A major speech is defined as live nationally televised and broadcast addresses to the country that preempt all major network programming. Inaugural Adresses and State of the Union Addresses are included.
President |
total in term |
yearly average |
average monthly interval between speeches |
Coolidge |
25 |
5.0 |
2.4 |
Hoover |
7 |
1.8 |
6.1 |
Roosevelt I |
12 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
Roosevelt II |
13 |
3.3 |
3.7 |
Roosevelt III |
19 |
4.8 |
2.5 |
Roosevelt IV |
1 |
-- |
-- |
Truman I |
17 |
3.4 |
2.8 |
Truman II |
15 |
3.8 |
3.2 |
Eisenhower I |
21 |
5.3 |
2.3 |
Eisenhower II |
20 |
5.0 |
2.5 |
Kennedy |
15 |
5.0 |
2.3 |
Johnson |
23 |
4.6 |
2.7 |
Nixon I |
23 |
5.8 |
2.1 |
Nixon II |
13 |
8.1 |
1.5 |
Ford |
12 |
5.2 |
2.4 |
Carter |
17 |
4.3 |
2.8 |
Reagan I |
20 |
5.0 |
2.4 |
Reagan II |
27 |
6.8 |
1.8 |
Bush |
17 |
4.3 |
2.8 |
Clinton I |
14 |
3.5 |
3.4 |



Lyn Ragsdale, Vital Statistics on the Presidency (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 1998), 167. Modifications to the data for Coolidge and Hoover compiled by Gerhard Peters and taken from Congressional Record (1929-32)