I hear people praising Obama for his public speaking even still, which I find somewhat silly, even though he is better at most than speaking. Back in the old days, you either memorized your speeches or read off of paper, not stare at a teleprompter throughout your whole speech. In the Roman times, you could not survive in politics unless you were a grand public speaker. In the process, you would have to use your hands a lot. I am not sure if public speaking is not as valued as it was before because some morons perceive it as a sign of elitism if you are skilled at rhetoric, or what.