More Than Promises, Passion & Perception
[Note: The commentary also appears in Bulldog Reporter.]
The Presidential campaign in the United States is going to be won this year by public speaking skills, and the ability to deliver clear, simple-to-understand and crisp messages. The race ultimately is not debate over the economy, healthcare, terrorism, Iraq, or any other issue, I believe, but who can best deliver messages that resonate most favorably with the most voters versus who cannot. That explains the closeness of both sides in the polls, in my opinion. Very simplistic-sounding but I’m afraid it’s the case.
Who is more qualified or more experienced or who might do a better job leading the country during these challenging times are really secondary considerations, overshadowed this year by a more cosmetic factor of how well a candidate can deliver a message incisively that will capture the attention of voters and motivate/fool them to action. We clearly live in a celebrity driven “American Idol” election year era. It’s really only about promises, passion and perception when the times we live in demand more.
As I write about this issue, my perspective is not partisan but rather evaluating – as a veteran media strategist – who has been doing the best job of delivering messages, regardless of what they are saying or whether they are accurate or not. So, I am striving for a non-partisan commentary.
In that context, Sarah Palin has emerged as a dynamic public speaker who clearly gets attention, and is perhaps the most effective orator among the candidates at this stage. What is most interesting about Gov. Palin is her textbook debate style of wisely not naming her opponent. She wastes no time to deliver sharp and simple messages that connect with her audiences. On the other hand, Gov. Palin has a style of being evasive or non-specific in her few one-on-one media interviews, resorting to repeat canned and prepared talking points. My advice would be – Shake-off the handlers, and speak her mind in her own words.
Barack Obama’s acceptance speech in Denver is likely to go down in history as a great speech. But in both media interviews and campaign stump speeches, he misses opportunities to leave his audience with memorable messages, I believe, by wasting too much time to the point. If there was one fault in Denver, he delayed in getting to the point, and that factor eroded his passion. Consequently, I find it not surprising that he is judged by too many voters, according to polls, on “feeling” over substance of message. My advice would be – Don’t use 57 words when a dozen words would deliver a more powerful and clear message.
John McCain, despite his seniority as a politician, appears to be uncomfortable and awkward when using teleprompters to read a speech, stumbling occasionally over his written text. Such a habit is inexcusable for a veteran politician, and might suggest that he is showing his age. During interviews with the media or talk show hosts, he has a habit of not answering the questions, giving an impression that he is preoccupied trying to remember his talking points. At least, it appears that way to me. My advice would be – Just talk directly about how he would lead the country in today’s world; we all know about his days in Hanoi.
Sen. Joe Biden makes an impressive appearance but is notorious – now, as in the past – for rambling on seemingly forever until the eyes of many in his audience glaze over from boredom. Mr. Biden has never learned the importance of getting to the point quickly, either in a speech or media interview. He’s in love with the sound of his own voice. As a result, he speaks too long and personally diminishes the power and influence of his own words. My advice would be – Avoid using 357 words when a 12-word message might bring cheers, applause and votes.
I am reminded of a similar close political race – the campaign in 1997 between Republican Jim Gilmore and Democrat Don Beyer for governor of Virginia. Gilmore latched onto one simple, easy to understand yet somewhat dopey message that caught voter’s attention – he promised to get rid of property tax on cars. What he said was sheer nonsense but enough voters fell for it. Beyer, on the other hand, took forever to get to the point of what he was trying to say, sometimes never getting to the point. Gilmore won … even though his promise was completely empty and never happened.
What does all this say about our world? We live in the Internet era, an instantaneous time of openness, transparency, and brevity. We must focus on the critical need to deliver timely, relevant and distinctive messages, using plain language, that will resonate favorably and immediately with audiences and … win. The stakes in communications today are too high to use old ways or techniques because you will never catch up with your audiences. But, wait, there’s something even more important …
While the Presidential race is only about promises, passion and perception, in my view, the world we live in not only expects but demands more transparency, openness, truthfulness and … most of all, substance. To the person or organization that delivers will go the rewards.
Filed Under: Competitive Positioning • Leadership • Personal notes • Public speaking • Reputation management
About the Author: David is a veteran communications strategist ... writer ... blogger ... online publisher ... and Emmy Award winning former CBS Network News correspondent. He lives in the Washington, D. C., area, and works worldwide.
