Let's jump right in.
9.24.04
Althouse http://althouse.blogspot.com/ shares a theory that Kerry sounds hesitant because he doesn't believe in what he is saying. That the ideas aren't his, so listeners can sense his insincerity.
This might be part of it, but I think it has more to do with him being generally insecure. Kery is like a sober man asking a woman to dance, a son speaking to a strict father, or a student trying to impress a teacher. He is constantly hearing himself, criticizing himself as he speaks, so he backtracks, hesitates, refuses to take a position, and generally comes off as weak and insincere. Of course Kerry is what he is, a political opportunist without a guiding philosophy. As such he has the same problem as the three men above- he doesn't care about what he is saying, he only cares about whether or not what he is saying will make a listener like him.
I can almost feel sorry for Kerry because I have been rejected by women for being too timid, am almost a stranger to my father because I can't be myself around him, and have acted the fool in class because I could not express my thoughts due to nerves. But you don't give sympathy votes to presidential candidates (at least not post 9/11).
Contrast this to a drunk man asking a woman to dance. He is aggressive and confident. His mind is not divided between speaking, hearing himself speak, and analyzing what he has said, all at the same time. He smiles, he gets his point across, his entrie demeanor entices. Bush has all the advantages of the drunk, (this is an unfortunate metaphor, lol) because he has the advantage of a guiding philosophy that informs his words and presentation. He doesn't need reassurance from a listener, he is self-assured.
This may be especially important to female voters. Women may be voting for Bush more than Kerry not only because he is strong on defense, though this is the popular explanation, but because, like Clinton, Bush is confident, even a little cocky. Kerry, and the liberals who complain about Bush's swagger, are playing the role of the nerd in the corner, mad because the "cocky jerk" gets the girl. He wasn't a jerk, he just didn't need a girl to hold his hand and tell him he was okay every thirty seconds.
Update:
The Daily Recycler http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/
(read the whole thing, lots of good stuff) took the time (and trouble to block the gag reflex) necessary to count how many times Kerry licked his lips during his time on Letterman. 94!!! Did John Kerry's new Clinton-flunky marriages make him drop Extasy to help him relax under pressure? Hmm....
Althouse http://althouse.blogspot.com/ shares a theory that Kerry sounds hesitant because he doesn't believe in what he is saying. That the ideas aren't his, so listeners can sense his insincerity.
This might be part of it, but I think it has more to do with him being generally insecure. Kery is like a sober man asking a woman to dance, a son speaking to a strict father, or a student trying to impress a teacher. He is constantly hearing himself, criticizing himself as he speaks, so he backtracks, hesitates, refuses to take a position, and generally comes off as weak and insincere. Of course Kerry is what he is, a political opportunist without a guiding philosophy. As such he has the same problem as the three men above- he doesn't care about what he is saying, he only cares about whether or not what he is saying will make a listener like him.
I can almost feel sorry for Kerry because I have been rejected by women for being too timid, am almost a stranger to my father because I can't be myself around him, and have acted the fool in class because I could not express my thoughts due to nerves. But you don't give sympathy votes to presidential candidates (at least not post 9/11).
Contrast this to a drunk man asking a woman to dance. He is aggressive and confident. His mind is not divided between speaking, hearing himself speak, and analyzing what he has said, all at the same time. He smiles, he gets his point across, his entrie demeanor entices. Bush has all the advantages of the drunk, (this is an unfortunate metaphor, lol) because he has the advantage of a guiding philosophy that informs his words and presentation. He doesn't need reassurance from a listener, he is self-assured.
This may be especially important to female voters. Women may be voting for Bush more than Kerry not only because he is strong on defense, though this is the popular explanation, but because, like Clinton, Bush is confident, even a little cocky. Kerry, and the liberals who complain about Bush's swagger, are playing the role of the nerd in the corner, mad because the "cocky jerk" gets the girl. He wasn't a jerk, he just didn't need a girl to hold his hand and tell him he was okay every thirty seconds.
Update:
The Daily Recycler http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/
(read the whole thing, lots of good stuff) took the time (and trouble to block the gag reflex) necessary to count how many times Kerry licked his lips during his time on Letterman. 94!!! Did John Kerry's new Clinton-flunky marriages make him drop Extasy to help him relax under pressure? Hmm....
posted by Harkonnendog @ 11:19 AM
1 Comments:
At 7:03 PM,
big_wannabe said…
Wow. I hadn't really considered this but it really does make sense. Clinton was a player who could get mad play that Kerry will never get. Women certainly are affected by a candidates attractiveness and confidence. Kerry is lacking in both departments.
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