Of the remaining candidates, who is the best speaker?

[JohnLocke]

[Woman of the Phoenix]

1. Of course it's Edwards, but

you can toss all the reasons for all those listed and just list them as his...he's got them all!

[JohnLocke]

3. Hello, WOTP!

:hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi:

[Bucky]

5. Disconcerting to see a John Locke avatar next to waving smilies

John Locke himself never smiled in his entire life. If you really wanted to honor the true spirit of this leading philosopher of liberal democracy, you would have a far more sour attitude and spend more time chastising us for our sins. Just my opinion, of course.

[JohnLocke]

6. Funny.

I had one of him smiling, but it blurred.

[saltpoint]

2. While they all did themselves proud, I liked --

-- Kucinich in this particular performance.

I get sick of Republicans dismissing him. I liked him as Mayor of Cleveland, I like him now as a Congressman and candidate, and I'll like him in ten thousand years.

To hell with the Republicans.

[rucky]

4. I wanna see a tag-team debate

our guys vs. Bush, Cheney, Delay, Santorum & Hatch

[Bucky]

7. I voted Edwards, but let me say this about Kerry

I'm continually impressed by his ability to think on his feet and respond substantively and knowingly to substantive questions. I think he fumbles the culture war questions and comes off as a panderer. I think he's too stuck in the macho-poser mentality, always acting like a tough guy. That bothers me. But I've never seen that macho pose of his ever translate into policy stances. I don't agree with him on lots of his policies, but in terms of knowing the finer details of the job, I think he's better than everyone except Kucinich.

[Woodstock]

13. Kerry is getting better but I hope he's getting coaching

Surely with 90% of Hollywood on the Dem's side, there is SOMEONE who can help him improve his speaking style.

[JohnLocke]

8. Kick

[bicentennial_baby]

9. DK

I cannot stand John Edwards' tone of voice, and Kerry bores me to tears. Dennis is articulate and passionate, my type of guy!

[JohnLocke]

11. What's wrong with Edwards's tone?

[atre]

30. I think she means accent (nm)

.

[JohnLocke]

10. Kick

[Woodstock]

12. Edwards wins hands down

Dean has the best content, but Edwards is the best speaker.

[spooky3]

14. Sharpton is the best at making clear points

in a memorable and funny way. Edwards is the best at speaking conversationally rather than lecturing, even when the group is huge and out of the line of sight.

[KittyWampus]

15. Sharpton f/ Entertainment. Edwards f/ Manipulating People

Kerry is the most well informed and comprehensive.

Frankly, I find Edwards' fluff nauseating.

[corporatewhore]

16. DK the guy whosaid Its Buy american or ByeBye America Let them eat war and

is bush looking for wmds on mars

[DrFunkenstein]

17. If Dean Or Kerry Had Edwards Sense Of Theatrics And Tone

This would be a very different race. Then again, if Edwards had Kerry's knowledge or Dean's fire, this would be a very different race. If Carol Moseley Baun had the head of Bob Graham and the body of Lieberman...

Sorry. Getting ahead of myself there.

[diamondsoul]

18. Kucinich.

I like Dean's speaking style, but he's toned it down a bit which is kinda disappointing to me.

Edwards is charming, but reminds me of a snake-oil salesman. LOL Sorry, that's just the way he's been striking me lately.

Sharpton is funny and has a razor-sharp tongue, BUT too much of a good thing is...well bad!

Kerry....I've never been able to get very enthused about him speaking, and somehow he just bores me a lot of the time.

Kucinich just says all the things I believe and says them with the same passion I carry for them. His sense of humor fits me better than the rest as well just because it's a cerebral kind of humor. You won't get it without thinking for a second or two, and I like that kind of humor.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. I've been impressed by them all, at one time or another

My idealogy is most closely allied with Dennis Kucinich, but I have to say that Sharpton is the best speaker. I pretty much wrote him off until I started listening to him and found I agreed with what he was saying. And he consistently gets the most applause and ovations by the audiences in the debates. I realize that he has little chance of getting the nomination, but would be an excellent speechwriter for whoever does get it.:shrug:

[gyopsy]

20. Edwards

I'm going for Kerry right now but Edwards is a very dynamic speaker.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

21. How can Sharpton not be winning this Poll?

DU really is an odd place. Kucinich is also a better speaker than Edwards, who should be third.

