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The President Whose Words Once Soared
NY Times ^ | November 7, 2009 | PETER BAKER

Posted on 11/10/2009 3:39:21 PM PST by Ben Mugged

As the most gifted orator of his generation, President Obama finds speechmaking perhaps his most potent political tool. It propelled him to national prominence in 2004 and to the White House in 2008. And whenever he needs to calm economic fears or revive stalled health care legislation, he takes to the lectern.

It may be too soon to reach such conclusions. The Democrats who lost last week, after all, had fatal flaws all their own. But the results do suggest that Mr. Obama’s addresses these days may not resonate quite the way they did. Speeches that once set pulses racing now feel more familiar. And if that remains the case heading into next year, it could make it more difficult for the Democrats’ own Great Communicator to promote his program and carry along allies in crucial midterm elections.

“Really inspirational speeches like the Iowa caucus victory speech set expectations for Obama’s rhetoric that would have been difficult to meet, and he hasn’t met them,” said Michael J. Gerson, who was President George W. Bush’s chief speechwriter. “He’s had one really large explanatory task, which is trying to motivate people on health care reform, and the polls have gone the other way. He will now have another very difficult task, to explain his Afghan policy, whatever it is, to a country that’s deeply skeptical.”

Speechmaking as a president often presents a sharper challenge than it does on the campaign trail. The audience is different, the desired goals are different, the platform is different. Selling another candidate, as Mr. Obama tried to do for Jon Corzine in New Jersey and Creigh Deeds in Virginia, is invariably harder than selling yourself. And pushing policies requires more explanation than inspiration.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bho44; democrats; fail; failure; fourth100days; nj2009; obama; totus; va2009; yawn
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The NY Times? Beating up 0bama? Look, up in the sky, it's a Pig.
1 posted on 11/10/2009 3:39:22 PM PST by Ben Mugged
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To: Ben Mugged
As the most gifted orator of his generation ...

Stopped reading right there. A real orator doesn't need a teleprompter.

2 posted on 11/10/2009 3:41:37 PM PST by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: Ben Mugged

” Speeches that once set pulses racing... “

...now send thumbs racing - towards the ‘Mute’ button..


3 posted on 11/10/2009 3:41:57 PM PST by Uncle Ike (Rope is cheap, and there are lots of trees...)
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To: Ben Mugged

People are tired of speeches. That’s all he’s got. It is going to be a long three years. For him.


4 posted on 11/10/2009 3:42:25 PM PST by eureka! (Turn the Tea Party into our own ACORN when voting time comes. GOTV.)
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To: Ben Mugged

LOL. It’s a bird...it’s a plane...no, it’s SUPER PIG!


5 posted on 11/10/2009 3:42:41 PM PST by nagdt ("speak the truth but leave immediately afterward")
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To: Ben Mugged

TOTUS


6 posted on 11/10/2009 3:42:55 PM PST by JHBowden (Keep the Change!)
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To: Ben Mugged

He’s only “the most gifted orator in the history of the world” or whatnot because the New York Times said he was. His actual speeches are total crap.


7 posted on 11/10/2009 3:43:17 PM PST by Question Liberal Authority (Why buy health insurance at all if you can't be turned down for any pre-existing conditions?)
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To: Ben Mugged
It may well have soared...but it wasa always a pack of lies

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IN HIS OWN WORDS

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S UPBRINGING

8 posted on 11/10/2009 3:43:36 PM PST by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: Ben Mugged
As the most gifted orator of his generation

ROFLMAO!!!! Does he give you a thrill up your leg?

9 posted on 11/10/2009 3:43:45 PM PST by thecabal (Destroy Progressivism)
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To: Ben Mugged

10 posted on 11/10/2009 3:44:03 PM PST by Lucky9teen (America is at that awkward stage..2 late 2 work within the system, but 2 early 2 shoot the bastards)
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To: Ben Mugged

The writer is just another sad liberal whose leg doesn’t tingle for 0 the way it used to.


