Gene Koo has an interesting observation about Obama’s rhetorical style:
By using complex constructions that resist distillation, Obama minimizes out-of-context critics, although he cannot mute them (witness the “bitter” comment).
Koo suggests his rhetorical style allows him to bypass traditional media that relies on sound bytes to distill arguments and to speak directly to the American people. Personally, I think the bigger constraint for the media is that Obama’s presentation of self defies easy caricature. Pundits haven’t been able to settle on an salient frame from which to attack him….yet. remember, the McCain campaign struck brief gold with “The One” ads that painted him as a celebrity. Were it not for the economic collapse, that meme might have stuck. It is fun to have a major political figure that flummoxes the mainstream media.
Comments 5
andrew m. lindner — January 21, 2009
It's good and bad for him. On the one hand, it does defy would be out of context quoters. But it also makes him less easy to sound bite. Hence, all of yesterday's comments that there was no "nothing to fear" or "ask not" type line. Of course, President Obama may not be terribly interested in being so recognized.
jose — January 21, 2009
I don't think he wants to be "sound-bitten." I think all this Web 2.0 stuff he's doing is largely an end-around the mainstream media.
kenneth M. Kambara — January 22, 2009
I think it is harder to attack someone who isn't one-note. I mean that in terms of public perceptions, rather than reality.
I think his detractors do attack him on the memes of celebrity, cult figure, or messiah, but these aren't resonating. Right now, his message is "on-code." The question is what will happen if the administration stumbles.
Don Waisanen — January 23, 2009
Another reason “the One” meme didn’t stick was that Obama, quite simply, knocked down the objection with the counter-meme of “I’m not a miracle worker”—which he’s used on many occasions to re-frame himself. By countering with this assertion, he’s infused his rhetoric with a bit of political humility that’s hard to attack. There’s a reflexivity in his speech-making that seems to allow him to make lofty statements without appearing too lofty himself. I think we’re going to learn a great deal more about rhetorical inoculation during this Presidency. I wonder how we might be able to distinguish this kind of media inoculation from the self-deprecating moves of Bush II and the “Teflon” tendencies of Reagan?
jose marichal — January 24, 2009
I think what's distinctive about him is how he was able to deconstruct his opponent's attack. He'd always start by repeating an opponent's claim against him and then deliver some humorous one liner. Remember calling Clinton Annie Oakley. I'm also fascinated by his sprinking of hip-hop references in his rebuttals. Remember him using the Jay-Z "should brush" in the primary.