The Greatest Orator of Our Time Is A Third-Grader

Barack Obama: he's the greatest orator of our time. Sure, there's Pericles; he was good. Yeah, JFK had some good lines, and fine...FDR could turn a phrase.

But Obama is the best we have right now. Serious, you guys.

The president paid a visit to Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Mich., today as part of his push to increase the minimum wage. Zingerman's he said pays it's employees "fair wages". Whether their fair enough to afford the lunch the president had isn't clear. He ordered a small Rueben for $1399; larges go for nearly $17...

"If they tried to sell [Paul Ryan's budget] at Zingerman's they have to call it the 'stinkburger' or the 'meanwhich,'" he said.

Yep, that's the state of play we have from the president of the United States. He's decided to go with the ol' "stinkburger" and "meanwhich" argument. This form of argument is most effective on the third-grade level. If memory serves, I believe that if the "stinkburger" argument is not effective at changing your opponent's mind, the next level up is to call them a "Poo-poo head". Or Dummy. I'm not sure which.

Which dovetails into a related question I have. What is the most memorable line from President Obama? What's his great, soaring line that speaks to all Americans? I can't really think of anything memorable.

Clint Eastwood's Speech at the RNC

I heard everyone buzzing about Clint Eastwood's speech at the RNC last night. I didn't see it live because I was watching the Gamecocks win their first game of the 2012 campaign. (As a sidebar, quit complaining, you Gamecock fans. You know who wishes they could have an ugly win? The team who lost). But I digress....However, I've had a chance to watch the speech now. Here it is in it's entirety.

 

The thing is, all the Democratic folks were telling me how crazy Eastwood sounded, with some chair, and an imaginary Obama. I went into the speech with expectations that Eastwood was going to start stammering like a crazy person and go off the rails. Also, did anyone think of the cartoon, "Doonesbury" who has used invisible Presidents and Vice Presidents for years? That was the first thing I thought of.

Having watched Eastwood's speech (a few times) it's clear that Eastwood is an old guy. He rambles a little, as old folks do, and he takes a little longer (maybe a half second or so) to get a line or word out than normal. I found myself waiting for him to just lose the thread when I watched it the first time, but he really doesn't do that poorly in the delivery. It's not a great oration, but he's 82 years old. I don't know any 82 year old folks who don't take a little longer to get a word out than they used to - and they're plenty sharp. Age just has a way of slowing you down.

But the first time I watched it, I was hanging on every word...wondering...where is he...going...with this?

See what I mean?

But watching it the second time, I realized that he's got some zingers lined up. The line about Biden was good. The part about Air Force One and being "ecological" was funny. And Eastwood does the whole thing in his deadpan, dry tone. When you look at the actual substance, it's pretty cutting. It's a solid speech. Not delivered in soaring oration, but solid.

All the Democrats who want to push this speech as a huge failure (and keep running clips of it) might want to think twice. It's pretty biting stuff. I wouldn't want to keep pushing those words out there, slowly delivered or not, if I was advocating to re-elect the President.

I predict this isn't the last we're going to see of the "empty chair".
What did you think?

Do You Need to "Tame" Your Southern Accent?

An Auburn graduate (of all people) can help you smooth out the rough edges of your southern accent.

I guess there are some Southerners who are taunted by non-Southerners, and that makes them want to try and eliminate what they perceive to be a flaw. I guess I'm just more self-confident (or maybe I don't venture out of Columbia much) but I wouldn't try to change my accent for anything. Being Southern means that we are warm, welcoming, and our accents reflect that.

If your Yankee boss doesn't like it, then you can impress him with your actual skill and knowledge. Also, if you're a Southerner in an office full of non-Southerners, they're probably jealous that your accent makes you unique.

Don't let the bastards get you down.