we would characterize as an African American charismatic style. So she kinda sounds more like Obama.

When she talks about things like the economy or gun control or the climate, she uses a more typical, average white politician style, in terms of her tone. It is very interesting. And in this situation, it's not a function of talking to different audiences, because she's just in the same debate. It's really what she's talking about.

Lastly, she has this very occasional strategic use of casual features that are, for white Americans, just seen as really casual, but can also be what we call "camouflaged features of African American English." This is my favorite thing. African American English is stigmatized. People call it "bad English." They say it's "improper." All of this kind of stuff. But as a result, middle class and upper middle class Black people have found a way to kind of index their Blackness—highlight this part of their identities—without getting chastised for using "bad grammar."

And she does this even in the super formal debate speech.

She uses "gotta" and "gonna" in these particular ways. And of course, yes, white people say "gotta" and "gonna." Everybody in America says "gotta" and "gonna." But in a debate context, that is a little bit surprising, given how formal the rest of her style is.

Is there an example of her doing this that comes to mind?

My favorite quote from her is from Oct. 15th, 2019, in the fourth primary debate. She said, "This is a crisis of Donald Trump's making, and it is on a long list of crises of Donald Trump's making. And that's why dude gotta go."

"Dude. Gotta. Go." Not "Dude's gotta go." No. For a while, her primary campaign was selling T-shirts that said, "Dude gotta go." It became a catchphrase. When I say that she's doing this as part of a stylistic performance, that's what I mean. Maybe it wasn't premeditated. She didn't think about it ahead of time. But that became a zinger, a one-liner. And when she has these strong zingers, particularly against Trump, they tend to go viral.

The last one is with "I'ma," which is actually the most distinctively African American of these features. She says, "Cause I'ma tell you as a prosecutor" and "I'ma tell you what I saw."

We hear her do it now, too, once in a while. This is her being able to be like, "Look, look, look. I have these fancy degrees and I'm a prosecutor. And yes, I'm the vice president of the United States. But don't forget that I'm from Oakland, and I'm Black."

How much of this is conscious? And how much of this is just the deeply ingrained way we speak that's been honed from decades of talking?

Political figures have debate coaches, speech coaches, things like that. But my sense is that the stuff that she's doing in this case would be really hard to control. Maybe you can make a little argument about the "I'ma" and the "gotta."

But the vowels? I'm a professional linguist, and if someone was like, "Make your vowels more California," I don't think I could do that. Especially not when I'm trying to, like, deliver a policy position. The cognitive load is too high.

That holds even more for what I'm saying about the stuff that she does with her tone. It's not really possible to do this at the level of consciousness. We choose our words, for sure, but even those in a debate kind of context are a little bit difficult. Those are the things you prep.

But your speech coach is never gonna be like, "All right, so you need to raise the pitch by exactly 50Hz on the first syllable of prosecutor." It doesn't happen. It may be that she has a style in mind, but controlling the specific features that are attached to it is not really possible,

I could see some people with a cynical reading of all of this being like, "Nothing is real, everything is prepared, they're all politicians, and they're all trying to manipulate us." It sounds like you're saying, "Yeah, maybe." But also that it's unlikely because of the more technical parts of speech that linguists spend their careers studying.

I would actually maybe turn that on its head and say, "Yeah, that's every human." We notice them doing it because we know that they're selling something to us.

And this isn't just her. This is Trump. This is J.D. Vance. This is Pete Buttigieg. It's everybody who has that job, because selling the brand is part of the job. That's how they keep their jobs.

Do you think that highlighting your New York-ness if you call the New York DMV is going to get you further than if you sound like you're from California? Sure it is. And nobody had to tell you that. It's not a conscious process. But arguably, we all do it.

It's just that with the politicians, because we know what they want, it's clearer that they're doing it. And the line between a politician doing something as a cynical ploy and doing something that really is part of their biography that I actually connect with as a voter is very fine.

As a linguist, what do you make of the deliberate mispronunciations of 'Kamala' that have continued, despite her being a prominent national politician for many years now?

The right way to say anyone's name—anyone's name—is how they tell you to say their name. Period. That's the first point.

I know a guy named Christopher. People call him Chris. He doesn't want to go by Chris. It's disrespectful. The third time that he tells you, "My name is not Chris," and you keep doing it, unless you have some kind of really good excuse, it's disrespectful.

For years, Kamala Harris has been putting out videos saying, "My name is Kamala," and the stress is on the first syllable.

Yes, there are many reasons that regular people can get it wrong in conversation, especially if you're a person that hasn't heard her name very much, you've only read it.

