Why is he Oboring at the debates and electrifying at speeches?

[originalpckelly]

He's going to have to fix this before he goes any further.

I don't think I'm the only one who noticed this. At the 2004 DNC I remember watching him and wishing he the one was running for President. He was so amazing.

Then he got into the race for '08. I remember that he was actually disappointing that first day in Illinois, but I blew it off and blamed it on the cold.

Then he got to the debates, and he was totally boring. His speech lacked fluidity, it was constantly stopping and starting. It's nice to think, but think before you start talking, not in the middle of your sentence.

How is he going to do this year in the Presidential debates against a far more hostile Republican?

At least he isn't Bill Richardson boring, but still someone needs to get with him and coach him on his debating technique. And fix the damn TelePrompTers next time, even Bush looks less ridiculous reading them.

This sort of superficial stuff is important, even though it was a great speech he gave in Iowa when he won, it looked fake because he was glued to the TelePrompTers.

[kurth]

1. The GOP meanies will eat him alive

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Speeches are all about buzz words, debates are about substance,

Obama = buzz.

[originalpckelly]

3. No, I think he's thinking when he pauses.

That's what it looks like, but the problem is that he needs to learn to think while the other folks are talking, not when he's talking.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

4. Honestly, I think it's a simple matter of getting him some speech coaching

When I was watching him last night I realized that it's not the substance of what he says, it's that he stammers and uses to many "ahs". It's quite distracting when he's trying to make a serious point. It does tend to go away when he's passionate about something or clearly knows the subject in depth.

He speeches are so wonderful because he uses cadence. It's almost like singing. Most people who stutter don't when they sing.

[Cha]

14. I don't watch the debates

so this is new to me.. It's about the whole the package not one aspect.. There were complaints about Edwards in his cheney debates and he's come a long way, obviously. The main thing is not to take any ill-advised rolling of the eyes and heavy sighing like paul begala gave Al Gore in the 2000 debates which I don't think Gore would do again.

[terisan]

5. Maybe his schedule. I understand he and Clinton did not have much sleep. nt

[unapatriciated]

8. Bush is tucked in by 9:00 every night...

What's his excuse

[terisan]

17. None. Although I suspect he has watched those torture tapes before falling asleep. nt

[butterfly77]

33. No, Sleep had nothing to do with it...

this is what I have been watching for a long time now. When they are debating the hesitations get on my nerves Edwards screaming and repeating the same thing over and over.

[killbotfactory]

6. He gives thoughtful answers

and doesn't just try to steer every answer into a rehearsed soundbyte.

I guess thats boring, but I like it.

[AndyTiedye]

7. A Speech Can be Rehearsed

[Rageneau]

9. For some reason, all of Onama's speeches bore me.

Even when people here report how scintillating ad exciting his speechifying is, when I watch those same speeches myself, all I hear is buzz-phrases and platitudes -- like: "when I go to Washington, I'm not going to be like those other politicians; I'm not going to forget that it is YOU I am working for, not the special interests. Because I believe in an America that represents ALL people -- black, white, brown, poor, rich, male and female. I believe in an America from the East Coast to the West Coast and all the coasts in between. And I believe in change. Not bad change, like higher gas prices, but good change like all the good changes I intend to make when I am your president."

And so on.

I agree he LOOKS good, and he delivers his speeches with wonderful vigor and passion. But so far he has left me thinking: "And?"

[Maven]

19. ...

"East Coast to the West Coast and all the coasts in between..."

OMG. Spot-on!

:rofl:

[scarletwoman]

20. Applause! Wow, did you ever nail it!

"And I believe in change. Not bad change, like higher gas prices, but good change like all the good changes I intend to make when I am your president."

:rofl:

That's how he hits me, too.

[stray cat]

10. He and Edwards did well last night!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. Everyone has different talents. Obama is unequalled on either side for his ability to deliver

electrifying oratory and INSPIRE with speeches.

Huckabee is the best overall at folksy, self deprecating humor.

I thought Obama was okay in the last debate, but you're right that it's not anywhere near the level of his speeches.

[HughMoran]

12. You just made me laugh my ass off

I was enthralled with Obama after his 2004 DNC speech, but I have also been dealing with the same "issues" with his inability to excite me like he did that day. "Oboring" :rofl: - that's hilarious!

[OHdem10]

13. Some people are not as good extemporaneously as with

planned and prepared materials.