Did all the people that used to vote for Clark in polls start voting for Edwards? :)

TWL

[arewethereyet]

22. How ?

Sharpton is good at one liners. Kucinich is far better at this format than Sharpton, gets ALL his points made.

But Edwards does it with style and charm.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

23. Well then to each his own...

Screw charm, I want excitement and substance. The latter is what puts Edwards in third for me. I probably put too much stress on issues when considering this poll.

TWL

[Rhiannon12866]

24. I agree that Sharpton should be leading this poll

He is just such a pleasure to listen to. Dennis is also usually excellent. He's the candidate I most support, but I have to go for Sharpton as the most gifted speaker. I cannot imagine anyone not liking Edwards; he really is quite pleasant, positive and likeable, but I still have to vote for Sharpton and Kucinich over him.:shrug:

[mac2]

32. Sharpton's quotes are funny but....

Insightful. I told Sharpton, he should publish his comments and quotes. People laugh but see the wisdom in it. He's a modern day...political Mark Twain.

Sharpton and Kucinich have a real Democratic message for the working guy and his freedoms. They see this war for what it is...a power grab for the rich and oil corporations. They see WTO and trade deals for what it is too.

[Rhiannon12866]

34. I would love to see Sharpton's quotes and insights published

in book form. I think that those who have heard him speak would welcome that, as well. I think that your likening him to a latter-day Mark Twain is very apt.:-)

I also agree that Kucinich and Sharpton are two that can see through all the bull. It's just our misfortune that these are the two that continue to trail in the primaries, though I will vote for any Democrat that can defeat George Bush*.:-(

[Adelante]

25. Edwards is the best stump speaker nt

[VOX]

26. Edwards, by far. Saw him in L.A. last week, and he electrified the crowd.

He gave a variant of his "Two Americas" stump speech, but he did a magnificent job; he knew the demographics of the auditorium, and played it like a fiddle.

This guy can out-Clinton Clinton in the ability to connect with people. It is a powerful gift, and it should not be taken lightly by the Democratic Party.

One way or another, Edwards needs to be on the 2004 ticket. Here's hoping.

[youngred]

27. Kucinich then Edwards, Sharpton, Dean and lastly Kerry

THough switch Kerry and Dean if its a Debate, Dean stutters and looks confused when debating often

[Awsi Dooger]

28. About as competitive as a giraffe in a limbo contest

Edwards, and by 50 lengths, not a neck. Plus he continues to improve, with media-friendly short sound bites like Monday's, "I'll tell you what needs to be outsourced, this administration!"

Kerry is rapidly on the uptick in debates and in response to reporter questions. The prepared speeches continue to be longwinded, disjointed and gruesome. Kerry acts as if the microphone has yet to be invented. Or, as Ron Reagan put it last week, he bellows with all the warmth and sincerity of a stereotyped 19th century politician, "My fellow Americans..."

This is an absolutely critical aspect of the general election. As I've emphasized many times before, Kerry needs to invest in the best speech and style coach ASAP.

[Lexingtonian]

29. I don't get Edwards

or, maybe I do. What bothers me is the part that is smarmy and insinuating and passive-aggressive, and the places where he just can't stop himself from trying to score one more stupid emotional appeal.

[mac2]

33. Edwards is sometimes like the preachers in the south...

His emotionall appeal is sometimes like the religious preachers in the south. You see this all the time with the Southern politicans. They grew up on it.

I like Edwards but question his WTO trade policy support. We'll fix it, he says.

He has that JFK good looks for the ladies does he not? I like his wife better than Jackie also. Not as much a "clothes horse" but full of humanity and intelligence.

[mac2]

31. They were all great.....

Except Lieberman whose whiny voice I dislike and his politics even more.

We Democrats had many qualified candidates and good speakers for the 2004 election. All the speakers addressed problems..which there are many. If they keep their promises to the citizens is the question.

I like Dennis' message and speeches the best. He's not a "Democrat light" like the rest.

Anyone who favors keeping the WTO for World Government in 2005 is not a Democrat...but Crony Capitalism/corporate rule guy. Government ruled by corporations is fascism guys....

[SerpentX]

35. No arguement

Edwards clearly has a knack for it.