How do we get Kerry to give better speeches?

[Nancy Waterman]

I just heard him at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner, and I had to turn it off. No jokes, no banter with the audience to warm them up, nothing. I agree with everything he says, but there are no well turned phrases that excite people. Who writes these boring, dull speeches? He needs some beautiful, well-phrased punches. The audience is giving him tepid applause. They will all vote for him, but they are clearly bored. Can't the Democrats find someone to write a speech? I could write a better speech, but I don't know who to ask. It is as if he doesn't know how to interact with an audience. Even when he has a good line, he doesn't pause to wait for the response. There is a give and take that goes on with a good delivery that is totally missing. He nees some simple coaching and agood fiery writer with some very catchy phrases.

[DemNoir]

1. Ok

Thanks for your input.

[Nite Owl]

2. He also needs some one liners

I wish Jon Stewart would help him. I know what you mean I like what he says but he still sounds like he's on the Senate floor.

[Rose Siding]

5. Yes- Stewart, Spielberg, Sorkin, Obama, Dean, Jackson....

someone!

[sonicx]

3. i like his speeches, but yes, he needs jokes. nt.

[Nancy Waterman]

9. I think he needs to make fun of Bush

Bush makes fun of Kerry, and it is very belittling but (to the GOP) very amusing. I think Kerry needs to make some jokes about Bush that make fun of his being out of touch with Americans and of his dishonesty. In short, a humorous caricature. Some self depracating humor would be good, too. He nees to lighten up. It is hard to listen to this constant drone.

When you go to a dramatic movie, there is usually a bit of comic relief. Other wise, if it is just endlessly serious, it starts to feel very heavy and tiresome and hard to listen to. Even Shakepeare knew this when he wrote his most tragic plays.

[Nana]

4. How funny..

I think it's great..I'm listening..several standing ovations..

[goclark]

6. I am surprised!

I have heard about 4 of his latest speeches and I love them all.

Missed this one, but will try to listen to the repeat.

Bush, as far as I know, has not met with the Black Caucus at any time. So, that made his NOSHOW Speech today a SILENT one.

Give me Kerry. Intelligent and caring.

We all put such a high bar for our team.
They don't ever put a bar at all for their guy. No matter how bad it was they will say it was "fantastic."

[Cha]

7. I don't know what it is, Nancy.

I heard him speaking on The Tom Joyner show the other day and Kerry
was splendid.

He was Great at the convention and he was excellent in the speech in Ohio he gave before the convention.

We should find out who wrote that speech, though, at the CBC and see what's up with it. Sounds like Kerry could have written a better speech.

[PlanetBev]

10. I thought he gave a great speech tonight

He hit all the points that are crucial to this election. I hope he can sum it up as well at the debates.

[Cha]

31. Kerry was up front on my roadrunner

with the caption.."Kerry hints that the gop could try and suppress the Black vote".

That sounded like he was getting to the heart of the matter.

[kentuck]

11. Sounds like he might be following the new strategy team ?

If so, bring back Mary Beth Cahill. :)

[Nancy Waterman]

19. He was very good at the Convention

but he was very rushed. I know he had a time limit, but he often doesn't pause enough to let the audience really respond. There needs to be that breathing back and forth with the audience.

[kentuck]

8. He's gotta do better than this or he's in trouble with the debates...

:)

But his is the anniversary of 9/11....FWIW

[Demi_Babe]

12. I thought he did great

sounded more forceful than ever! I was impressed!

[kentuck]

18. It wasn't a bad speech but it wasn't great...

For this occasion, I was expecting a few more fireworks. The speech was a lot pandering and primarily about "uniting" this nation...But he didn't take Bush on very aggressively, don't you agree?

[Nancy Waterman]

15. That is true. The 9/11 anniversay is very sobering

I have heard him give some good speeches, and I have heard some bad ones. I may have left this one too soon. There were no standing ovations during the time I was there. The audience looked bored.

He has had moments lately of some very good lines, but he needs much more.

I would love to see more stories, annecdotes, using some old Greek myths, all to make his points. He used a couple of Bible stories tonight that I thought were very good. Telling a story like that wakes up something different than the dry facts. More of that right brained oratory is very effective. More imagery like Sharpton uses would also be very effective.

[sonicx]

22. the audience was into it.

the stand plenty of times and you can't really hear the applause becuase there was no mics near them.

