The filibuster against Civil Rights by Senator Strom Thurmond who held the floor of the Senate for 24 hours ranks as part of American history and Congressional lore. When I think of filibustering, I think of some one reading out of a telephone book, the dictionary, or a novel and talking about everything under the sun.
But I’ve never witnessed a filibuster much less seen the actual documentation of one. We’ve got the text of the Gettysburg address, shouldn’t we have access to the text of one of the longest historic speech’s of our time. I’ve searched but I could not find the text of any filibusters.
To put a 24 hour speech in comparison, here is the text of Fidel Castro’s 4 1/2 hour speech delivered to the UN. I couldn’t find the speech on the UN website, I don’t know why.
Here’s William Henry Harrison’s inaugural address.
So people have given long speeches in history. But what can we learn from them? Can you imagine the people that had to sit though these speeches and filibusters? Is it like listening to a novel? What is there structure and organization, there substance and style? How could someone memorize all that and keep on topic?
Any future Presidential speechwriters are welcome to comment on this lacking field of oratory, speeches and speechwriting.
If I understand the concept of filibustering correctly keeping on topic doesn’t seem to be of great importance, it is the length of time it takes to give the speech that is more important than the actual content.
I truly don’t understand what the factual question is here.
However, if you want to read the last real filibuster, look here. Put Senator Harry Reid in the “Member of Congress” pulldown menu, and “searchlight” in the word/phrase box. Click on the link for November 10, 2003.
There’s some funny stuff about rabbits in there. Search for the part where Senator Roberts is asking Reid questions. Like this:
And the civil rights filibusters are not online because the electronic version of the Congressional Record only goes back about ten years. You can go to your nearest Federal Repository Library – likely a university or big city library – and they will have the Congressional Record of the dates you’re interested in.