On Kerry's rethorical style (Jim Fallows)

[Mass]

Monday, Fallows had a write up on Kerry's MTP interview where he was congratulating him for his excellent framing. Today, he has a follow up

On John Kerry and Framing the Tax Argument
...
Now it appears that Kerry's (and Goolsbee's) eloquent hardline was for naught. I can't pretend to assess fully the impending deal on tax cuts at the moment. But here are several reader messages about the general question of framing the discussion.

First, from a reader who thought I was putting Kerry down when I said that the effective presentation had come from "John Kerry, no less." I'm not sure what I meant by that, but here's the reader's point:
>>Kerry's reputation as an uninspiring speaker is undeserved. From the time he first gained national prominence, I have been enormously impressed by his ability to frame issues and forcefully advocate sensible liberal positions (not an oxymoron!). He's also an entertaining speaker with a wry sense of humor. Even his famous remark about voting for the $87 billion before he voted against it, which probably cost him the presidency, represented only 5 seconds of a 2-minute remark that actually made an excellent point when played in full.

That said, I too am guilty of piling on, at least indirectly: whenever I am trying to explain to someone why I can't stand Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, I say that their pompous style reminds me of what a broadcast would be like if John Kerry were calling play-by-play. But of course I'm only talking about the caricature, not the real John Kerry. <<
For the record, I have written at length about Kerry's rhetorical skills, in this 2004 cover story. After the jump, two other suggestions about how the Democrats could/should have framed the discussion. I guess worth reading as prep notes for 2012.
...

First, it is not that often that a reputed reporter posts something positive about Kerry. So, I appreciated it. But, as his reader, I cringed when I read the "no less", because it was somehow gratuitous, whatever he meant. My husband cringed too, reading this. But I also remembered that Fallows had talked extensively about Kerry's skills during the 2004 campaign, so I put it behind me.

Second, it is frustrating that Kerry is such an effective speaker and so unused by the Democrats when it comes to communicate. I wonder if his reputation has been so damaged in the media that his skills cannot balance the reputation (see Jon Stewart, or for the matter articles in totally different topics, like this article in the travel section of the New York Times about the surfing where the author states :

I noted the advice, but was thrilled at having, even fleetingly, stood up on the board. I had signed up for three days of beginner lessons, figuring that if John Kerry could master the sport, it shouldn’t be too difficult for me to learn. (Apparently, I had underestimated Senator Kerry.)

Of course, at this point, I discount any article who refers to Kerry or the $87 billion when it comes to describing a flip-flopper. Six years later, it is just intellectual laziness to use this old story, so why should I bother reading somebody who cannot be bothered writing. But I am concerned that, in their great wiseness, the Democrats have just deprived us of an effective framer because they could not resist using the MSM frame that Kerry is boring. (Thanks Claire, about many others).

Just ranting, btw.

[wisteria]

1. Thanks for posting and I like your comments. n/t

[MBS]

2. Thanks

and I was very glad to learn that a reader called him out on his off hand remark!!
See, there are others out there who get it. .

[beachmom]

3. Excellent rant. But the larger question is can Sen. Kerry do anything about it?

I think he can, as evidenced by .... Kanye West. Now I realize this may seem out of left field, but I have become facinated by the unique P.R. campaign Kanye embarked on this year that has truly transformed his reputation; at least enough for his album to debut selling half a million copies (which is a lot in 2010). And although politicians have unique challenges artists don't have, there is still a lot they both have to deal with. An astute writer & veteran of the music industry, Lefsetz (who Taylor Swift wrote a song about, "Mean", heh) wrote this excellent piece about how Kanye turned it around, and there may be ideas in here that Sen. Kerry can use:

http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2010/12/01/kanye-2/

How does an artist go from being the most hated man in America to #1?

By ignoring conventional wisdom. By giving away music. By utilizing Twitter. By leaving his rough edges on, wearing them as a badge of honor.

He then links to this LA Times article:

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/30/entertainment/la-et-kanye-west-20101130

Kanye West shapes the message his way

Early this fall, before any kind of promotional push for Kanye West's new album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," had begun in earnest, the Grammy-winning rapper-producer took to his widely read Twitter account to vent. Even for a creative firebrand whose career has in many ways been defined by outrageous behavior and controversial statements, West's remarks stood as a defiant dismissal of every rule in the major label marketing playbook. Call it a tweet as mission statement.