Some people have trouble hearing stress differences. If English isn't your first language, that might be interfering with your ability to hear the way that she's pronouncing her name with the stress. I'm not at all saying that your pronunciation of her name as an everyday person is an indication of your politics. I'm not making that claim.

What I am saying is, if you're the former president of the United States, or a U.S. Senator, or a media personality with extensive training who's had to say her name thousands of times in your life and you've never bothered to try to say it the way that she says it, that's on purpose.

You've also studied Maya Rudolph's portrayal of Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live. What makes that parody so good?

My first published Kamala Harris paper was about Maya Rudolph. She takes literally the exact phrases and the tone of those phrases that Kamala Harris uses, and then she dials them up to 11. I'm sure that Maya Rudolph doesn't actually know how to do this the way that I would coach her as a linguist.

She's not looking at the waveform and the pitch up and down and being like, "All right, well, I need to raise myself by 50Hz here." We don't do that. But it's like she really hears what Kamala Harris is doing. She internalizes it. And then when she goes to put on the Kamala Harris costume, it's like a caricature.

This is why parody is funny. Everybody that plays a politician on SNL does this to varying levels of effectiveness. But I would argue that Maya Rudolph is just a really skilled comedian anyway. I'm so glad that they just announced that she's going to play Kamala Harris for the next year. I was really worried that we wouldn't get more Maya Rudolph.

But now I have to write another paper.

There are going to be a lot of speeches in the months ahead. There are going to be a lot of campaign stops. What's next on your list of things to study?

What I didn't have in the earlier analysis was her in different situations. Now, I hear her being different in Atlanta than in Philadelphia than in Los Angeles. And I want to know: Where is the California-ness? Where is the Black woman-ness? Where is the politician? I think she's doing all of these things all the time. But I'm also interested in how people respond to her.

What's your sense of that response, so far?

Speaker Mike Johnson said to members of Congress that they should not leverage racist and sexist attacks against her, that it would not help their cause. And they cannot seem to stop doing it.

So if she gets portrayed as inauthentic by her opponents, I'm interested in how she responds. Does she shift something about her language in that response, or does she not? Maybe she shouldn't. Maybe the way is to just let this roll off. I'm not a political consultant. But I do think she's got a really fine line to walk.

And there's something really challenging for her, too. With Barack Obama, he did get the criticism that he wasn't really Black. But in his case, the only other option was that he was white, and that didn't work. His opponents were not going to go around saying he was white.

For her, because she has all of these identities at the same time—she is Indian American, she is Black American, she's Jamaican American—there can be a little bit of a whack-a-mole where everyone will always accuse her of not being X enough.

This is disconcerting because it comes from a cultural and linguistic assumption that people can only ever be one thing. But that's not the world we live in. So when we talk about Kamala Harris as a modern candidate, she is in some ways—with her biography, her ethnicity, her gender—embodying all of the ways the country has moved on from the idea that you can only be one thing at once.

So I'm very interested to see how she manages to stay true to herself to respond to those never-ending critiques, and what she does with different audiences.

Provided by University of California - Berkeley

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• How to write a persuasive speech

Writing a persuasive speech

By:  Susan Dugdale   | Last modified: 04-24-2023

Getting started with a 7 point action plan

To help you through the process of writing a persuasive speech from beginning to end, here's a 7 step checklist.

To get the most from it move through it sequentially - point by point.  You'll find links to topic suggestion pages, explanations about how to structure your speech and the importance of audience analysis with examples and more.

In my experience, a successful persuasive speech can't be flicked out in five minutes! There may be brilliantly competent speakers who can do it if they know their subject, and their audience inside out. However the rest of us, me included, have to put the time in to achieve what we want to. ☺

Quick links to get around this page easily

Checklist for writing a persuasive speech

1. Selecting a persuasive speech topic

If you've already got a speech topic move on to setting a goal . For those who don't, read on.

A major part of the challenge of writing a persuasive speech can be choosing what to speak about.

If you're preparing the speech as part of a class exercise or for a public speaking club like Toastmasters you have seemingly unlimited choice. And that can be bewildering! The possibilities are vast. How do you narrow them down?

The answer is to choose something that you genuinely care about, fits the occasion AND that you know your audience will be interested in.

Speech topic suggestions to explore

• 100  Persuasive speech ideas
• 50  Good persuasive speech topics
• 105  Fun persuasive speech topics
• 309  'Easy' persuasive speech topics
• 310 Persuasive speech topics for college
• 108 Feminist persuasive speech topics

Return to Top

2. Setting a goal

The goal of writing a persuasive speech is to change or move the audience toward accepting your position on the topic.  An essential part of that is knowing exactly what it is you want to achieve.

