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Obama v. Clinton (As Orator)

reviewed by CanadaSucks

CanadaSucks
07/03/2009

Obama v. Clinton (As Orator) 4

Both have public charisma. . .even their respective detractors agree on this.

I found Clinton as an orator quite overrated- he was a slick redneck with a law degree with a solid amount of intelligence and determination. But for this punk, the smaller the crowd/venue, the more effective Clinton became.

When I worked in DC while Clinton was waxing interns, I met many people who (in small venues) raved about how Billy worked a room. They can't all be wrong.

The larger the venue, the stronger Obama becomes. . .thus it doesn't matter how he is in small venues because he's a solid speaker on a big scale.

I think Big O is the better orator. His detractors strangely think he's a walking teleprompter. . .I just don't buy it. He has a solid command of the language and isn't swayed or distracted while thinking on his feet. Some teacher somewhere gave him terrific public speaking tips.. . .(I had a good one as well.) People who critique Dumbo as being a mechanical speaker can't look past their personal dislike of the man.

Add your vote! 4 Helpful / 0 Funny / 4 Agree / 2 Disagree
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Wiseguy commented 152 days ago.


Theres more, but you don't really want to see more...


CanadaSucks commented 151 days ago.
(Edited 151 days ago)
Can you see the educated half-brother crushing the war vet and speeching his way to the White House? Collecting his periodic sutters is collecting Babe Ruth strikeouts- they exist but offer selective and periodic failures during a string of victories.
Bigger the stage - better Dumbo is.. .smaller the stage, Slick Willie triumphs. Just an opinion.

FranksWildYears commented 151 days ago.
(Edited 151 days ago)
That video is about as compelling as watching four minutes of Randy Johnson adjusting the big unit and then saying he's not really much of a pitcher.

CanadaSucks commented 151 days ago.
"I have a video clip of Clinton in church- he must've been an honest man!"

Wiseguy commented 151 days ago.
(Edited 151 days ago)
You were supposed to provide us with some Clinton gaffe clips. Surely there are some?

FranksWildYears commented 151 days ago.
The dog ate them.

jman1961 commented 151 days ago.
(Edited 151 days ago)
"He has a solid command of the language and isn't swayed or distracted while thinking on his feet."

Really? You'll note that all the stuttering happens when he's not scripted (he's excellent with a prepared text). The first half of your assertion is undeniably true; it doesn't automatically lead to the second assertion (many people have a fine command of a language, but that doesn't make them fine public speakers).

No one says he's a 'mechanical' speaker. We're saying he's good ONLY when scripted.

"People who critique Dumbo as being a mechanical speaker can't look past their personal dislike of the man."

Some, perhaps. There are many more who would profit from the phrase 'a mile wide and an inch deep' when they think of Barry.

And of course the video is a collection of hand picked moments; 'video anecdotes' if you like. But that's the whole point: there are MULTIPLE instances, and not just ONE, which nullfies the clever, but cheap remark "I have a video clip of Clinton in church- he must've been an honest man!" See? A single instance (and the connection between attendance at church and honesty is cheap as well).

So, just how many (video/audio/print) anecdotes does it take to make a FACT?

fitman commented 151 days ago.
Fact is, Obamaphiles and Clintonistas will compare their heros to Mark Antony, whilst Obamaphobes and Clinton haters will swear by the likes of GW, Dan Quayle and Sarah P.

Meanwhile, those of us [who haven't a horse in these races] will admit current Decomrats have the edge in the oratorial derby.

(Sorry, no link.)

CanadaSucks commented 151 days ago.
Guess I missed all those speeches and grand-scale performances, debates, and public appearances that gave Hussien the victory. . .

Wiseguy commented 151 days ago.
Seriously, I really think Clinton was the master. I never saw him goof, never.

fitman commented 151 days ago.
I must agree with Wiseguy, though I suspect many Obama fans find his style more endearing than Clinton's.

CanadaSucks commented 151 days ago.
. . .talk to people (mostly women) who worked in DC in the 90's. . .even the biggest prudes, the ones who squeaked when they walked. . .raved about how this slick troll worked a room intimate enough to allow some personal contact. Biggest common quote/theme: "It's easy to see why women are attracted to him." Ugh. . .

On that ground- this guy was Yoda with an Id and libido on steroids. . .too many stories and legends for all of them to be wrong. One could claim (only claim) it had something (or much) to do with his policital survival skills. . .

jman1961 commented 151 days ago.
They DO have an advantage currently. But:

1) I don't swear by those 3 (GW, etc.), necessarily, it depends on the topic
2) I don't like Obama, nor Clinton, but I'm honest enough to admit their respective talents, which they each possess
3) Your comment attempts (I believe) in marginalizing my comment, without dealing with the specifics
4) It's cheap and easy to play the 'eternal cynic', but it gets nothing worthwhile accomplished (and I won't get into some horseshit back and forth with you; you like to provoke, and I don't take that bait). I've voted positively on some of your reviews, but I don't (and WON'T) go for the cyberspace sandbox stuff that I've also 'seen' you engage in (you strike me as way too intelligent for that). AND
5) I was addressing an earlier review which you did not write. I'm more interested in reading a response from the earlier reviewer/commenters, if they care to post any.

Incidentally, what political causes or figures do you champion?
Thank you.

jman1961 commented 151 days ago.
"Guess I missed all those speeches and grand-scale performances, debates, and public appearances that gave Hussien the victory. . ."

Have you considered the possibility that he's a lightweight who preaches to a nation full of them? Most Obama voters are enthralled today while St. Michael the Pedophile Freak is laid away for his eternal dirt nap.

fitman commented 151 days ago.
Leo Tolstoy, Peter Kropotkin, Emma Goldman, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Bayard Rustin.

CanadaSucks commented 151 days ago.
The lightweight who graduated magna cum laude. . .Harvard Law review. . .right?

The guy who speaks and moves palefaced Iowa cornf#cks as well as ghetto-licious Jackson apologists?

Look, hate prince Dumbo, fine. . .but sell something else than "he's not a great speaker" because all he does is move people in his orbit.

jman1961 commented 151 days ago.
(Edited 151 days ago)
Then how do you explain the MILLIONS that are NOT moved by him. He didn't win the White House in an historic landslide (53% and change to 46% and change).

His ability to speak well, scripted or not, doesn't mean he's deep or substantive (unless you hang all that on his chairmanship of the Harvard Law Review). You value the Harvard thing, I don't.

Want to see some really stupid, vapid people? Wander the campuses of academia, and you'll see plenty of them.

And I have not ONCE said he's not a great speaker. I've consistently said he's a great SCRIPTED speaker. That's all.

Thank you for responding to me.

fitman commented 151 days ago.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons to be annoyed with Obama.

Why try to convince us he didn't win by playing the game better than any of his opponents?

Wiseguy commented 151 days ago.
It doesn't say much for the people. Half of them thought he was going to pay their mortgage off.

fitman commented 151 days ago.
And the other half were convinced he was going to confiscate their guns and Bibles.

jman1961 commented 151 days ago.
(Edited 151 days ago)
"Why try to convince us he didn't win by playing the game better than any of his opponents?"

If you think that's what I'm trying, then it's a gross mis-read on your part. This was about oration, not campaigning.

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I'm posting my viewpoint(s).

fitman commented 151 days ago.
I stand corrected.

Carry on.
Showing 22 Comments
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By the Numbers