11 posted on 11/10/2009 3:44:03 PM PST by mojito
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To: pnh102
Stopped reading right there. A real orator doesn't need a teleprompter.

Agreed. You want a gifted orator? Try Reagan on for size; he was the REAL DEAL.

12 posted on 11/10/2009 3:44:22 PM PST by kromike
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To: Uncle Ike
"Speeches that once set pulses racing...."

....and legs tingling!

13 posted on 11/10/2009 3:44:26 PM PST by Churchillspirit (9/11/01...NEVER FORGET.)
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To: Ben Mugged

“Speeches that once set pulses racing now feel more familiar”

My pulse is still high when I hear him...of anger


14 posted on 11/10/2009 3:44:39 PM PST by GauchoUSA
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To: Ben Mugged

The only ones proclaiming this are the sycophants in the media. Obama isn’t a great orator. And the biggest conclusion is that his words were always full of hot hair and when his balloon bursted, it all fell down to the ground to be seen what his words really were. Lies and rhetoric to make the insane believe he was their God.


15 posted on 11/10/2009 3:45:06 PM PST by MAD-AS-HELL (Hope and Change. Rhetoric embraced by the Insane - Obama, The Chump in Charge)
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To: Ben Mugged

I watched part of the Fort Hood speecha and really found it horrible. This side to side glancing to read the teleprompter is really getting old and repulsive. I am thinking that it really sounded shallow


16 posted on 11/10/2009 3:45:25 PM PST by mel
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To: Ben Mugged

Most know that he is just an empty suit, reading a script like an actor in a play or a trained parrot and are not wowed anymore. And when it’s his own words, they know he’s a pathological liar in the extreme!


17 posted on 11/10/2009 3:46:04 PM PST by MrDem (And this is a loyal lifelong Democrat saying this... Democrats for Cheney/Palin 2012)
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To: Ben Mugged

His address to the Fallen at FT HOOD could have been a great moment...but as I watched him shift his eyes from side to side....i felt...its just another speech someone sat and wrote for him while drinking their starbucks this morning after reading what was important to the people at Ft. Hood...Nothing personal...he could have spoken from the heart and showed he didnt need a speech to tell he was thankful to soldiers and their families for the many sacrifices they make...but no....he made a speech as always.


18 posted on 11/10/2009 3:46:25 PM PST by Texas4ever (God is in control!)
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To: Ben Mugged

brings an old saying to mind; Actions talk, BS walks...


19 posted on 11/10/2009 3:47:19 PM PST by God luvs America (When the silent majority speaks the earth trembles!)
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To: Ben Mugged

Well, before we get to their beating up on him, let’s examine those opening words.

“As the most gifted orator of his generation. . . .”

Where the HELL do they get this nonsense? He can’t speak a word without his teleprompter. He stands there with his head swiveling from side to side like some kind of robot metronome. And if you actually EXAMINE what he says, it’s all vacuous nonsense.

As I recall, a great orator has to consider three aspects: ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos involves the moral credibility of the speaker. Does Obama inspire trust? Not unless you’re an idiot.

Pathos involves feeling. Does Obama express any real feelings? Does he feel for anyone but himself. Does he reach out and appeal to the feelings of his audience? Not unless they are idiots.

Logos involves logic. Do Obama’s speeches make any sense? Does he ever engage in rational persuasion? Not unless you’re an idiot.

It sickens me whenever I hear this nonsense about Obama being a great speaker. I can’t stand looking at him, and I can’t stand listening to him. I thought that clinton was bad, but Obama almost makes clinton look like a decent guy. Almost. In fact, I can’t stand looking at or listening to either one of them, and I can’t understand how anyone can let these corrupt and evil jerks send thrills up their legs.


20 posted on 11/10/2009 3:47:27 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: MrDem

The super genius who has his SATs, college grades, and LSATs in a lockbox.


