Oregon Historical Quarterly

Abstract:

Adapted from a speech for the Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum series, biographer Brent Walth examines the oratorical skills of Oregon governor Tom McCall. Remembered for his groundbreaking environmental legislation, including the Bottle Bill (1972) and the creation of statewide land-use planning (1973), McCall used his ability to tell a compelling story to present and promote his agenda to the public. Walth dissects the literary structure of McCall's speeches, including his use of alliteration and metaphor, as a way to understand the governor's political successes as part of the larger Oregon narrative — a narrative largely of McCall's making.