Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Whiskey Speech

The fools have adjourned and a friend sent this great speech given at the adjournment of another august body. Play it just like you do the Song Of The Day, and see if it doesn't remind you of some current politicians.

The original Whiskey Speech was delivered in 1952 by Soggy Sweat.

Judge Noah S. "Soggy" Sweat, Jr. was a judge, law professor, and state representative in the state of Mississippi who was notable for his 1952 speech on the floor of the Mississippi state legislature concerning whiskey, which is considered a classic example of political doublespeak. Reportedly the speech took Sweat 2½ months to write.

For years Rep. Ed Perry from Oxford , Mississippi always delivered the Whiskey Speech on the last day of the regular legislative session. It was his way of knowing they were in fact going to Sine Die the session. After Ed retired no one took up the cause because no one could do any better than Ed, maybe not even ol' Soggy Sweat himself. On the 100th anniversary of the opening of the New Capitol a few years ago Ed Perry was a part of the program to deliver the Whiskey Speech live and over public radio.

1 comment:

SWilmeth said...

I tell you what. The older you get the more you appreciate honesty. I'll second this great statement of fact over fiction!