Does Dean really need to improve his TV appearance?

[poskonig]

I'm not so certain. The rough edges may actually be working to his advantage, making him seem like a real person. How can we find the truth of the matter?

(This isn't like what we say is important, since his campaign staff is in charge of figuring this stuff out, but it is an interesting question nonetheless.)

[CMT]

1. Actually at meetup John Nichols of the Nation magazine

was the guest and he said that Dean gets thru to regular folks while people like Edwards and Kerry speak above them.

That said there is always some room for improvement and I think he has improved over the past year on television.

[tjdee]

9. Edwards speaks ABOVE people?

That's hilarious, and really, very objective of Nichols to say so.

:eyes:

[CMT]

11. he said he endorses no candidate

as a matter of fact he said Kucinich is his ideological choice. But I did sence he was hard on Edwards. He also said Edwards was "the most boring speaker around." I don't agree with that--I think Lieberman has him beat.

[chimpymustgo]

15. Well, Nichols is a fool. Edwards is possibly the best speaker

in the bunch. And Edwards talking down to people? Nichols has it exactly backwards - that's Dean.

I'll remember to read his articles with a box of Morton's.

[Ripley]

2. I have a hard time seeing this "brusque/arrogance" thing.

I see someone with fire and who is really pissed off and it shows. That is a draw for everyone who wants the country to change. However, I can understand the point if people think he is too "mean" like Bob Dole was, people might be turned off.

So, yes, he needs to find the right balance. But he has a year to get it together. Remember, all the other guys have decades of national media experience...no one starts out of the gate "polished."

[T_i_B]

3. Is this in responce to my thread?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=280139

I just saw Dean in the BBC last night and he did seem uncomfortable, stiff and prickly. I'm not sure that's nessessarily a good thing.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. exactly my observation

you Brits are so much more keen on these things. :) Too bad we're in America. :-(

and I repost:...thoughts on each candidate's performance

Gephardt was on fire, but it is becasue he is feeling the heat to solidify his "base". The big labor unions and backers have been fence sitting and he thought he had labor all wrapped up as far as endorsements go. That theme guided his whole performance. His foreign affairs views came off as a bit naive.

Edwards is calm, measured, and reasonably well informed on the issues, but he seems too young and perhaps not experienced enough to be pres. Same with CMB.

Graham is very impressive. I would have no problem with him as pres. He just needs to speak a little faster to suit my northern tastes.

DK was sharp and competent and I could see him as pres. except he doesn't display the requisite maturity with "hello" rejoinders.

Lieberman would be fine as president too, but his voice would turn far too many people off to be a real contender. Forget about any of his liberal stands and corporate favortism, and nevermind the fact he is Jewish will be controversial.

I thought Dean sounded whiny. He has the intelligence, experience, and the facts at his command, but he comes off as too much motivated by emotion than reason. I say this because Kerry is the exact opposite, and therefore the more presidential. And he has the intelligence to recognize that one of the keys to Iraq right now is to minimize the sense of occupation, if not the reality. The depth and breadth of Kerry's knowledge, experience, and demeanor are awesome. I want this man to be my president.

[T_i_B]

18. I actually quite like Dean

I think that his platform looks great, although after taking a good look on his website I have come to the conclusion that he is not as liberal as some folks make him out to be. Mind you, that is not nessessarily such a bad thing.

Dean has got some pretty innovative ways of campaigning too. There is even a Dean meetup in London!

Kerry looks OK but the candidate who seems the most impressive to me is Bob Graham of all people. I really like what he has to say on terrorism. Mind you, even he might leave a lot to be desired in the same areas I have been worrying about with Howard Dean.

[clar]

4. A resounding yes

he's stiff as a board. someone loosen the guy up. maybe he needs a heavy swedish massage prior to debates and mtp type interviews. he exudes 0 warmth, waggles his forefinger, does this kind of turtle thing with his head, and sounds stilted. I support the guy, but found it painful to watch him last night. The gov needs some serious bodywork along with acting and speech coaches.

[Ripley]

6. Good Grief they said the same thing about Gore!!!

I didn't have the PBS show available, but caught some of the debate on the radio. My I have quite a different impression in my mind of how people looked according to their voices.

Kucinich and Lieberman sounded shrill and snotty.

Edwards and Graham need to wake up.

Carol was fluid and optimistic as always.

Kerry was very calm cool and collected.

Dean needs to slow down, but didn't sound stilted.

[Brotherjohn]

5. Not a Dean supporter (yet), but even if the worst is true...

Let's say he's arrogant, brusque, and not the best communicator...

