Excellent column on
Why Smart Talkers Lose Debates and How Obama Can Beat McCain Anyway, but I beg to differ over the point made that "So far, Obama hasn't come close to figuring out how to sound like a man of the people." I've noticed that lately, he has a very casual, offhand style and a gee-whiz manner that makes him sound like he was back on the farm in Kansas. I agree with the premise of the article—of course he can't sigh, roll his eyes, or use polysyllabic words. But I think he does come across as folksy in most interviews, so I'd be surprised if he didn't do so equally well in the debate. That said, debating is not a strength, and I'm sure he'd much prefer to be giving a grand oration
on Friday night. But since he's facing McCain, it shouldn't be all that hard. That guy is a terrible speaker in debates and pretty much everywhere else.
Labels: language, media, politics
