Posted on 09/11/2009 8:44:16 PM PDT by Steelfish
September 11, 2009 12:00 AM
An Obama Speech in 13 Easy Steps Don’t be overly bedazzled by Obama’s rhetorical prowess.
By Rich Lowry
Everyone marvels at Barack Obama’s rhetorical prowess. But don’t be overly bedazzled. With these 13 easy steps, you, too, can give a Barack Obama speech.
1) Create a false center. In his speech to a joint session of Congress, Obama positioned himself between the Left’s calling for a single-payer system and the Right’s agitating to end employer-based health insurance. Presto — he’s the very definition of a centrist. Anyone advocating almost any position can benefit from the same insta-centrism.
2) Scorn ideology. Obama warned against “the usual Washington ideological battles.” Message: He has no philosophical commitments himself. He’s pushing a Great Society redux only as a matter of practicality. Superficial pragmatism is the ideologue’s best friend.
3) Talk about your openness to ideas from opponents. The more you do this, the less you have to adopt any of their ideas. “I will continue to seek common ground,” Obama said. “I will be there to listen. My door is always open.” While he does all this common-ground seeking, he will be whipping up the Democratic votes to pass a massive, liberal reordering of the health-care system. But he’ll be listening!
(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...
Health Control.
I liked all the elements, but especially # 5.
.
Yes. This is a great read.
5 was good. So was 9.
9) Never admit any cost or downside to what you are proposing. Even an unparalleled genius of an orator has trouble selling things people don’t like. So don’t do it. Obama stipulated the new taxes will fall on insurers and drug companies. And, oh yeah, don’t say “taxes.” They are “revenues” and “fees.” Or, in the case of employers, it’s called “chipping in.” As for the Medicare cuts, all of them will come from “waste and fraud” and “unnecessary subsidies.” See how easy this is?
I might add:
First have a captured audience where proper decorum is the guideline: Joint Session of Congress
AND
make certain the speech is broadcast in prime time.
Lowry, is one of the smartest and best in the journalist world.
ping for later
Oui.
Standard “Rules for Radicals” crapola.....
I find that one of Obama’s favorite and predictable tropes is an outrageously false dichotomy “resolved” via sophistry. One parodist gave this example: “Some people say we should be like Canada; others say we should kill all the jews; I reject both of these extremes and say we should deport some Jews to Canada”.
All wee-weed up and acting stupidly.
the speech sounded great if you were either a moron or a fascist. Unfortuneately our country has too many of both.
“2) At least once a speech, keep talking over the applause. This is inspiring”
Oh, God, I hate this. As stagey and obvious as when they turn on the applause sign on late nite talk shows.
People like Al Sharpton do it all the time. Wait till they start applauding, preferably near the end, then keep talking. What, are they gonna stop applauding to listen? No. They can take a cue, and when you start yelling they know it means to cheer on. Only thing is, they really don’t hear what you have to say, unless it’s absurdly simple and repetitive (see various Van Jones clips, “No more broken treaties! No more broken treaties! Give them the wealth! Give them the wealth!).
You know what he forgot to add, and what may be the best/worst aspect of Obama’s tactics? DOn’t tie yourself down to any particular bill. Say you want Congress to pass something, leave it up to them to write it, support their efforts when it’s time to push, but don’t fully commit.
That way, when people call you on misrepresentations, you can say, “What are you talking about? There isn’t even a bill. Oh, you mean that thing, well, I didn’t write it, and it hasn’t come across my desk for me to sign. I’m just saying, whatever bill I’m imagining in my head right now, that one doesn’t cover illegals or abortion.”
“’Some people say we should be like Canada; others say we should kill all the jews; I reject both of these extremes and say we should deport some Jews to Canada’”
You mean like:
“Some people say we should follow the lead of our fellow industrial nations and adopt a single payer healthcare system. We’re not there yet. Some, on the other side, say we should do nothing. But doing nothing is what got us where we are, and it is unacceptable. Therefore, I propose we introduce a government provider to compete with private insurance companies. I use the word “compete” loosely, but you get the drift.”
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