I know there's another state of the union thread, but this isn't so much specifically discuss the points that were made, but more about how they were made.
I can never really watch any of Bush's speeches. Besides my personal issues with him and the administration, I just think he's a horrible public speaker. I literally cringe listening to his speeches sometimes. He never seems to understand what he's talking about, stumbles over words, says the wrong thing, looks lost, and just never seems to convey any real feeling behind what he's saying.
Last night he made it through relatively problem free, but still, it just felt flat. Then the democratic rebuttal comes on, and Jim Webb, simply put, spoke powerfully. The contrast of those two speeches so close together was striking. The former was embarrassing, the latter is how I want my leaders to be able to speak. But really, it wasn't only the way he spoke, it was also the knowledge that was being conveyed through his words. When Bush speaks it sounds like he's watched a highlight reel of talking points and would be absolutely lost without a written speech. Jim Webb came off as a man who is thoroughly acquainted with the subjects he was talking about. That the points he was bringing up were near and dear to his heart and didn't come from a "speech by numbers" guide book, but came from a real desire to see these problems solved.
Whether Jim Webb’s ideas for this country are better, or whether he cares more about this country than George Bush is irrelevant. What struck me was how much more powerful his words and presentation were than Bush's.
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posted
I'm sure it helped that Webb wrote his own speech. The DNC had prepared remarks for him to read, and he tore them up and wrote his own. A very gutsy move for a freshman senator who just got handed one of the biggest speeches of the year to pull, and more power to him!
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Oh he wasn't handed the speech per se, he probably lobbied to get it. And seeing as how many people view his winning VA as the race that tipped the balance in Democratic favor, he probably leveraged that to get the spot. SOTU rebuttal and DNC Keynote speech are two of the biggest speeches for the Democrats because it's free publicity for getting your name out there, and people actually watch those events. Take Obama for example.
Part of Bush's problem is it all sounds the same. He says the EXACT same thing every single time, he pounds it into our heads. So even when he DOES say something new, which is fairly rare, it's always folded into the same ole same ole, which just goes in one ear and out the other. He isn't charismatic, he isn't believable, and I just don't care anymore.
Where did you hear that Webb junked the prepared remarks?
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I noticed the same thing. Webb's speech left me breathless. The only reason I was able to follow Bush's was because we were playing a drinking game. Otherwise I would have been utterly bored and stopped listening.
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I think a lot of people argue that Bush's lack of public finesse is actually endearing, and makes him more sympathetic to the average person...maybe that's true. Does that make me not the average person? I guess i can understand feeling a politician is *too* polished, i.e. smarmy and calculating...Bush never seems prepared, and therefore never seems manipulative in that way, as a lot of elected officials do.
But i can't watch any of his speeches, no matter how interested i am in the topic. I literally cringe watching him speak, out of embarassment for him. And it doesn't endear him to me at all...in fact, I feel his lack of "polish" may be pure laziness...he's got to be aware by now that he's not an effective speaker, his cabinet and all his staff have to be aware of it, so why doesn't he take lessons? Practice public speaking? College students around the country are required to do this, shouldn't the President of the USA show at least that much concern about his speaking skills?
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I saw a schedule of what Bush did on one of his "vacation" weekends (counted as vacation by Moore in F 9/11). It made me tired to think about it. It seems that the office of President makes one a little too busy to pick up those extra classes.
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Lyrhawn: I'm not sure where I originally read it, but this Washington Post article references a radio interview in which Webb describes how he wrote his own remarks (look about halfway through the article).
Posts: 1321 | Registered: Sep 1999
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This came up during a radio commentary (local) this morning, and I have to agree with it. President Bush is not a great public speaker. The commentator this morning was saying that Sam Brownback (our Kansan who is running for president) is going to encounter the same problem -- he is a quiet, deliberate speaker, and not someone who "lights up a room" when he walks in. In other words, nothing that people really notice.
The commentator (and I probably agree) said that most likely the American people next election will be looking for someone more charimastic, more eloquent -- kind of the way Reagan could be. Someone who can speak with passion. Overall, after having President Bush as president, we want a better communicator.
It will be interesting to see who fills that role.
posted
Bush (and most politicians) could take a presentation tip or two from Steve Jobs. Whether you like his products or not, you have to admit that the man is a very clear and persuasive public speaker. There's a reason they coined the phrase Reality Distortion Field.
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The problem with President Bush isn't that he's not a very dynamic speaker. He's not quiet nor he is lacking in charisma or passion.
He does however have problems expressing things in a way that makes it sound like he understands that concepts involved in what he's talking about and many times the english language as well. Poor public speaking isn't neccesarily a significantly bad thing, but in the President's case this poor speaking is accompanied by plans and actions that reinforce the perception that he lacks understanding and depth in these issues.
Senator Brownback, for all I don't agree with his issues, is an intelligent man who sounds intelligent when he speaks and is able to back up this impression with plans and actions that seem like they come from an intelligent man. He may have problems with his public speaking, but they will be very different ones from those of President Bush.
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quote: Senator Brownback, for all I don't agree with his issues, is an intelligent man who sounds intelligent when he speaks and is able to back up this impression with plans and actions that seem like they come from an intelligent man.
Oh I agree with that. However, I'm just saying he doesn't have that "Wow" factor that it might take to be the next president.
posted
I just wish for once the president would come out and say... I am going to give my speech now, please do not interrupt me. You will have plenty of time to stand and clap or sit and moan at the end. We all know the people from my party will stand and clap for just about everything I say and the people from the other party will refuse half of the time. So if we can agree not to do this we will be out of here in about twenty minutes. You can run out to give interviews to which ever network you want, which is why you are really here anyway.
Bush is not a good speaker, I doubt anyone would argue that point, but I would much rather be able to give a speech in the comfort of my office with no interruptions instead of having to stop 63 times for applause. I mean really is standing or not standing to clap the best way to communicate your political views. I know it is how they do it, but it is just stupid.
Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine.
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I think a lot of the hoops that we make our candidates and elected officials go through are really stupid. But, then again, I'm an elitist anti-populist who really doesn't like reality TV.
quote: A very gutsy move for a freshman senator who just got handed one of the biggest speeches of the year to pull, and more power to him!
Webb may be a freshman senator, but he's no spring chicken. The man has lots of experience with public service, and with speaking in front of an audience.
According to some reports, Bush has changed the way he does his public speaking to appeal to his target constituency. I've heard several folks on NPR claim that it's an act to make him more approachable to the common man.
:shrug:
No idea if it's true or not.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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quote: Bush has changed the way he does his public speaking to appeal to his target constituency
Well, I certainly don't see a problem with that. I can't think of single public speaker that doesn't try to "improve" his technique to appeal to whoever his audience is.
In fact, I would HOPE he is taking some lessons to try to get better at that.
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posted
I've been thinking about this a lot... when I first decided to vote for Bush was when he gave his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention... THAT Bush, with his natural, easy delivery and down-to-earth directness, was great. Once he became president, however, he began to affect a particular style that I find nauseating, as if he's trying desperately to sound statesmanlike and failing miserably. There is a falseness and stiffness to his speeches now that really disappoints me... this is the main reason I only read them.
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posted
Most modern politicians are bad speakers. There is no comparision between Bush and Churchill, FDR, Martin Luther King (all of whom wrote their own speeches, of course) or even Kennedy (who didn't). Tony Blaire at least sounds informed, but is not a brilliant speaker life those men.
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