There are degrees of change. Do you want a little, or a lot?

Most wanted response or MWR

What you decide is called your  most wanted response  or MWR.

A realistic MWR is reached through analysis of your audience in relation to your topic.

Example: My topic is "obesity in children".

Audience - who are they.

I am speaking to mothers whose children all attend the same kindergarten.

The staff are concerned about the number of children who are over weight for their age.

The children mostly come from homes where both parents work.

Current food habits as reported by kindergarten staff

Food is bought already made up for a variety of reasons including time saving, convenience, and a lack of knowledge about how to prepare it any other way.

'Treat' food (sweets, cake etc.) is also used to pacify and/or to reinforce good behavior.

Fussy or picky eating is allowed principally because the effort and time required to change already established patterns is difficult to find.

The problem is compounded by lack of exercise.

Most Wanted Response (MWR) options

In setting the goal (MWR) for the speech I need to decide what approach will achieve the best results.

Do I want to influence the mothers to open their minds to the idea that allowing a child to establish habitual unhealthy eating patterns is detrimental to their children's growth and development?

Or do I want them to stop using treat and pre-prepared foods immediately and only offer home cooked healthy options instead?

The first approach is softly-softly. The second is direct or hard hitting.

3. Audience analysis

Who is your audience.

How you persuade, and your MWR (goal) is most effectively established when you understand who you are talking to.

In relation to the topic you're going to speak about are they:

• Hostile - actively don't want to hear what you have to say for many reasons which may include prejudice, fear, ignorance, inertia, cultural difference, differing values/beliefs ...
• Neutral - no decided opinion or beliefs and therefore no investment toward maintaining the current state or moving toward a new one. This is the middle ground.
• Motivated - actively seeking to change. These people are already aware of the 'problem' and are looking for solutions. They want to hear what you have to tell them and are likely to be ready to be convinced of the rightness of your solution.

What else do you need to know?

Aside from their anticipated baseline attitude, (hostile, neutral, motivated), toward your speech topic, what else would be useful to know about your audience?

Find out their:

• General Age
• Shared fears, concerns or problems
• Cultural background(s)
• Shared interests, beliefs, values, goals, hopes, desires
• What obstacles there are to adopting the change you desire

The more you can find out, the more you can tailor writing a persuasive speech (including tone and language choice), and your MWR to fit.

For instance, going back to the obesity in children example above, we could decide,  given what we've found out about the audience, the hard-hitting approach would generate too many obstacles to overcome.

Therefore we will be writing a persuasive speech with a non-threatening MWR that has mothers accepting a pamphlet on children's healthy snack choices to take home.

4. Keep it local

Where possible draw your examples from local material. The reason is we are more likely to care or respond when we actively know who or what is involved firsthand. We identify, and the more we identify, the more invested we are in finding a solution. The situation becomes real to us and we care.

5. Evidence and empathy

An essential part of putting together a good persuasive speech is finding credible evidence to support your argument.

Seek out reputable, reliable, quotable sources to back the points you make. Without them your speech will fail its purpose.

Persuasion is a synthesis of emotional as well as intellectual appeal.

Emotional content will be dismissed unless it is properly backed. Conversely purely intellectual content will be dismissed if it lacks empathy or feeling. You need both - in equal measure.

6. Balance and obstacles

Seek out and address the opposition's arguments, or obstacles in the path of adopting your course of action, fairly and respectfully. Find the elements you share. Openly acknowledge and be clear about them. This builds credibility and trust and as a result your points of departure are more likely to be listened to.

7. Choosing a structural pattern

Once you've decided your topic and its angle, done your audience analysis, fixed what you want to achieve (MWR), researched for evidence, and addressed the obstacles, you're finally ready to begin writing.

What pattern or model will you use?

There is more than one.

Have a look at each of the four below to see which best suits your topic, speech purpose and audience.

1) Monroe's Motivated Sequence

This is a tried and tested model developed in the 1930's by Allan H Monroe. Monroe's Motivated Sequence follows the normal mind-flow or thought sequence someone goes through when someone else is persuading them to do something.

It's a pattern used over and over again by the professional persuaders:  marketers, advertisers, politicians ...

Monroe's Motivated Sequence in action

You can find out more about the five steps involved in writing a persuasive speech using  Monroe's Motivated Sequence  here. There's an explanation with examples of each step, and a printable blank outline template to download.

There's also an  example persuasive speech  to read that uses the method.

