When I listened to the State of the Union speech, I wondered, why did Obama develop that "Whisper as an emphasis"-style? It sounds as if he's talking to children. Sarah Palin did it a lot.
I don't know where he got it but I think many of the most effective public speakers know how and when to vary their tone, speed and sound to create interest, passion or anticipation in their listeners. Dynamics are important in public speech, When someone who understands how to modulate gives a speech they're also passionate about, the results in the audience can be impressive.
