Obama "stunningly impressive" in off-the-record session with bloggers

[maximusveritas]

Obama is currently my favorite candidate, but I've been frustrated with the fact that Obama has not been able to translate his amazing ability in smaller settings to larger settings like the debates.

While he has improved with each debate, he still seems a bit hesitant on the stage, frequently inserting "um"s and "ah"s into his answers. I don't know if he's just nervous or what, but it has prevented him from really scoring well with his audience. He still has a lot of time to improve, so hopefully the campaign will work on getting him to loosen up.

In any case, here is the latest evidence of this phenomenon. Matthew Yglesias had this to say after Obama met with 14 bloggers in an off-the record session before the debate:

http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/08/the_secret_obama.php
I'm struggling with how to express the fact that Barack Obama was stunningly impressive in . . . a secret off-the-record session with a few bloggers that I can't really talk about since it was off-the-record. It was, to me, much more compelling than what he offered at the debate on the record.

Another blogger, Brian Beutler, confirmed Matthew's impression of the session:

http://beutler.typepad.com/home/2007/08/more-obama.html
It's unfortunate that the earlier session was off the record because he was really--remarkably, even--compelling on two or three issues. Ah well. He's the one who set the ground rules.

If it was as good as they say it was, maybe the Obama campaign will agree to let them talk about it a little bit more.

[JDPriestly]

1. He is great and has incredible potential, but he is not ready

to defeat a Republican candidate. This is not yet his time.

[Dawgs]

10. Why, because he's not your candidate?

What a stupid thing for anyone to say.

If you don't have faith that Obama can beat someone like Giuliani, then I know you are either not paying attention or you bought into the media hype that 'he's not ready'.

Again, Abraham Lincoln wasn't ready either.

[Pushed To The Left]

20. Actually, he does quite well in these head-to-head polls:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/national.html

[bigdarryl]

23. Hes not getting another shot after this and hears why

If another democrat other than Obama wins that means that person will be in office for eight years. after that eight years the Vice President who ever that is(and I don't think its going to be him) will automatically get the nomination. After eight years of a democrat President more than likely a republican will win. I see no other chance Obama has to be president.

[maximusveritas]

24. I think you're right; That's why he decided to run now

He knew he probably wouldn't get another chance if he waited.
I do think he could be VP if he doesn't win, especially if Hillary wins since doesn't have many other good options. Only if Edwards won would Obama probably not get the VP slot.

[WCGreen]

2. Well that's really good...

Off the record and he is stunningly impressive...

Off the record...

Why are you even bothering to bring this up...

So we can see how cool Matthew

So BO is off the record and shares this with a gaga blogger and so that guy will gush because he was privy to some really neat stuff that is, for what ever reason, verboten to the rest of us...

What a bunch of crap...

[maximusveritas]

3. You didn't have to read it

The title of the post made it clear what this was about. If you don't think it's important, don't read it.

[WCGreen]

6. I didn't...

I just read the snippet that you posted and it just smacked of High School and the cool kids...

[Dawgs]

11. To the OP, Thanks for posting.

Some obviously can't deal with someone else saying something nice about a Democratic candidate; unless it's the one they support.

[WCGreen]

13. How do you know who I support....

Maybe you could use prescient power to tell us who is going to win the lottery...

[Dawgs]

21. I know you don't support Obama.

Anyone that has a problem with someone posting something like this obviously doesn't like Obama. I never said that I know who you support.

[ben_meyers]

4. Great, and Nixon had a secret plan to end the war too! n/t

[WCGreen]

5. Yep....

But he could only tell a few select people...

[jefferson_dem]

8. Oh please. There's really no need to project paranoid conspiracies into this one.

It's just a couple bloggers expressing their general impressions about Obama as a candidate.

[Dawgs]

12. Oh, grow up already.

And you accuse others of acting like school kids.

[WCGreen]

15. Look the reports of an "off the record" report from a guy

who supposedly had this great audience with BO...

I should give credence to that...

I'm being realisist by refusing to gush about some "off the record" comment...

[maximusveritas]

9. What a wonderfully illogical comparison

First of all, you too can be in on Obama's "secret". All you have to do is go to one of his events. If you can't do that, there are plenty of videos on his site and YouTube that can give you a good approximation.

Secondly (perhaps off topic), Nixon never claimed to have a "secret plan" to end the war as far as I know. Even if he did, that's hardly analogous to this situation where a couple of individuals are saying that they thought Obama was more impressive in their small session.

[ben_meyers]

22. Not everybody is going to go to his events,

It's physically impossible to have enough people hear him in person to get elected. He had better learn to "talk in bites" and communicate or he'll end up like Walter Mondale. When asked a question by a reporter or a citizen Walter was known for telling people that he had already addressed that issue and to go read his position paper on that. Mondale carried 1 state in '84.

[MasonJar]

7. Obama is a great speaker. I have had the privilege to hear him in person

twice and he is mesmerizingly oratorial.

[illinoisprogressive]

17. You are right. I was at the springfield announcement and wow.

[venable]

19. i like him in some ways (not all) but I think he is not a great speaker. sorry.

and I'm not alone in that opinion.

I think he is a refined thinker, on certain issues, but he is not a great communicator, especially off-the-cuff. some will disagree with me, but I've heard quite a few others say the same.

and, to nitpick, 'mesmerizingly oratorial' doesn't make any sense.

He has mesmerizing oratory, or his oratorical skills are mesmerizing - these would work.

[Cameron27]

14. Thanks for posting !

[illinoisprogressive]

16. He is not a sound bite speaker. he is hampered by so many in the debates

If the debates were down to fewer participants then, he would be the same as in the blog forum.
He was very good debating his gop rival for the senate. I think when people start dropping out and it becomes smaller he will be much stronger. He is not a sound bite person. today, when arguing his point on lobbyists he was not on a clock and had to do the sound bite so he came across more forceful.

[maximusveritas]

25. Good point

I think when your nature is to take your time to reason through an answer, the pressure of having to give a soundbite in less than a minute can be difficult to overcome.
Still, not to second guess the campaign, but this seems like something that could be improved on significantly with more debate prep. The good news is that hardly anyone is paying attention at this point, so he has plenty of time to make those improvements.

[illinoisprogressive]

18. Judging from your past comments WC, I'd say you are a hillarybot

[Adelante]

26. I don't quite get it

Where's the sense in having an off the record meeting with bloggers? What am I missing?