[mdmc]

13. get him to talk about North Korea

:kick:
Kerry gave a great acceptance speech.

[jefferson_dem]

14. Totally disagree! He was reasonable and passionate, and outlined a clear

message with vision. Sure, Kerry doesn't do "Clinton folksy" but he still connects.

[DFLforever]

16. I agree. I'm voting for Kerry but I can't listen to him.

Lacking vitality...that's the best I can say.

He's sometimes deadly boring.

[tjdee]

17. Good GOODNESS do I agree with this.

The problem is that people are now used to Bill Clinton and W.
Bill Clinton is a charismatic speaker--and W. just uses small words.

John Kerry is not a charismatic speaker, nor is he stupid....I don't think there is a solution here. Sometimes he's good, sometimes he isn't. That's just the way he delivers, and it works for some people. And as long as people vote for him, it doesn't matter. He does need work, but I worry that he doesn't see it and neither does his staff.

BUT--

Everyone working PR and writing speeches for the Democrats should be fired, I've said this before. We KNOW how the media works, we know how the GOP operates.... and we can't come up with better tactics/speeches/whatever than we have? As Denny Kucinich says, hello?

[Nancy Waterman]

23. If he were given better material and a little coaching

It would help enormously. I don't think it is just that is how he is. Dub is a total idiot, but he has been coached on his delivery to great effect and has good speech writers. His speeches are much more effective now than they were.

I have no doubts about Kerry for president. His heart is in the right place, he is very capable, and I think he will do an excellent job. I just think he needs a little help in this area and no one is stepping up to the plate.

[KoKo]

20. I know...Nancy...I watched it, too. I think it's because he's been in the

Senate so long. His oratory style seems more suited to speeches one would give for support on a bill up for vote. He does talk over his audience and doesn't seem to be able to "connect."

He seems to do best when talking about the environment or subjects he's passionate about...mostly the environment where he really shines. But they are still speeches, not what what needs to be giving on the campaign trail.

His radio address today to counter Bush's 9/11 speech was filled with Bush's own language..."hunting down and killing terrorists." It almost seemed as though he was trying to outdo Bush's own rhetoric. I had to turn it off, too. My husband who is as freaked out about Bush as any of us here on DU and actively working for Kerry was so upset he couldn't listen as long as I did before I turned it off.

I heard him speaking in Ohio or somewhere in the Midwest on C-Span last week to a group of really fired up supporters. He was very stiff at the beginning when he was talking about Iraq. Everytime he said he had a "better plan and would work to bring the troops home" the crowd was cheering and waving the signs in total enthusiasm, but he would begin to talk over them not allowing them to fully express their feelings. He only loosened up and began to smile and look comfortable when he talked about jobs and the economy. But, he didn't get as loud an applause for those issues as he did when he laid out his differences with Bush on Iraq...but he was so uptight about it that it was a relief to see him get onto the jobs and economy.

There's something wrong...I wish I knew...I worry that he doesn't have the "fire in the belly." Or, he's just a very introspective person and is having a hard time relating to his audience of average folks after talking to fellow senators for so long. :shrug:

I don't know if a speechwriter could help if it's something within him, but at least the campaign should try to find a person who would work well with him to get the inner Kerry out...

[kentuck]

24. We could put him in earthtone suits...

:) Just kidding...

He's alright. I think he just thought this was a day for remembrance and uniting our nation and did not want to come across as a divider.
I don't think he lost any votes tonight.

[KoKo]

30. Well....I'm getting worried that someone might just start suggesting a

fool thing like that...Maybe bring Donna Brazille back in to do the talk show circuit all the time..to make sure we all are reminded of the last campaign.....GACK!

Know you were kidding, but shuddering...thinking that it might happen...

[Cha]

33. Naomi Wolf!

An astrologer warned against trying to change Kerry's image. He said Kerry should just be Kerry and the public will warm up to him(or something like that).

I got the impression that Kerry's seriousness is just what this Country needs.

And noting that 9/11 is a somber occasion..let's see what he's like the next time he speaks.

[kentuck]

38. There may be some truth to this....

"I got the impression that Kerry's seriousness is just what this Country needs."

[dennis4868]

21. loved his speech.....

