Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [2331]

Blaine is the man of the hour—as of this minute. I am not listening to a very long nomination speech in favour of a former postmaster general called Jewell. The oratory, so far, has been tedious. The interior of the hall is stifling; but now the sun has begun to go down, and we are a bit more comfortable. — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 2331

Note

The juxtaposition of Blaine being the ‘man of the hour’ with the tedious nomination speech emphasizes the contrast between public image and reality, captivating the reader’s interest.