The idea is rooted in the notion that the president is a gifted orator whose path to the White House was made easier because of those skills. But in his two and a half years in office, Mr. Obama has discovered what many other presidents have: the bully pulpit isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

The president and his aides have repeatedly sought to claim the national spotlight with speeches during difficult political moments. But expectations are always high for such addresses, and there are few examples in which a speech by Mr. Obama has dramatically helped to change the political or legislative narrative in his favor…

There is little chance Mr. Obama will stop giving big speeches. There is an expectation that any president should lay out his proposals and ideas to the nation…

But as a tool to make things happen — to move legislation, to advance foreign policy agendas, or to achieve compromise on tough issues — the speeches by Mr. Obama have struggled to accomplish their tasks.