I only wish that when he talks about Bush's mistakes in Iraq he would mention that we should have given the UN inspectors more time to do their job before invading....Kerry only says that before going to war Bush should have worked on getting a coalition....to me that is not the point....the point is that we should have never gone to war because the inspections were working.

[sonicx]

25. yes, kerry's attack on iraq must improve.

really attack bush. get him defensive. ask him some of those trap questions that bush likes to asks.

"why did the rationale which from WMDs and liberation? he owees the world an explaination."

;)

[Nancy Waterman]

26. I agree, dennis. I picked up on that omission too

He could say that had we let the inspecotrs do their jobs, maybe we wouldn't have needed to go to war at all. But he fears Bush's obvious response with good reason: if Kerry had his way, Saddam might still be in power. To which I say, so what. Bush has totally framed that argument. Saddam was not a menace at all to us in 2003. Bush has made people think he was, but he wasn't. Unfortunately, it would be hard for Kerry to make that argument without the GOPers calling him weak on defense. So he is sticking to Bush ran the peace poorly and cost us a fortuen that could have been better spent. Bush is twisting this as well.

[dennis4868]

32. good points.....

probably does not want to look weak on defense....but I think deep down inside most poeple think this Iraq war was a mistake and I dont think he would take a hit if he followed my direction.....

[kentuck]

35. The rest of the quote...

if Kerry had his way, Saddam might still be in power....and he would still be a threat to the world...

Now that is bullshit. He was not a threat to us or his neighbors. How many times do we have to remind him that Saddam did not attack the WTC and he had no WMDs or nuclear mushroom bombs... So, Mr Bush, can you please stop lying to the American people...

[Awsi Dooger]

27. You could have written that in February

In fact, many of us did. I have had to turn Kerry off at least a half dozen times, in horror that he is simply not connecting with the critical voting blocks who will decide this thing.

Bush has a 20% edge in a poll asking which candidate has the better personality. That's devastating, because once you assign someone as more likable, human nature starts elevating them as better in almost every category. That's the answer to these befuddled posts like, "How can Bush be leading Kerry in honesty and trustworthiness?"

Kerry needs to slice that supposed personality deficit in half, or close, to pull this out. He's excellent at debate format but those flatline speeches need to be shortened and sparked, and pronto.

[PittLib]

28. I find it funny that dems are always pointing out how delusional

the repubs are and yet are constantly criticizing Kerry. Here's a little hint on how to win the election ... SUPPORT YOUR F#$KING CANDIDATE! Idiot Bush has one thing going for him - loyalty. His minions aren't forever sniping at him. I call that blind idiot faith, but quite frankly Kerry has mine. He's my choice. Simply voting for him isn't enough. Support him already! Quit putting your 2 cents about how in your humble opinion, he should be better. Do you see the Bushies doing that? No! They think that idiot is GOD! Quit crying about Wes and Howard and Dennis. Boo f#$king hoo. Kerry is who we have. Kerry is who we collectively chose. Get behind him with some loyalty and sincerity or shut up already!
Look, I'm not asking you to suck it up for good ... just for the next 2 months. Then you can go back to being your usual opinionated selves - trust me, I'm one of you. But we are not fooling anyone into voting for our candidate that we don't seem to be truly behind. That is if the "undecideds" really exist, but that is another topic. I see John Kerry as an incredibly intelligent, articulate and thoughtful man. That is what I want in a president after looking at Howdy Doody screw us for the past 4 years. I'm just sick of hearing all of the petty input ... it seems that many of you even acknowledge it as such (Gore sigh, Howard scream), why then are you falling prey to it? Are you all such fatalists? Who really cares if JK is witty, who cares if he can tell a joke, does it make him less qualified? Just stand behind him. And quit being a slave to the polls. Soul suckers, they are.

[Toucano]

34. Rock on!

:yourock:

[jefferson_dem]

36. BINGO! Great post, PittLib. Dig your spirit!

Cheers!

:toast:

[Cha]

37. You're simply wrong...we can

communicate on how things can be better. After all, Kerry is going to win this race. So all that blind following of bush will lead to nowhere.

[PittLib]

41. Okay ... umm, so what you're saying is ... oh, I give up ...

This isn't communicating - its panicky nitpicking. If you are so sure he's gonna win, maybe the communication should turn to what needs to be done after Nov 2nd. That would be a hell of a lot more productive than trying to change the guy.

