Stump speaking in its truest form is an an almost forgotten aspect of political campaigning. In 19th century America,a political candidate was prepared to give a campaign speech anywhere he could fine voters. Sometimes a candidate got to speak from a podium, sometimes he spoke from a wagon-bed or from a tree-stump. Sometimes the speech was planned in advance; sometimes it was impromptu.
Missouri artist George Caleb Bringham captured the spirit of American grass-roots politics his 1854 painting “Stump Speaking.” The painting depicts a political orator before a group of voters. The scene suggests that the speech was a lively interplay between the officer seeker and the voter.
As I stated earlier, stump speaking has almost disappeared. Candidates still do what they call “stump speeches” but they are usually well orchestrated events without the spontaneity of earlier times. The media event has replacement the stump speech. I think that’s a shame! Stump speaking was part of grassroots democracy.
Now I’ve given the lead-up to why I call this blog “Stump Speaking.” I think that everyone involved in the political process–candidate, party activist, concerned citizen–should have a forum for speaking his mind. Thisblog is where I’m going to speak about politics is Northeast Missouri.