"Man I love Twitter," West posted on Sept. 4. "I've always been at the mercy of the press but no more."

And so began a campaign of nearly unprecedented, self-styled image control and media spin that culminated Nov. 22 with the album's release. Even in an era when social networking tools allow artists ever greater freedoms to communicate directly with fans, the so-called Louis Vuitton Don has taken the notion of personally generating his own hype to further extremes than just about anyone in popular culture.

Lefsetz praises the article and then gives 8 reasons why this rehabilitation of Kanye West worked. Some don't translate to politics, but many of them do. I'll excerpt the ones most relevant:

1. Be really damn good. Great art makes up for a ton of ills. One can argue strongly if Mel Gibson makes a movie on his own dime and it’s great, he can reemerge from the depths. We’re a forgiving populace.

2. Don’t fall on your sword. Your crime doesn’t mean as much to people as the mainstream press says it does. Kevin Smith sat at home, depressed as the man labeled "too fat to fly", but eventually Tiger Woods crashed his car and Smith’s foibles on Southwest, which were inaccurately reported, faded away. A career in the public eye is first and foremost about persistence, and perseverance.

3. Play the mainstream media game, die by the mainstream media game. News outlets don’t care about you, they care about advertising, they care about ratings. Don’t let the tail wag the dog. Katy Perry is in the news every damn day, but she still can’t sell out an arena. Get your perspective right. Katy’s handlers have got it totally wrong. What does showing off your tits have to do with music? Kanye’s not the best-looking dude on the planet, but it doesn’t matter, because people believe he’s good.

...

5. Maintain contact. You’re doing your own act. Now, with the Internet, you don’t need permission to do it. You can perform on YouTube, you can tweet, less is more is history. Now you always give more, and the public decides how much it wants to graze in your neighborhood. Fans come and go, but you can’t let it impact your art. You’ve got to do what you want to do, not what you think the audience wants.

6. Have a personality. If no one hates you, you’re not doing it right.

..

8. In a chaotic era you’ve got to go your own way, you’ve got to forge your own path. No one knows, certainly not the mainstream media guys or those at the label. They know how it used to be done. It’s incumbent upon you to do it your own way, for yourself. The Eagles can’t sell every ticket? How come Don Henley’s not on Twitter, he’s got opinions. Just putting tickets on sale is no longer enough. Hell, how do people even find out about the gig? Most people complain they didn’t know you were playing. And if you’re a new act? You’ve got to be good. And if your goal is to connect with the mainstream and have it do your bidding, you’ve got it wrong. It’s about a career. And you build it. And it works because you’ve got fans. Your label doesn’t own your fans, nor does the radio station, only you do. Start there.

Although I can't stand her, you can't deny that Palin is utilizing Facebook and Twitter in a way Democrats like John Kerry are not. Part of the problem is he can't "go rogue"; he is part of a team. But he clearly is witty, and should use the medium more. I was touched by many of his comments on DailyKos, yet almost no one saw them. Meanwhile, he has not used Twitter enough, which is perfect for him. He is forced to be brief like the little poems he has always enjoyed writing on his own.

The point is this stuff is not "optional". It is a MUST.

So let's discuss JK's positive qualities which actually are accepted:

1. He is a statesman (most journalist acknowledge his gifts as a diplomat and his grasp of foreign policy)
2. He is a decent, honest guy (a pretty amazing CW about someone who works in DC)

Now bad things that could be twisted in his favor (like Kanye going with "hey it's true I'm an a**hole, but you love me anyway!")

1. Kerry is a know-it-all & can be arrogant. That's RIGHT. He DOES know a lot. Go with it.
2. Kerry is a stuffy aristocrat. Again don't deny that stuff. But somehow make it endearing. Little details on Twitter could open that aspect of him up in a way where people can relate. Even working class folks in Mass. He DOES love the Red Sox but other stuff not so much. Don't pretend to be someone you are not.
3. Kerry can be wordy and sometimes too long winded. Oh, he could self deprecate more. He should reinforce it to a degree, but then follow that with punching a great message like he did on Sunday. A kind of "I'm inconsistent, but always sincere" meme. Because I think that is the truth. His performance is uneven. It isn't ALWAYS incoherent or long winded. Sometimes he's downright brilliant.