2) Problem/Solution

This is a two step pattern. The first part outlines/explains the problem and the second provides the solution which includes meeting the obstacles and giving evidence.

3) Comparison

In this pattern the method is to compare an item/object/idea/action against another similar item/object/idea/action and establish why the item/object/idea/action you are supporting is superior.

Example: Why a SBI website is better than a Wordpress site if you want to build an online business

• Reason One Wordpress primarily is a blogging platform and blogging is not a business model
• Reason Two Wordpress does not supply fully integrated step-by-step instructions to build a sustainable e-business
• Reason Three Wordpress does not provide its users with constant and fully tested upgrades/updating

With each comparison point compelling, relevant evidence is provided and obstacles are met.

(If you're curious check out the SBI v Wordpress comparison. There are many more than three reasons why SBI is the preferred online business platform! Wordpress or SBI? And these days you can actually have both through SBI.)

4) Using the negative to persuade

In this model the reasons why you are against the opposition of your chosen topic are highlighted.

Example: The topic is Teenage Binge Drinking and the angle is to persuade parents to take more control

• Leads to anti-social behavior - for example, mindless vandalism, drunk-driving, and unprotected sex 
• Impacts on growing brains - an overview of current research
• Has implications for developing addictions - alcoholism, nicotine ...

Each negative reason is backed with evidence. One piles on top the other creating an urgency to solve the problem. Your positive solution coming at the end of the speech clinches the argument.

More speech resources

For more about the processes involved in writing a successful speech check these pages:

• Using storytelling effectively

For more about delivering your persuasive speech persuasively please don't overlook these pages. They are gold! Writing is a only part of the process. How you deliver completes it.

• How to rehearse
• Using vocal variety
• Return to the top of the page  

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Iran hacking Trump? AI deepfakes? Cyber side of 2024 election heats up.

• Deep Read ( 6 Min. )
• By Laurent Belsie Staff writer @lbelsie

August 13, 2024

Everybody knew artificial intelligence would play a role in this year’s election, but not quite this way.

On Sunday, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump falsely claimed that Democratic opponent Kamala Harris had used AI tools to fabricate the size of crowds at her rallies.

Why We Wrote This

Recent days have seen false allegations of AI meddling, actual AI meddling, and reports of old-style hacking all involving the U.S. election campaign. Yet so far, this election’s cyberchaos may be less impactful than experts worried.

Whether it’s accusations of altering videos when they can be so easily disproved or surprise findings that AI-aided fake political news is having only mixed success, 2024 is not turning out the way cybersecurity specialists expected. AI influence campaigns were supposed to be smarter and subtler than what has happened so far in elections stretching from Indonesia to the United States.

Cybermeddlers are still making trouble. Yet they appear to be relying on traditional tactics more than on AI. In the latest example, Iranian hackers may have stolen information from the Trump campaign.

This week’s false claim by Mr. Trump and its amplification on social media highlight what some cybersecurity experts have long said: Although the use of AI deep fakes is growing, the best way to combat malign cyberinfluence in elections is to clamp down on its distribution.

Says Oren Etzioni, founder of TrueMedia.org, “It’s not the number of fakes [that matters]; it’s their impact.”

On Sunday, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump falsely claimed that Democratic opponent Kamala Harris had used AI tools to fabricate the size of crowds at her rallies. Media outlets, including the local Fox TV affiliate that live-streamed a large Detroit airport event, debunked the former president’s social media post.

Whether it is candidates accusing opponents of altering videos when it can be so easily disproved or surprise findings that AI-aided fake political news is having only mixed success, 2024 is not turning out the way cybersecurity specialists expected. AI influence campaigns were supposed to be smarter and more subtle than what has happened so far in elections stretching from Indonesia to the United States.

Cyber meddlers are still making trouble. Yet they appear to be relying on traditional tactics more than on AI. In the latest example, Iranian hackers may have stolen information from the Trump campaign.

This week’s false claim about Harris rally attendance and its amplification on social media highlight what some cybersecurity experts have long said: Although the use of AI deepfakes is growing, the best way to combat malign cyber influence in elections is to clamp down on its distribution.

“The one thing I want to fix? It’s the problem of the last 20 years: social media,” says Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and pioneer in digital forensics and image analysis. “If I could create deepfakes of Biden and Trump and all I could do was mail it to my five friends, that’s really different than if I can cover Twitter and YouTube and TikTok with it.” 

Two weeks ago, for example, tech billionaire Elon Musk  grabbed headlines after he shared a video on his social media platform that used an AI voice-cloning tool to mimic the voice of Vice President Harris  – saying things she hasn’t really said. He later said he assumed readers knew it was a parody.