So is Bush, and Bush "won", and still has popularity ratings in the mid-50s (despite it all). Even as polls show his overall job approval ratings declining precipitously, most people generally still think he's "an okay guy" (his personal approval ratings are staying up in the 60s). It's the "down-to-earth" , "regular guy" thing. It was probably the only thing Bush really had going for him in Election 2000. Of course, with Bush, it comes from stupidity and ignorance.

So even if Dean can be arrogant and awkward (like Bush wasn't during Election 2000?), add to that an actual grasp of the issues and a level of intelligence Bush couldn't even dream of, and I don't know if it's a negative. It might actually benefit him.

[Ripley]

7. Good points. And he was also the only one who

spoke fluent spanish in a bilingual broadcast. The others struggled to say a few spanish words.

[trogdor]

10. That alone is very impressive.

How many native Spanish-speakers are there in Vermont? I'll bet there are more French-Canadians than Hispanics up there in maple syrup country.

OTOH, I would think a candidate for public office who lives in California should be fairly fluent in Spanish, no excuses.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

13. But Bush lost, remember?

And even though arrogant and brusque may go down well with the right wing, it is not likely to win too many friends on the left.

Having said that, whether he did sound arrogant and brusque I can't tell you, because I have never seen or heard him speak (they don't mention the primaries on NZ TV) and I can only go on what I read on the net.

[blm]

24. After 4 years of Bush

you think the regular guy thing is what the public will be looking for?

I think they'll want someone they can feel secure in his comportment with other nations' leaders AND his courage to lead on more progressive roads.

Bush has made this world so dangerous that it will be about WHO you would want to be in a foxhole with and trust with your life and your children's.

[pansypoo53219]

8. because people think

the chimp is SOOOoooo authentic. smooth is likely to help the chimp.

[farmbo]

12. No...don't make him blow-dried and focus-grouped.

The Country Doctor look with the button- bown oxford shirt and tie seems to resonate well with first-time viewers. Those are the people he has to reach out to, since only 35% of Americans can even name a single Democratic candidate, at this point in the campaign.

I agree with your point that he'll need a little more "soft focus" as he moves into the general.

[PATRICK]

14. needs to exude confidence

and relaxation naturally in all mediums. If he finds some situations uncomfortable maybe he is trying too hard because he knows he has smart opposition and critiques coming. Might as well be relaxed more than any other worry. The alternative is self-defeating.

[Monte Carlo]

17. He could use some polishing, yes.

Dean is an okay speaker, not a great one. There is nothing wrong with his message, but his delivery is somewhat lacking, I think. He has a tendency to stutter and babble on a bit, and he seems to be a bit awkward on stage. He seems nervous to me; he always seems to be holding his chin in and blinking a lot. I think these things could be helped - I've seen him talk business on CNBC, and he did not seem as stiff as last night's debate.

To counter these things, Dean needs to either hire a speech coach and work on his delivery, or possibly convince people that these quirks are either irrelevant or cute (like Bush did in 2000).

Don't get me wrong; I like Dean, and I love what he is bringing to the election process this year. A Democrat delivering a Democratic message. He did well in the debate last night, and handled Lieberman's swipes at him well. The crowd was not on Joe's side.

[OneBlueSky]

19. what the man needs . . .

are shirts that fit . . . he looked like that collar was strangling him . . . seemed about two sizes too small, imo . . .

[uptohere]

20. I thought he "looked" better at debate than I've ever seen but...

...his debating skills are terrible. Someone tell him that you have to, at some point, speak to what you are asked not just what you came there to say.

[Skittles]

21. YEAH BUT HE'S STILL BRILLIANT

COMPARED TO OUR CURRENT DIPSHIT SO-CALLED "PRESIDENT".

[uptohere]

22. he certainly could be

Bush was clearly not captain of his debating team at Yale.

Mr Dean really has improved his public speaking dramatically. He obviously benefits from practice and with 5 more debates scheduled he could wind up very capable indeed. I don't think he'll get as smooth as the long time pols (Gep, Gra, Ker, Kuc even) but he should get plenty good enough to hogtie Bush. If things continue to go well for him of course.

(I think you left your caps lock on. Supposed to be bad form on this site if I read correctly.)

[killbotfactory]

23. He starts off a bit akwardly usually...

Then gets better. Sometimes he thinks faster than his mouth and mangles a sentance.

I think he shines when he's thinking on his feet and not repeating his stump speech applause lines, because he comes across as genuine in those moments.