Former Vice President Walter Mondale tells Obama it's time to lose the teleprompters

[n2doc]

By DAVID GARDNER
Last updated at 8:24 AM on 6th October 2010


He may be famous for his oratory skills.
But President Obama should loosen up a little and veer off script when he is addressing the American people, according to former Vice President Walter Mondale.
The Democrat VP under Jimmy Carter, who is now 82, criticised Mr Obama for relying too much on ‘idiot boards.’

He claimed the president risks losing touch and failing to 'connect' with his audience because he prefers to use teleprompters during his speeches.
‘I think he’s very bright, as a matter of fact, brilliant. And I think he tends to use these idiot boards to read speeches on television and I think he loses the connection that he needs emotionally with American voters,’ Mr Mondale told CNN.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318003/Walter-Mondale-tells-Barack-Obama-lose-idiot-board-teleprompters.html

[asjr]

1. I see senility has set in on Mr. Mondale.

[Odin2005]

8. I thought the same thing!

Poor Walter. :(

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Cave in to every stupid rightwing phony bullshit non-issue

Cave!

It is what we do best.

I am sure that after Obama goes to palin-palm-notes the attacks will cease.

p.s. this is old non-news.

[PCIntern]

3. Senator Tact: "I'm gonna raise your taxes." at the 1984 debate...

we all need advice from someone who, although he probably didn't have a chance against Reagan, threw whatever chance he had in a 99 yard Hail Mary pass into 6 defenders.

Don't get me wrong...I like his politics, WTF is he doing NOW to pollute the atmosphere for Dems? We have enough problems from the Right...

[Odin2005]

9. My guess I that he was trying to be clever and paint Reagan as the liar he was.

I wasn't there, I was born a year and a half after that election, but that is my speculation, being brutally honest and mixing it up with a slam on Reagan WAS his Hail Mary pass.

[spanone]

4. now there's some constructive criticism ....not

what the fuck does that have to do with anything

[KatyMan]

5. what professional speech-giver

does not use a teleprompter? What president hasn't, since the invention of the thing? This is the stupidest meme the right has come up with, I think. Well, one of many maybe :)

[CBR]

6. Mondale is just the person I would be taking advice from...

:eyes:

[nevergiveup]

7. Hell, I am using a teleprompter just to type my response

to this post. :)

[lunatica]

10. Obama would do just as well without the telepromters or maybe better

We've all seen him take on the Republicans and the Democrats without anything more than his innate skills. Mondale might actually be right. Obama sure made me laugh with his remarks after the Presidential seal fell off the podium. That takes wit and skill and timing. I have a lot of respect for someone who can make me laugh without planning it ahead of time.

[KharmaTrain]

11. You Can't Just Wing It In A Major Policy Speech

The President relies on experts and speechwriters to put into words very important matters. While he probably reads through and edits where needed, getting up and delivering it with strength, clarity and conviction aren't things you can do from rote. Whatif he messes up a statistic or forgets a key point? The corporate media would be more ruthless than they already are.

I'll bet if we go to the videotape we'll find VP Mondale using prompters at important times as well. The President leads a schedule that would crush most of us...having the time to practice speeches is a luxuary he and we cannot afford.

I do like when he goes impromptu in his town halls and campaign appearances, but that's his part-time job. This teleprompter crap is more right wing claptrap that sadly VP Mondale bought into.

[MilesColtrane]

12. Obama - first black man to be elected President

Mondale - ran on tax hikes and was subsequently crushed in the general election in what was the worst electoral vote count in the history of Democratic presidential campaigns

Now who's got more political accumen?

Hmmm....

[UTUSN]

13. Note to Fritz: Those who WIN give advice to those who LOSE, not vice versa.

Sounds cruel, don't it. Well, I have managed to gin up my ENTHUSIASTIC support for every Dem nominee despite whoever else I preferred in the primaries, but the bottom line in our system is that it don't matter how smart, noble, and better a candidate is if the candidate DOESN'T WIN. Only the one who WINS gets a shot at working at our agenda. The loser does NOTHING.

Sorry, but once the election or the coup is over, my ties to that person who LOST are as to a historical figure, and no second chances.

[subterranean]

14. Because Walter Mondale was so good at connecting emotionally with voters.

Yeah, the President should just memorize all his speeches. I'm sure he has plenty of time for that. It would probably help if he would crack a few impromptu jokes or shed a few tears during his speeches, too. And give all the reporters cute nicknames! :sarcasm:

[Lasher]

15. Every president since Ike has used them.

Junior, not so much because he felt more comfortable with index cards. Just couldn't get the hang of new fangled gadgets like teleprompters and the internets and such.