And how about some things about Kerry rarely talked about? How about that biting wit? Twitter could again open that up, but it has to grab headlines, at least sometimes or at the very least, needs to be retweeted by journalists, pundits, bloggers and activists.

Basically, people would talk more about Kerry if he entertained them more. Which is what politicians to a certain degree do. Kerry is less entertaining on TV, but in his words he has entertained me for years, usually with offhand remarks or little seen writings.

Anyway, all of this is just my 2 cents.

Edit: okay more ideas:

1. Kerry should write more smart things that lot of people link to. It's hard given his position but people are hungry for ideas and wisdom; JK should be providing that regularly.

2. Kerry wrote some extraordinarily moving things on DailyKos to the man whose brother was featured in the Swift Boat ads. I think that is an aspect of him that should come out every once in a while. Not often but occasionally and naturally.

3. Keep it real, and have an editor. Obviously, anything going "out there" should be thought about before pressing publish. And JK should NOT try to be something he is not or that the public will not take as being real.

Anyway, I think that's all I've got.

Edit 2: Nope I've got more. JK hasn't been tweeting much lately (which matters -- he needs to tweet MORE), but I liked this one from Election Night:

ever notice how repub tlkg heads spin company line while dems get all analytical? Me 2

Problem: that was a high volume day. He has to tweet more often since people will miss a lot of his tweets. Plus, he should have expanded on the idea.

[Mass]

7. Excellent answer. I agree with most of it.

I think one of the main issues is the inconsistency of the communication. You mention it with Tweets. I noticed it with blogs, or with speeches on the Senate floor -- sometimes he will have a lot, then he will be totally absent --

In our 24/7 news cycle where people cant focus very long on anything and where news stories only live a few days, if not a few hours, to be replaced by the next one, effective communication is constant communication, and (I know I am repeating myself), this is not something he is very good at (neither is the rest of the state delegation).

Your ideas are good, but they cant succeed if there is not continuity.

[beachmom]

9. I agree about the inconsistency. Which is why a staffer needs to be

added who has the opposite personality. The one who says it is time for another tweet. Goals should bet set AND MET.

It's a marathon not a sprint.

Still, it might not work because of the Senator's ADD personality.

[karynnj]

8. This is fantastic - and makes sense

I never would have seen a link between Kanye West and John Kerry, but you made it incredibly easy to get with your framing and highlighting things that really do seem to make a lot of sense.

I really like that at the core it goes to who he really is. Just as Kanye's effort would not have worked had he not been very good in his field - the two CW items you list are incredible assets for someone with a 25 year career in the Senate.

Your twitter and oped ideas both really play to his strengths - in very different ways.

I like the idea of more twitter - which is a natural for his dry wit and his insight. It is interesting that a 140 character limit is a cure for long windness. Before twitter existed, the very short (likely David Wade written) official Kerry responses seem almost twitter-like in retrospect.

I also like the idea that he write more. He is an excellent writer and he easily conveys his values and broader vision. There really are not that many leaders with the combination of insight, morality, and eloquence. In 2004, I was blown away by Kerry's speech that connected dots between alternative energy, a new stronger economy, cleaner air and water, better health and national security. I loved the upbeat faith in science and technology. He did the same thing with foreign policy - in many speeches - articulating a way to approach the world that would both make us and the world safer by doing what our conscience describes as right (the later was not explicit - it is my view of the type of actions he recommends) It would be great if there were something that did the same with dealing with those with less. He, of course, has always worked on parts of that and spoke of it often, but I can't think of a broad vision look at that - similar to the other subjects.

[Luftmensch067]

10. You are so totally right!

I agree there should be a staffer on this very thing. He has to bypass the conventional media CONSISTENTLY because he really does do it damn well when he does it.

One promising thing I have noticed is that his Twitter following has been going up slowly but quite steadily, and I bet if he did what you're suggesting it would go up even faster.

