Obama's Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy

[Wetzelbill]

Obama's Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy

In the first two weeks since the election, President-elect Barack Obama has broken with a tradition established over the past eight years through his controversial use of complete sentences, political observers say.

Millions of Americans who watched Mr. Obama's appearance on CBS's 60 Minutes on Sunday witnessed the president-elect's unorthodox verbal tick, which had Mr. Obama employing grammatically correct sentences virtually every time he opened his mouth.

But Mr. Obama's decision to use complete sentences in his public pronouncements carries with it certain risks, since after the last eight years many Americans may find his odd speaking style jarring.

According to presidential historian Davis Logsdon of the University of Minnesota, some Americans might find it "alienating" to have a president who speaks English as if it were his first language.

"Every time Obama opens his mouth, his subjects and verbs are in agreement," says Mr. Logsdon. "If he keeps it up, he is running the risk of sounding like an elitist."

The historian said that if Mr. Obama insists on using complete sentences in his speeches, the public may find itself saying, "Okay, subject, predicate, subject predicate -- we get it, stop showing off."

The president-elect's stubborn insistence on using complete sentences has already attracted a rebuke from one of his harshest critics, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

"Talking with complete sentences there and also too talking in a way that ordinary Americans like Joe the Plumber and Tito the Builder can't really do there, I think needing to do that isn't tapping into what Americans are needing also," she said.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/obamas-use-of-complete-se_b_144642.html

[annabanana]

1. lol. . . perfect. . n/t

[MadMaddie]

2. Brilliant!!

[shireen]

3. i didn't think anyone could could sound worse than Bush,

till Palin came along.

Google "palinism" -- those crazy quote are carved out on the internets, for all eternity!

:D

[Connonym]

19. In what respect, Charlie? n/t

[Chulanowa]

21. And she carved them with the sharp, needle-like voice she has!

[Window]

25. Crazy quotes by Palin like this one:

"Talking with complete sentences there and also too talking in a way that ordinary Americans like Joe the Plumber and Tito the Builder can't really do there, I think needing to do that isn't tapping into what Americans are needing also."

That woman is stupid, stupid, stupid.

[Deja Q]

4. Not an 'Onion' article, unfortunately...

I have a thing for the linguistically articulate. Apart from mathematics, there is no language quite like, eh, linguistics...

[BeFree]

5. That and

He obviously wanted Joe Lieberman to be his VP or he would have gotten rid of him today.

Idiots! Palinistic idiots!

[BrklynLiberal]

6. It probably is startling to some people...

:rofl:

[Wetzelbill]

7. I know

lol. Not to mentioned all the other countries in the world who just automatically assumed we're all like Bush, lol.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. Each american has gained in stature by electing Barack Obama as the President.

[Wetzelbill]

13. well, maybe not Bush and Cheney

They're kind of screwn in that dept.

[BrklynLiberal]

16. Cannot argue with that...but I do not think they voted for him, anyway.

[BunkerHill24]

28. LOL ha ha ha..No kidding!

:rofl:

[obiwan]

8. I am a big fan of proper English usage and good grammar. You are how you speak.

[BlooInBloo]

17. Does that apply to people who use trite variations of even triter phrases?

[margotb822]

10. And also too

I'm afraid if I say it too much, it'll stick...but it's so funny!

[usregimechange]

11. Something is wrong when using complete sentences makes you an elitist

[BlooInBloo]

12. Once again demonstrating beyond a shadow of a doubt how out of touch Obama is...

with regular Americans.

[Wetzelbill]

14. you are one of the few clear thunkers around here.

[BlooInBloo]

15. Thunk you very much!

:P

[HughMoran]

18. lol - very good commentary & funny too

:D

K&R!!

[Jennicut]

20. "Shame on me, fool ya once, shame on you, fool me, fool you...."

One of many Bushisms. That is all I have to say.

[LynnTheDem]

22. LOL!!!

Ain't it grand!!!

[Monk06]

23. O's a Communist. eg. "Workers of the world unite. You have nothing to dangle but your participles."

[cliffordu]

24. Rofl. K&R!!

[No Elephants]

26. "Noun, verb 911" and "noun, verb POW" will soon have to call "noun, verb, object" Mr.

President. I feel really good about that.

[trof]

27. Rec #20. Brilliant.

[BumRushDaShow]

29. LOL

:rofl:

[davidlynch]

30. ROFL n/t

[progressoid]

31. k/r!

[AndrewP]

32. Brilliant

[Hutzpa]

33. lol

Thanks for the laugh,

you gotta love this;

The president-elect's stubborn insistence on using complete sentences has already attracted a rebuke from one of his harshest critics, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

"Talking with complete sentences there and also too talking in a way that ordinary Americans like Joe the Plumber and Tito the Builder can't really do there, I think needing to do that isn't tapping into what Americans are needing also," she said.

:rofl:

[rhett o rick]

34. ELITIST.....ELISTIST. I knew he was an ELITIST. NM

[Hieronymus]

35. Glenn Beck is illiterate. This is an example of his inability to use complete

sentences. Pitiful.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/17/glenn-beck-accosted-at-we_n_144411.html

[Towlie]

36. Still, Obama likes to say "is" twice in a row, for example, "the problem is, is that...".

[puebloknot]

37. Sarah misquoted here: It's "talkin'" and "needin'" and "tappin'"! nt

[Jennicut]

38. That's it....Obama is the antitchrist! I knew it all along.

[rucky]

39. It amazes me that the, ya know...