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Senator Clinton Keeps Talking About Speeches
The Senator is no doubt trying to undermine one of Obama's big advantages (he gives better speeches) by reminding Americans that speeches are only part of the equation when it comes to presidential leadership. Last night on MSNBC, however, it may have been Buchanan who said that Senator Clinton needs a new speechwriter. It was either Buchanan on MSNBC or David Gergen on CNN. (These commentators run together after a while.)
So while the Senator keeps talking about speeches and trying to undermine Obama's speeches, her own speeches are too damn flat. Does she have a speechwriter?
Perhaps she's mostly relying on herself. In his book, Falling Up: How A Redneck Helped Invent Political Consulting, Raymond Strother referred to her, on page 208, as "another lawyer with the misguided notion that she was a wordsmith. Her specialty was to insist that we beat to death some word or phrase that wasn't even important to the commercial."
Perhaps the Senator has somehow equated intelligence with writing ability: "I'm smart, therefore I'm a writer."
This sounds about right. If you make your living as a scribe, there's never any end to all the brilliant wordsmiths out there who could easily do your job if only they had the time.
Comments (1)
Ir was Gergen though I can understand your confusion. Gergen is usually detached and makes his points in a dry monotone while Buchanan pontificates like he alone holds the key to success for the subject of his diatribes.
Gergen last night was about as emphatic as Buchanan He said Hillary's team should be sued for committing political malpratice. Said she should fire her speechwriter because after all this time she's still giving the same experience speech that doesn't work.
February 20, 2008 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
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