I did not realize there was such un uproar about a "teleprompter"

[question everything]

until I saw all the threads on DU.

In my former life, I used to participate in conferences and meetings. I have no problem speaking in front of an audience and like to just get some cards with main points - and rarely look at them - and talk around the slides and charts that I would have.

However, there would be meetings when I would be restricted to 10 min talk. On these occasions I would write my whole presentation and pretty much read it and this way I would be sure that everything that I wanted to say was mentioned.

Obama asked for one hour. Clearly he would not be able to control the length of the questions or his answers. So he prepared his introductory notes which he could fit into a specific amount of time and where he was sure he covered all the points that he wanted to say. Instead of my "low tech" approach of reading from my notes, he had his teleP.

I used to be active in local politics and would address county board and city councils. A friend of mine, a seasoned politician, told me how he would prepare his points in writing with extra copies for member of the press - in the old days, when there were local reporters covering local politics - so that they would have easier time reporting. I tried, but then I realize that when my turn come, I would add change my comments to incorporate what has already been said - not like Jinadl - and would rarely use my script.

[Epiphany4z]

1. It just goes to show they got nothin

its the next big distractions,,,todays flag pin,,,todays octomom...

[tonysam]

2. This is Crazy.

ALL politicians use TelePrompTers on occasion. ALL of them, not just nitwits like Bush, and especially for major speeches.

[Epiphany4z]

7. if he didn't use one and made a mistake we

would be hearing about that all day long....I get frustrated with crap like this...the man was expaining what and why he was doing what he is doing...and all we are hearing is he did it with a telepromter...It is a non story ..story...blech

[question everything]

8. That's right. If he would have mispronounced a word, or a name

we would never hear the end of this.

[Sal Minella]

12. You really think * could read?

I thought he was just pretending.

[tekisui]

3. ANYthing to ignore the content and the message. They are terrified,

and have no angle to criticize him.

[LaPera]

4. It's the fucking republicans trying to make an issue about Omaba being so coherent, smooth and

articulate in his speeches...

In so much as Obama has easily & skillfully swayed people to his way and often a progressive way of thinking....Pissing the slimy republicans off!

After eight years of the bumbling, clumsy, arrogant, inarticulate way the idiot moronic Bush conducted his speeches even with his used of a teleprompter that Bush's handlers had him use as much as possible and still he'd fuck up.

What it comes down to is the republicans are scared, jealous and truing make an issue around thing that will stick!!

[spanone]

5. our pathetic media digs deep

:sarcasm:

[wtmusic]

6. I guess it's the way it's done now, but I'm not crazy about it either.

I would rather hear an impromptu speech with all its blemishes than a polished, prompted one.

For one thing, it proves that the speaker has his subject down cold. One note card would be enough to remind him of the main points.

How did Roosevelt do without one? MLK? Why is it we "need" this dewice now? :shrug:

[question everything]

11. Normally he would. But cutting into the precious time of Prime Time

would make it harder for him to secure future appearances. The alternative would have been to cut the questions and he would not have wanted this.

Did MLK ever appear on prime time on TV?

And, of course, the limited attention span that makes everyone a twitter. 140 characters or less. Shorthand for everything. Look at posts on DU. Even during the debates, where a candidate is expected to talk about his ideas in 2 minutes, or something.

He has plenty of time to appear impromptu, in his other town hall meetings, on Jay Leno and on "60 minutes" where everyone, including DUers, jumped on his "gaffe" of the Special Olympics (and gave Shriver a golden opportunity to appear on talk shows,) or that ditz from the View to criticize his giggling.

This is what it comes down to: you have around the clock cable shows and blogs and pundits and each feeds on each other and every little thing has to be debated to death.

[wtmusic]

13. As usual, all good points qe. nt

[Nordmadr]

9. I really don't see the problem with reading from a teleprompter.

Is is it really necessary that a President spend valuable time memorizing a speech? While it was obvious he was reading his prepared remarks, I sure didn't see him reading anything while taking all those questions.

I'd rather he have a solid command of issues than be able to demonstrate his short term memorization strengths. A lesson for our education system perhaps.

Nordmadr

[Catherine Vincent]

10. It's a coordinated effort by rabid Bush supporters

Bush was such a horror when it came to press conferences, they hated hearing about his screw ups and everything. Now that Obama is president, they have to find something...anything to yammer on about. It looks like they hooked on to the telepromter bit. Even though all former presidents used them. They can't stand the fact that their precious Bush was such a royal f-up and now they have someone to pick on and it ain't Bush.

[bobbert]

14. Actually, I love using power point

I've learned that good powerpoint speakers just read off of their slide. You don't want to veer off of the slide too much because people get confused as to whether they should be reading or listening, so just let them do both. If you work for hours/days making great slides, use them to their fullest potential and just read off of them.

I would rather have someone read something that a team worked for hours on and read it exactly the way it was supposed to sound than having a team come up with notes during those hours and have the president not come off as clear or direct or possibly miss some main point.

[question everything]

19. Agree

and, I suppose, I flag my age when talking about good old fashioned slides ;-)

Of course, not every presentation can lend itself to slides and charts. Difference between facts and concepts, I suppose.

I would sometime present the same information to different groups: peers and sales rep and the presentations would be different.

I used to post all the relevant information and take the audience with me step by step. Then we had a business conference and my boss told me to limit the timing release of the information. "Don't let your audience quickly read the slide and reach a conclusion before you have done this for them."

So I would divide the information into three or four slides and instead of trusting my audience to reach the same conclusion - silly me - I would guide it to it.

:hi:

[lamp_shade]

15. I've been listening to TV since 4:00 this morning and not one mention of the teleprompter

issue has been made. Where are DUers hearing/seeing this stuff?

[question everything]

20. I think that Ed Henry, he with the "anger at AIG" question

said it on CNN post presentation, as if to belittle Obama's known eloquence. I did not hear this but, at least on GDP last night there were many threads, perhaps still are.

[lamp_shade]

22. Strange. With ALL the threads about it here on DU, one would think it was plastered

endlessly all over the media. Why am I not surprised.

[spanone]

16. the assholes pushing this silliness need to go listen to some of junior*s speeches

they never questioned the ultimate fuckwad

[damntexdem]

17. There's not -- just an upsqueek from those who can't roar.

I guess they got too used to Dubya's incompetent use of a teleprompter. ;-)

[kwassa]

18. Everyone uses teleprompters or the old-fashioned cue cards

Bush used them all the time, too. It is standard in public speaking, and long speeches.

Other places, too. I always enjoy watching on Saturday Night Live, in any of the sketches, both the guest hosts and cast members reading furiously over each other's shoulders during the routine.

[Xenotime]

21. pugs are making fun of obama with a bogus blog site.

makes me sick.