Thank you so much for putting this into such an eloquent and thorough comment. Now, how do we get it to him? :-)

[politicasista]

11. Good ideas

And agree about the Kanye, Kerry parallelism. (not a big Kanye fan, but love music: )). If any staffers are reading the group, they should take notice.

Agree about one of the things that can be twisted in his favor, there were some feedback that while the MTP was good, (I thought he did good thanks to some serious "gangsta flakes", he needs to stock pile on them more), it sounded "incoherent" or cringe worthy to some.

IMO, he was/is badly hurt by the "botched" joke and "voted for before voted against" line.

He should use Obama's humor and wit more and with a smile. Obama used his lines yesterday in NC, but in his press conference today, he was spot on using words like "hostage" in a calm way. Cause that is what the GOP and some Democrats are doing to the "American people." He was serious and schooling the press today, and Democrats (not the Senator) need to follow suit. He is slowly exposing agendas of people from Tavis Smiley, Michael Moore to the GOP.

[Mass]

12. I was pleased at some moments, like when he called the GOP "hostage taker",

but generally speaking, I was PO today. It was as if the president was madder at his allies than he was at the GOP. His allies are on the right side of the issue, even when they are less pragmatic than he is. The GOP leaders are not. I have no problem with the agenda of Tavis Smiley or Michael Moore. I just wished we had enough Democrats in the House and the Senate to get it done. I understand it is not going to happen, but this is not a reason to attack those who fight for it to happen (though I strongly disagree with those who think Obama is the same as Bush, but I suspect they know it is hyperbole).

Also, it may be because our state has one of the most gifted public speaker I know (not Kerry or Kennedy, but Deval Patrick), but I am less impressed by Obama's oratory skills than others may be. I remembered having been blown away by Patrick's acceptance and inauguration speech in 2006. I was again blown away during this campaign by his ability to connect and seem more engaged and less intellectual than Obama can be in these moments. Somewhere in my head, I know that these compromises (if I can call them that way) are necessary, but it does not speak to my heart, and I suspect this is what makes the connection more difficult.

[politicasista]

13. Makes sense

I used to rant about Tavis Smiley and his snarky attitude towards Kerry in 04, but he got worse when Obama ran and won. He feuded with Al Sharpton over Obama and accountability and was exposed as a Clinton shill and straight-up hater. And Moore's Obama tutu remark brings back that image of the Senator and others with one in that hideous, vile pic.

But back to current events, I too wished there were Dems in the House and Senate to get it done, and I don't agree that Obama is out there by himself, or the only one/Dem in DC with a backbone that cares. (Now Biden is blamed for not using his pit-bull attack personality more?, it's just weird!, ok, it's not!). And Obama has gotten more stuff done than Bush ever did.

And I have listened to Deval Patrick speak. He too is really good. :)

[karynnj]

4. Thanks for posting this

It is really frustrating to see Kerry again and again frame things incredibly well - and have posters on GD-P respond as if it is the first time. It happens far too many times. I think it is because of the little references to the MSM mem - that started with the Republicans in 2004 (though some far predate that) followed by their adoption by a huge number of people aligned with Clinton. The problem is that between them, they include a very significant portion of the columnists and pundits.

We were deprived because the Republicans know that he is valuable and is persuasive - as he was even at 27 years old - and they wanted to eliminate him because they could assume that his replacement would be less capable. The Clinton wing and supporters of others wanted to eliminate a rival for leadership in the party.

Obama has used him on some foreign policy issues, but considering all that Kerry gave him - in 2004 and 2008, Obama really hasn't returned the favors. Even at Obama's convention, Kerry's speech was one of the last confirmed - and it was the best speech of any supporter. I also think that Obama will come to regret not having been helpful on climate change - where Obama did just enough not to have people say he did nothing - but his actions in giving away most of the bargaining chips likely hurt.

[beachmom]

5. I think we should stop blaming others. JK has certainly improved

his image from 2005, and he did it all himself with no help from the media or other Democrats or even the "professional left". See my above posts for ideas of how he can further his image all himself.

[karynnj]

6. Points taken

You are completely right that he has all by himself improved his image. It will always bother my that, for whatever reasons, so many powers worked against him - after actively pushing so many of lesser vision, integrity and ability. I haven't seen the earlier post - and will read it.