Comments on: The Obamas: When Grammar Gets Political

By: Annie Glimmerglass

Annie Glimmerglass — Sat, 24 May 2008 02:56:56 +0000

Stunning that Michelle Obama would say that. It’s the error about which I’m most peevish. Well, at least she didn’t say “Who me and him are…”
Yikes. And you’re obviously implying that she did it on purpose. Yup, I’m inclined to agree, though I’m constantly surprised at who makes that error.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:39:57 +0000

I regret that there aren’t any businessmen like Walt Disney left in the USA. Now, Walt Disney was crazy and a bigot, but at least he was willing to alter the agenda of his company to reflect his own ideals. Efficiency wasn’t always the sole guiding principle of a person’s public life.

By: Casey

Casey — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:03:31 +0000

@Gabriel: I have been urged to write at no more than a 7th grade reading level when working on marketing texts in the past. If you want the people to buy what you’re selling…

@Ben: I’m very stuck on this sentence: “He can try to pretend he’s one of the country folk, but it won’t work: he’s got just a bit too much melanin to pull that one off.” ???

@hh: I agree with you that the me vs. I think should not turn out to be too significiant. It does illustrate an important point, however, which is that even the most eloquent and articulate politician is susceptible to grammar pitfalls. Just one more reason he should be reading my blog!

By: hh

hh — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:59:47 +0000

I went to see Obama in Bloomington and I didn’t notice any grammar slip-ups, but I did notice he mixed up numbers a couple of times.

I don’t think the me vs. I thing is going to be too significant, in any case. I would hope the grammar elitists whom this would bother would be intelligent enough to base their political decisions on his policy and background rather than the way he speaks, and the working-class folk are going to be able to form their impressions of him from more in his speech and mannerisms than just that single usage.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:14:55 +0000

Also, South Park had a great example of Hilldawg’s lack of authenticity, especially when it came to her use of new accents in attempting to connect to the little people.

Some other bits on Hillary…
After New Hampshire: ““I found my own voice.” Well, at 60 years old you finally decided on a persona? High five, fraudbot.” (http://wonkette.com/342558/liveblogging-hillarys-incredible-victory-speech-from-nh)

There was another one that couldn’t find that went along the lines of “and when she finds her voice in South Carolina it will have a distinct drawl”. You get the picture.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:10:40 +0000

“is it too impressive?”

No. Well, maybe, but it won’t help him to do anything other than that. He can try to pretend he’s one of the country folk, but it won’t work: he’s got just a bit too much melanin to pull that one off.

Authenticity matters. That, as much as any excuses Hillary and her people might want to make about gender bias, media bias, class bias, etc., or rather the lack of that, has absolutely killed her campaign.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:22:18 +0000

I think we just expect too little from public speakers nowadays. In comparison to his antecedents of the early 20t century, Barack is profoundly underwhelming from a rhetorical standpoint. In point of fact the farther back one looks for reference, the more deficient he seems by comparison.

I don’t particularly care for politics, but I’d register and vote for any politician who didn’t emulate television journalism by addressing the expected 7th grade education of the American public.