[Cha]

44. I'm living in the right now. Yes, I have confidence

that Kerry will win. And, No, I don't think we're "nit picking" by talking about it.

But then I like throwing the ol' political ball around..that's why I'm on du.

[PittLib]

52. Look, I'm just tired of

people's attempts to make him something he's not. And tossing the "ol' political ball" is fine ... until it starts coming across like dodge ball.

[AntiCoup2K4]

40. People WILL take how Kerry speaks into account.

I don't know how high or how low it would rank for most people, but it would rank. Believe it or not, a lot of those people in the "red states" like Junior, because they think he "sounds like one of them". Like just a regular dude. Never mind that he was born with a silver spoon up his nose and never worked a day in his life. That's the reality, but it's not the image they have of him.

Now if I think the President is doing a decent job, but bores the shit out of me, I just won't watch the State of the Union or any other long speeches.... but that's me. Others will evaluate Kerry on whether they can sit through one of his speeches. Right or wrong, it IS a reality especially in a soundbite media driven world. So if someone can help Kerry improve himself in this area, they would be fools not to do so.

[magnolia]

54. I agree with you 100% Pittlib!

Al Gore was so busy trying be what we wanted him to be that the only time he was truly himself and gave a great speech was when he conceded!!! Leave John Kerry alone and let him be himself. He's not auditioning for a role in the "Producers" he's running for leader of the free world!

[seabeyond]

29. i have seen him try to do a joke, and didnt work for me

this may be it guys. i like the saying, not dating hte guy. i know people want a bush that can tease with them and make them giggle, though for me he make me wrinkle nose........but kerry isnt that person. and i would rather a man that thinks, adn knows than someone that is empty

[shraby]

42. Personally, I think Bush's speeches suck

big time. I can't stand to listen to his "canned" speeches with very few words or ideas. How many times does one have to listen to terrorists, freedom, liberty, hopeful (dumb word), 9/11, economy is improving, things are getting better? That just about covers his entire speeches with "and" "if" "the" added for variety.
Gott people, his speeches are idiotic and written for a 5 year old mentality.
News, Bush...I have an adult mind.

[PittLib]

43. Right on ...

insincerity is painful. You want an entertainer ... move to CA and listen to Ahnold.

[Leilani]

39. I think John Kerry is John Kerry

And he won the primaries because people decided he had the best qualities for this election.

Nobody ever said he was Mr Excitement. And you cannot try to make him something he is not. He has been in politics a long time. If he was going to be a dynamic speaker, it would have happened by now.

The best thing he can be is himself. I think honesty comes through.
And Gore did himself no good, by changing like the weather.

[PittLib]

46. I'm sure glad

some people get it.

[Nancy Waterman]

48. I found his telling a few Bible stories very effective

He can expand on that with a few more stories that go to the heart of what he wants to say. He can have a few phrases that really resonate. He tries to, but that is where a good speechwriter would come in. It doesn't mean we have to make him different, but he could be more effective with a few well chosen phrases and metaphors.

[PittLib]

49. riiight ... he jumps on that ole bible bandwagon

and more than a few recovering repubs are gonna jump right off.

[Cha]

50. Yes, because we know Kerry has it in him

to do that. I think he's very capable of giving great speeches all the time but it helps to have great speech writers, too.

[WI_DEM]

45. I watched it too, agree he started slow and I was bored but then...

2/3 of the way into it he came alive. I'm hoping this will be a metaphor for how he closes in this election.

[Cha]

47. Good to know! Thanks, WI_DEM!

Is that when the Audience burst out in applause? :)

[WI_DEM]

51. When he started talking about not allowing voters to be disenfranchised

in this election or ever again.

[Cha]

55. This would be the best thing to get the USA

back on the good train track.

[AgadorSparticus]

53. i agree, he is unbelievably boring to listen to. his points are all

there but i don't think that is enough. and i don't think humor is conducive to his delivery style.

i think if he just went with biting rhetoric about bush, he'd score more points. short and quippy does the trick. for example, when he responded with the turning the corner statement from bush. he turned it into a gaff. he needs more of that.

[Booster]

56. He needs William Pitt - and I'm not joking.

But Kerry needs to develope fire in his belly and act like he wants to win. Edwards has the fire in the belly, but I don't see as much of him on TV as I do Cheney - hmmmmmmm.