[treestar]

15. Remember how Al Gore was declared to be "boring?"

The solution would be to respond to that: we need a President who thinks, and sometimes that is "boring." The President of the United States is not an entertainer. He's not supposed to have to entertain us.

[HughMoran]

16. What about the "bully pulpit" argument?

The President has little power unless he can convince people to work with him. This is especially true for Democrats who are a more fractured group (does the term "herding cats" ring a bell?) Charisma does matter IMHO.

[treestar]

27. I thought that was Obama's strength

I need to watch him live more. I saw him on Oprah and thought he was fine and didn't notice these flaws.

But then we still need to harp on the fact that we don't have to have charisma so much as someone with substance. We're all suffering from the JFK Disease - we expect the President to be exciting and all that when what we need now is someone practical. We almost need less charisma, not more. We need boring Al Gore types who will get down to the job and do the job, so if Obama is accused of this, we need to take that line rather than worry about improving him on the surface.

[NMMNG]

18. He may be good at regurgitating fluff that makes people feel warm and fuzzy

But he's obviously not good at answering hard questions with facts. That's where he stumbles and stutters.

[Hutzpa]

28. You must have been watching black and listening black,

I don't think we both watched the same show, must have been distracted somehow.

[NMMNG]

29. WTF is "watching black and listening black"?

:wtf:

[blogslut]

21. He was calm and concise last night

That is how one is supposed to behave in a debate.

[AmBlue]

30. I thought he was imperious and dismissive.

He dismissed entirely HRC's mention of a big pharma lobbyist as one of his campaign managers. Since his campaign won't answer questions about it today, for all we know he lied. He WILL have to answer this question as it's not going away.

Acting like a rock star and brushing off serious questions is not going to cut it. Also, the constant "uuuhhhs" and stuttering in debates is very distracting. It's easy to give a speech with a teleprompter. Thinking on your feet, coming up with meaningful answers, and being eloquent at the same time, not so much.

[butterfly77]

34. This was the first time..

but I could still what makes me change the channel when he begins speaking, this is the first time I didn't change the channel... I enjoyed watching the repugs beating up phony ass Romney. I found out that I don't like Thompson and Ghouliani even more...

[earth mom]

22. How many hours & how many speech writers help with Obamas speeches?

It's obviously not coming from him spontaneously.

No substance there, just the glitter of Oprahs billions behind him. :eyes:

[Hutzpa]

23. Cynicism is never going to end

as long as their are people out there that feels they are superior to others it will never end,

your post is "dull complacence"

I suppose DU is infected with it.

[Didereaux]

24. he reads better on his feet than he thinks. Not a plus

[mrreowwr_kittty]

25. His off-the-cuff quips aimed at Clinton have been brilliant

The man can think on his feet very well.

[AmBlue]

32. I think he eats better on his feet, too.

With lobbyists, that is. I can't believe he brought that up in defense of lobbyists!! And I'm glad Charlie Gibson called him on it.

[jbnow]

26. TelePrompTers or not at least he writes his own

speeches, they are his words.

When he debates he reminds me of many professors who are answering a question they aren't use to, thinking and not just speaking. Sound bytes aren't his thing for sure.

I don't think he's boring so I've never thought of "why is he boring"

He'd do better in a two person debate where he can answer in more than a 30 second blip. Despite fatigue last night if you could hear through your boredom I thought his answers were mostly quite good. He is getting more comfortable as he goes along. He won't have a problem come debates with the republican.

[Donnachaidh]

31. American Idol syndrome

rehearsals, carefully picked clothing, lighting and an audience packed with cheering shills can make anyone look *scintillating*.

[jbnow]

35. right, because no other candidate rehearses, oicks out their

clothing carefully or has cheering supporters/shills.

Only Obama. How devious.
The others just give their big speeches impromptu after picking out their clothes at random and then refuse to let their supporters in lest their cheers be taken as coming from shills. They are naturals.

Man that Obama is very sneaky. Of course some things were easy like when he duped all those dumb Harvard law students into electing him president of the Law review...and the dumb voters from his district that gave him 11 years in the Legislature. And those DUMB students in Chicago where he taught constitutional law for 10 years. They were so stupid that he duped them into giving him the 2nd best evaluations of any of the professors ever. Not just that when he became a state Senator and they still wanted him to teach even though he is an empty suit, all fluff he duped them into going into the class very late Fridays and very early Mondays just because that was the only time he could fit. Maybe that is law students favorite class time? Oh I know, the class was always filled with schills.

What a crock he must be.