21 posted on 11/10/2009 3:47:35 PM PST by nascarnation
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To: MAD-AS-HELL

He is very talented at parsing words and making you think he’s saying one thing, while he’s actually saying another.


22 posted on 11/10/2009 3:48:41 PM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: Cicero

Well said Cicero.


23 posted on 11/10/2009 3:49:15 PM PST by Ben Mugged (Unions are the storm troopers of socialism.)
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To: Ben Mugged

The President’s speeches set my pulse racing more than ever. I can hardly sit still when he speaks. I just have to clean a bore — no, not Obama! A gun bore, of course. Do note tagline.


24 posted on 11/10/2009 3:51:09 PM PST by JohnQ1 (Pray for peace, prepare for war.)
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To: nascarnation

Right on. Sealed until he is out of office—then a disgruntled will start the ball rolling, for a fee, of course. Everything has been hidden, so the most talented talker—I have a gift, Harry—can mesmerize the masses into Marxism. It is telling when the leftist rag, the NY Slimes, has a negative slant.


25 posted on 11/10/2009 3:53:42 PM PST by Achilles Heel
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To: pnh102

“A real orator doesn’t need a teleprompter.”

Or reverb...


26 posted on 11/10/2009 3:55:47 PM PST by bk1000 (A clear conscience is a sure sign of a poor memory)
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To: Ben Mugged

Yeah, his shout-outs just soar .......

creep.


27 posted on 11/10/2009 3:57:07 PM PST by DontTreadOnMe2009 (So stop treading on me already!)
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To: Ben Mugged
As the most gifted orator of his generation ... Ummm, not.
28 posted on 11/10/2009 3:57:07 PM PST by cranked
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To: nascarnation

He was supposed to be a great basketball star. He should at least have some press clippings from his glory days.

Has anybody seen his basketball stats?


29 posted on 11/10/2009 3:57:45 PM PST by RazzPutin ("You have told us more than you can possibly know." -- Niels Bohr)
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To: Cicero

Great post! I agree 100%. I can’t imagine where they are getting this “great orator” stuff from; even when he was campaigning, he stuttered and stumbled, his delivery was wooden and android-like, and the content generally made no sense whatsoever (not to mention being loaded with factual errors).


30 posted on 11/10/2009 3:58:32 PM PST by livius
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To: Ben Mugged
As the most gifted orator of his generation

That's where I stopped.

I have listened to this guy speak. I listened to him speak five years ago, three years ago, and during the last campaign and have yet to be the slightest bit impressed. In fact, it's my opinion Ubama is a stiff.

No matter how often the Democrat newsrooms tell their audiences Ubama is a "gifted orator", it won't make it true.

31 posted on 11/10/2009 3:59:28 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Ben Mugged
HE IS AN ALINSKY DISCIPLE. IGNORE WHATEVER GIFTS HE MIGHT HAVE--IT IS ALL TO ADVANCE A MARXIST PHILOSOPHY.
32 posted on 11/10/2009 3:59:42 PM PST by Recovering_Democrat
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To: Uncle Ike

I’m surprised by the number of people who tell me they can’t stand to hear his voice or even watch him on TV.


33 posted on 11/10/2009 4:00:03 PM PST by ChocChipCookie (When a president must hire out his real job to 32 czars, he was never CEO material.)
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To: Ben Mugged
Look at the pic that went with the article: ROTFLOL!! A cloud hanging over his head...LOL!!
34 posted on 11/10/2009 4:00:12 PM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: Uncle Ike

I’m surprised by the number of people who tell me they can’t stand to hear his voice or even watch him on TV.


35 posted on 11/10/2009 4:00:12 PM PST by ChocChipCookie (When a president must hire out his real job to 32 czars, he was never CEO material.)
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To: Ben Mugged

He’s a silver-tongued devil. Well, I might be wrong about the silver part.


36 posted on 11/10/2009 4:00:54 PM PST by Rocky (OBAMA: Succeeding where bin Laden failed.)
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To: eureka!