“It’s not the number of fakes [that matters]; it’s their impact,” says Oren Etzioni, founder of TrueMedia.org. “One fake can have a major impact if it’s propagated widely via social media and people believe in it.” His nonprofit is offering media outlets and others a tool to spot deepfakes quickly.

While using AI can make creating fictional material much easier and quicker, there’s no guarantee it will have its intended effect.

For instance, a report in April by the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) found that a Russian-influenced operation called Storm-1679 repeatedly used generative AI to try to undermine the Paris Olympics, but it failed. In an update Friday, MTAC identified a Chinese group that incorporated the technology, “but with limited to no impact.”

OpenAI, the company behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT, reached a similar conclusion in a report in May. It found that although influencers linked to Russia, China, and Iran used its tools to generate articles in various languages, create names and bios for social media accounts, and debug computer code, among other activities, they had not “meaningfully increased audience engagement or reach.”

These failures may explain why foreign influencers have returned to more tried-and-true techniques. “We’ve seen nearly all actors seek to incorporate AI into their content in their operations, but more recently, many actors have pivoted back to techniques that have proven effective in the past,” according to the MTAC report released Friday.

Consider Mr. Trump's allegation this past weekend that Iranian hackers, who may have been conducting a traditional cyberattack known as spear-phishing, had stolen internal documents from his campaign. He was apparently referring to Friday’s MTAC report, which singled out an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit that recently used a compromised account of a former political adviser to email “a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign.”

The email included a fake forwarding address with a link to a site controlled by the unit, according to the report. In July, the political news website Politico began receiving internal Trump campaign documents from an anonymous source, including a 271-page dossier of publicly available information on Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the GOP vice-presidential nominee.

Now the FBI is investigating an alleged Iranian attack on the Democratic presidential campaign as well as the one on the GOP.

“Over the past several months, we have seen the emergence of significant influence activity by Iranian actors,” the MTAC report says.

While social media poses a bigger problem,  the number of AI political deepfakes continues to increase around the world, especially during campaign seasons.

“India, Pakistan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Mexico … in each of these elections, every single one, we’ve seen deepfakes, and they’ve become increasingly persuasive,” says Mr. Etzioni of TrueMedia.org. 

In India this spring, police arrested people from two opposition parties after a video falsely showed the home secretary saying that the government would end an affirmative-action jobs program for disadvantaged castes.

Deepfakes aren’t always malign. In Pakistan, supporters of an opposition party used deepfakes of their jailed leader, with his permission, to appeal to voters, who gave the party a plurality. It was a historic outcome, even though the party backed by the military eventually formed a coalition government with another opposition party.

Here in the United States, the motives have also been mixed. In January, before the New Hampshire primary, a political consultant paid for a deep fake of President Joe Biden discouraging voters from going to the polls. The consultant, a Democrat, claimed he did it to alert his party to the dangers of AI. Nevertheless, the Federal Communications Commission has since proposed fining him $6 million, and New Hampshire has indicted him on 32 counts related to election interference.

Last month, a deepfake appeared to show Mr. Biden swearing at viewers during his televised speech ending his reelection campaign. The video went viral on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). 

One reason for spreading such content is to damage a candidate’s reputation. Another more subtle aim is “polarizing the already divided segments of the society,” says Siwei Lyu, co-director of the Center for Information Integrity at the University at Buffalo.

Increasing this divisiveness often appears to be the aim of influence campaigns by foreign nations. In this election cycle, “we expect Iranian actors will employ cyberattacks against institutions and candidates while simultaneously intensifying their efforts to amplify existing divisive issues within the U.S., like racial tensions, economic disparities, and gender-related issues,” MTAC said in its report.

Companies and governments are beginning to respond to such threats.

At a Munich conference in February, Google, Meta, OpenAI, X, and 16 other large tech companies committed to the Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections. Among other points, the accord requires companies to detect and address such content on their platforms. In May, OpenAI announced it had closed the accounts of the Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influencers it had detected. 

While democracy advocates applauded the move, many say industry self-regulation isn’t enough. The European Commission actively investigates potential failures of platforms like Facebook and Instagram.  

Mr. Farid at Berkeley sees a big change from 20 years ago.

“Now there is an awareness that ... the government does have to step in,” he says.  

In the U.S. the magnitude of the shift is an open question. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to rule on whether the White House and federal agencies can push social media companies to remove content the federal government deems misinformation. The Justices said the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case.

The result: Although some federal oversight on misinformation may continue for now, debate over whether this violates constitutional free-speech protections is unsettled.

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