Bush's Speech

Bush came off okay in today's speech; at least in terms of how he sounded.

The biggest problem with Bush as a speech-giver or in any capacity where he has to talk (e.g., press conferences), is that he can only say five or six words before having to pause. It gives the impression that he is reading his speech directly off the teleprompter, and that he is a slow reader.

His brother Jeb is a much more natural speaker. For that matter, so is Tony Blair. I remember seeing him at a press conference or somesuch just before or just after hte invasion of Iraq, and he seemed like an eager boy just out of college who is prepared to take on the world. Not that his policies are that great, but at least he seemed to have true enthusiasm and interest in the subject at hand.

Bush, on the other hand, seems to give off the attitude that he is telling something very simple to small and not-exceedingly-bright children, as well as the impression that he is a schoolboy not prepared for his big oral exam, and is trying to B.S. his way through. So he winds up looking as if he doesn';t have a grasp of the subject, and is hiding this fact by getting angry at you for not understanding the answer to the question.

"Why yes, Mrs. Lewis. The capital of New York... is the city... where the state house is. Yes, it is where the state house is... anyone with a brain would know that."

So Bush does best in speeches where the speech consists of a lot of bullet points, and not much detailed explanation, as his pauses can be worked into the natural rhythm of the speech.

Of course, this is a very limiting style...

That is all.