Hussein Unplugged - Lost Without A Teleprompter
USUALLY WHEN BARACK OBAMA gives a major speech, the overdone hosannas from the liberal commentariat follow as surely as night follows day. The American Prospect’s Ezra Klein wrote of Obama’s post-Iowa victory speech, “I’ve been blessed to hear many great orations. I was in the audience when Howard Dean gave his famous address challenging the Democratic Party to rediscover courage and return to principle . . . But none achieve(d) quite what Obama, at his best, creates. . . . Obama’s finest speeches do not excite. They do not inform. They don’t even really inspire. They elevate. They enmesh you in a grander moment.”
It would be unfair to say this childish lefty gushing has been without cause. Obama is indeed a magnificent speaker. A few days after his Iowa address, I emailed a friend of mine and called it the finest political speech I had ever heard. Then again, I cannot claim to have been in the audience for Howard Dean’s “famous address.”
In spite of Obama’s obvious strengths in this area, questions linger regarding Obama’s gifted speechifying. Do his speeches give us a glimpse at a very special man with a unique vision? Or are we merely witnessing a political one-trick pony? Yes, Obama can turn a phrase better and do more with a Teleprompter than any other modern era politician. But does his special skill set here actually mean anything, or is it instead the political equivalent of a dog walking on its hind legs–unusual and riveting, but not especially
significant? Regardless, the liberal commentators have gushed their praise nearly every time Obama has opened his mouth before a Teleprompter the past few months
It was thus interesting to see Obama climb to the stage at Virginia’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on Saturday night. As he strode to the podium, Obama clutched in his hands a pile of 3 by 5 index cards. The index cards meant only one thing–no Teleprompter.
Shorn of his Teleprompter, we saw a different Obama. His delivery was halting and unsure. He looked down at his obviously copious notes every few seconds throughout the speech. Unlike the typical Obama oration where the words flow with unparalleled fluidity, he stumbled over his phrasing repeatedly.
The prepared text for his remarks, as released on his website, sounded a lot like a typical Obama speech. All the Obama dramatis personae that we’ve come to know so well were there–the hapless family that had to put a “for sale” sign on its front lawn, the factory forced to shutter its doors and, of course, the mother who declares bankruptcy because “she cannot pay her child’s medical bills.”
The tone was also vintage Obama. The prepared text reached out to all Americans, including (gasp!) Republicans. It also evidenced Obama’s signature lack of anger. While his colleagues have happily demagogued complex issues and demonized the Bush administration, Obama always has taken pains to strike a loftier tone.
But Saturday night’s stem-winder turned out quite differently from the typical Obama speech. With no Teleprompter signaling the prepared text, Obama failed to deliver the speech in his characteristically flawless fashion. He had to rely on notes. And his memory. And he improvised.
The results weren’t just interesting because they revealed Obama as a markedly inferior speaker without the Teleprompter. Obama’s supporters have had ample notice that the scripted Obama is far more effective than the spontaneous one. The extremely articulate and passionate Obama that makes all the speeches has yet to show up at any of the debates. For such a gifted and energetic speaker, he is an oddly tongue-tied and indifferent debater.
Read the full article by Dean Barnett at The Weekly Standard here.
Nods to drillanwr.
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Bling and no ching!
February 12th, 2008 at 3:44 pmHe’s an empty suit with a great speech writer.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:45 pmBHO Supporter (amid tears and cheers): Oh! He’s just so wonderful! So much compassion! So much hope!
Me: He just said NOTHING! The man just said absolutely NOTHING!
BHO Supporter (amid tears and cheers): Yes, but he said it so well!
February 12th, 2008 at 3:48 pmI love it when that shit happens. It’s a chance to see the political body as it truly is: stupid.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:54 pmIm convinced that the Obama supporters could very well be the dumbest people among us.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:55 pmYou would think he would have his stump speech down cold by now, and would be saying it in his sleep. Why is it so hard to find truly qualified, honest and talented people for public office? Are we just out of them?
February 12th, 2008 at 3:57 pmDittos Drill and Kurt - dem voters scare me a hell of a lot more than dem politicians. The latter are as transparent as clear glass. The former are gullible enablers and there seems to be a shitload of them.
RE the article — the man behind the curtain finally appears.
February 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pmThese people, and I use the term loosely, have as much independant thought and initiative as your average sheep. Hell, they make cows look smart. Pigs blow them away in critical thinking.
If Hussein somehow gets into the White House, hopefully the full weight of what he’s gotten into will crush him so that he has a nervous breakdown and leaves office by the beginning of January. Maybe he can get Zell Miller to be his Vice-President…
February 12th, 2008 at 4:46 pmMakes me really look forward to the general election debates.
February 12th, 2008 at 4:54 pmI’m shocked, shocked!
February 12th, 2008 at 6:09 pmSecond that. He’s going to be destroyed in the debates, and it will not be pretty.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:30 pmThank you god for giving us such a stupid man in B. Hussein Obama. He will get the crap kicked out of him and all those liberal douche bags voting for the twit are giving up a lamb to the slaughter. He will lose big this November because his racist thoughts will be shown. He tax and spend credentials will be exposed and he lies and corrupts will come out. he will be swiftboated by his own stupidity
February 13th, 2008 at 4:20 am