Obama Speak
I've loved listening to Barack Obama speak for as long as I've known of him. The "new guy" at the 2004 Convention, the "new guy" as the Senator from Illinois, the "new guy" with the audacity to announce his candidacy for the presidency. With each step along the way, he grew into a true orator ... finding his voice.
He's not so new, now. Not to any of us who live in the world today. Yet - his words, his emphasis, his tenor and his depth still inspire us. The underlying strength of the man is not that he leads us to believe in him. What matters more than anything else, the reason we elected him our President, is his belief in us.
Here's an interesting take on his words, his thoughts and the expressions of each. My thanks to Old Grouch for passing it along to me.
http://www.themillionsblog.com/2009/02/diagramming-obama-sentence.html
Thanks for the cite.
'Night...
February 20, 2009 12:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for this, because my mother for the longest time complained about Obama's "uh's". She now realizes they are not searches for the teleprompter, but searches for the right phrase or word or direction to take his sentence further. It's taken her over a year, and she's still a Republican, but she finally gets it.
I'm so proud of her.
February 20, 2009 1:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe the rest of us will catch up with your mother ... and convince her to become a Democrat! Either way, she's got one heck of a daughter.
February 20, 2009 1:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
M and OG - Thanks for this, which is fascinating. I saw the one on Palinspeak but not this one.
I'm certain you are right, LisB, when you say that his "uhs" are audible pauses that represent his search for the next word or phrase that will further clarify the point he is making. How novel
and wonderful is that??? "Uh" followed by fact and nuance surely beats smirks and lies.
PS. OG & M: we missed you sorely on Sunday, but the "dark and stormy night" contest can still be found on my blog page. Care to enter, even though after the bell? I'm going to post a list of winners with category won, one of which will be "After the Bell."
February 20, 2009 6:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not much of a writer, certainly no DD or Quinn, maybe I'll have a go when I'm back from work.
February 20, 2009 7:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I read that thread, it was absolutely fabulous. The more I read, the more certain I was that nothing I could contribute would be worth the space. But I so enjoyed everyone else's entries!
February 20, 2009 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now, M - that is false modesty, for sure. I would wager that all of us who follow you do so, not only for your hospitality, but also for your true voice - one that is both reality-based and poetic (or is that poetical? Never mind.) The danger to you entering the contest would be blowing everyone else out of the water. And making us laugh (often at ourselves) in the process.
February 20, 2009 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Por favor, Missy..... Pretty please, with sugar on top! A revival of the dark and stormy night!
Yes, please.....
February 20, 2009 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please do. You're a far better writer than I can ever hope to be on my best day.
That said, I probably will. Because Wendy asked nicely...
February 20, 2009 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
He just has a voice that commands my attention. I can be doing chores around the house, not paying any attention to the television - and then I hear his voice, and I always stop and listen, without even realizing I am. Strangeness.
February 20, 2009 8:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Every time I hear his voice, I want to get down on my knees and thank God he's president! I feel like weeping all over again. What a joy!
February 20, 2009 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
I never knew people questioned why he pauses. It was obvious to me that he was searching for the right words, don't we all do that? And I would think public figures would do that more because every word they say is heavily scrutinized.
February 20, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
What a lovely diagram! And I suddenly wanted a contrast with a bush sentence, just for comparison.
"We do not torture." would be one example (except how you diagram a lie?)
Then there's "Bring it on." Subject implied. But a little more complex in structure. (but how do you diagram the stupid?)
"Putting food on your family." is just part of one sentence. And you can parse the grammar of it. (but how do you diagram nonsense?)
So let us turn back to the sentence by Obama. Not only is it complex - as shown by the beautiful diagram - but it is truthful, intelligent, and logical! (all qualities missing in bush)
I am counting blessings today. And Obama provides me with many!
February 20, 2009 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
"But how do you diagram the stupid?"
Perfect, TheraP -
February 20, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seconded, TheraP.
"How do you diagram a lie.... how do you diagram the stupid.... how do you diagram nonsense?'
Not one of these questions rhetorical, but right en pointe.
February 20, 2009 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree! The funny thing is that it is so easy to discount directly out-of-hand any Republican criticisms of Obama. After all, ain't these the same people who insisted for over eight years that Bush was a credible President? Case closed!
February 20, 2009 6:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
George W. Bush, at APEC in Chile, 2004:
Yeah, that pretty much ends the discussion.
February 20, 2009 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Missy, how the heck did I miss this?
How do you diagram stupid. Always make me laugh.
But it is so good for our side, Missy. The repubs had such a terrible speaker. The worst.
And we get the best. Contrast is so important. And Letterman got to keep that great moments in presidential speeches. And then they did a joke one after the inauguration with President Obama and Letterman turns to the camera and says:
Well I guess this is not going to work anymore.
It was a set up of course. But it was great.
And this is a fun post!!!
February 20, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't it lovely to have a President who speaks to us in words we understand? After years of listening to w, I was starting to think there was something wrong with my ears.
February 20, 2009 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I kept wondering if there was something wrong between the ears!
February 20, 2009 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink