- 1). Count the number of words in the address. This is a very raw analysis, yet it can determine whether the address is way too long or short. The longest presidential address numbered 8,445 words and was delivered by William Henry Harrison. (The president's speech was so long that it might have contributed to his early death from pneumonia one month after the speech.) Franklin D. Roosevelt gave one of the shortest inaugural addresses in history, numbering just 559 words.
- 2). Analyze the issues the newly elected president outlined in the address. The president needs to mention all important issues facing America at the moment. Determine whether these issues are primarily foreign or domestic. He should also reflect upon his election promises. The president, being the most important person in the country, should also show leadership, courage and an ability to reach across the isle and reconcile with his political opponents.
- 3). Analyze the rhetoric. The president's inaugural address must be articulate, intellectually charged, stirring and at the same time clear and unsophisticated, so every citizen, irrespective of his education, should understand it. In addition, the president should also deliver the speech with a confident and optimistic voice. Look for cadence and parallelisms in the words chosen.
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