Obama's SOTU speech scores readability of an eighth grader, two grades below GWB

The Washington Times ^ | Feb. 1, 2010 | Kerry Picket

[kingattax]

Former Presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan did not have it easy when it came to critics attacking their intelligence, while President Obama, Former Vice - President Al Gore, and Former President Bill Clinton have been hailed as brilliant.

Here is an interesting nugget of new information, though. President Obama blamed himself for not being able to communicate his message properly to Americans, but a new analysis of the president's State of the Union speech, brings to light why Mr. Obama could be having problems in this area.

[Publius6961]

Obama's SOTU speech scores readability of an eighth grader, two grades below GWB

And three grades above the 95% of the supporters who voted for him.

And the "Obama Money."

Just saying.

[StAntKnee]

I re-read the piece in the WT and did not get the same impression about blaming that you mention in your first sentence.

Dumber (and, as I say, IQ) has nothing to do with the F-K. In fact, the term, “grade levels,” confuses the measurement, adding a value judgment. Just think of a scale of 1 to 12, the lower the value, the more accessible it is.

See Carmine Gallo’s brilliant book on the Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs. And Frank Luntz’s Words that Work. Small words. Short sentences. It’s simply part of the technique to connect with listeners, and as I apply F-K and other scales, with readers of your writing.

Wearing asbestos undies here: Not defending the prez, or arguing your points about his speeches or GWB’s. Just saying F-K is not a measure of IQ, either for writers, readers, speakers or listeners. If you’re interested in pursuing, use it to measure best-selling fiction, including Pulitzer Prize fiction. It usually measures 4-6 on F-K. It’s not written to fourth-graders. And doesn’t read like it. Also see Orwell’s essay on Politics and the English Language.

Nice talking to you.