“People are tired of speeches. That’s all he’s got. It is going to be a long three years. For him.”

To coin a great Texan phrase - “He’s all hat and no cattle.”


37 posted on 11/10/2009 4:00:55 PM PST by Bobibutu
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To: Cicero
-- I can't understand how anyone can let these corrupt and evil jerks send thrills up their legs. --

They are blind. The Bible talks of this part of "human nature."

38 posted on 11/10/2009 4:01:15 PM PST by Cboldt
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To: Cicero
Where the HELL do they get this nonsense?He is an African-American.That's where they get this nonsense. It's so cool to have a black president.
39 posted on 11/10/2009 4:02:12 PM PST by tommix2 (ant)
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To: livius

He’s a great orator just like his wife’s arms are buff and she dresses so well that the msm would have us believe it if our eyes didn’t lie to us!


40 posted on 11/10/2009 4:02:20 PM PST by Boardwalk
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To: ChocChipCookie

I have the same reaction listening to “Cankles’’ Clinton. That harpys voice is the biggest set of nails dragged across the worlds biggest blackboard.


41 posted on 11/10/2009 4:03:31 PM PST by JoeMac ("Dats all I can stands 'cuz I can't stands no more!'' Popeye The SailorMan)
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To: Ben Mugged

Do you all remember

“I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal”?

What a laugh! Who listens to and believes that sh*t ???

Good jobs for the jobless! Government jobs? Stimulus non jobs? Fake jobs? Lying about the jobs is the same as providing them?

Saved jobs?

Didja notice on the way to work this morning all the sick people, uncared for, staggering around the streets right next to all the guys with no good jobs?

Thank God the Big Zero brought us his Recession just in time!!!

And the NYT one year later to tell us all about it!

Lucky us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


42 posted on 11/10/2009 4:03:47 PM PST by DontTreadOnMe2009 (So stop treading on me already!)
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To: Ben Mugged

Is this the Times admission that zero BS’d and completely fooled them? That’s the way I see it, but I’m sure they are using it as a way to try to let zero know that ‘things ain’t goin’ so well’, LOL!


43 posted on 11/10/2009 4:03:47 PM PST by jeffc (They're coming to take me away! Ha-ha, hey-hey, ho-ho!)
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To: RazzPutin

I’ve read that he was NOT a starter on his HS team.


44 posted on 11/10/2009 4:04:12 PM PST by Seeking the truth (Ocents.com - You Lie & Joker stamps, tees, mousepads, bumper stickers....etc)
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To: RazzPutin

I’ve read that he was NOT a starter on his HS team.


45 posted on 11/10/2009 4:04:20 PM PST by Seeking the truth (Ocents.com - You Lie & Joker stamps, tees, mousepads, bumper stickers....etc)
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To: Ben Mugged
Compared to Obama, G. W. Bush is a great orator. I never understood the MSM’s fascination with Obama’s speech making.
46 posted on 11/10/2009 4:05:36 PM PST by Uncle Hal
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To: pnh102

Mega dittos. “Uh, uh, uh, 57 states” doesn’t make you a great orator.


47 posted on 11/10/2009 4:05:44 PM PST by Rastus
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To: Uncle Hal

He’s black and he’s a far left socialist. That’s all they need.


48 posted on 11/10/2009 4:06:25 PM PST by Rastus
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To: Rocky

He hissssssssssssss’s his ssssssssssssssss’s.

Forked tongue — Very Slitherin.


49 posted on 11/10/2009 4:07:23 PM PST by RazzPutin ("You have told us more than you can possibly know." -- Niels Bohr)
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To: mojito

Buried in the article:

“After Mr. Obama gave his speech in Cairo reaching out to the Muslim world, some aides argued that the address itself was responsible for Iranians taking to the streets of Tehran to protest a disputed election.”

Laugh of the Day! Obama abandoned those protestors in Iran and sided with the regime!


50 posted on 11/10/2009 4:07:41 PM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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