Doesn't Bush speak poorly on purpose ? To bond with less-educated voters ?

[steve2470]

I have read that theory before. He must know how to speak better, because he had to learn something at those schools he went to. Besides, his first press conference after the 2004 election, he actually sounded like he had a brain (albeit an evil one).

[rfranklin]

1. If you compare clips from fifteen years ago and now...

He has definitely "dumbed down." He also affected that cowboy drawl, which he didn't have back then. He probably is so inarticulate because he's sweating over remembering the talking points and trying not to really say anything of substance.

[steve2470]

2. very good points, thanks ! nt

[lonestarnot]

3. Cute puppy and kitty.

[LuPeRcALiO]

4. the y'all drawl is also code for who knows what nefarious subtexts

but I can guess a couple of them.

[DrDebug]

5. Effect of long term alcohol abuse

Add to that anti-depressants and other stuff and you have Bush's speeches.

[newscott]

6. I'm pretty sure that as you get older

after having abused as many drugs as he did, you're speech will naturally get worse. Some folks who have fought the demon alcohol a long time still sound drunk even though they haven't had a drink in years.

In addition he's under a lot of stress when he makes public appearances so that probably plays a role. Most people say he is much better one on one.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. Too much Drugs and Booze, burnt out his prehensile brain?

Those "Good" schools were pay your fee get your c schools!

[LWolf]

8. I think Bush speaks

like a stereotypical adhd possible dyslexic. I don't think he was ever a star student, and if he'd been a working class boy he never would have made it into those schools, let alone out of them. I think he cultivates anti-intellectualism because of his limited intellectual capacity; if you can't do it, devalue it. Build a false sense of pride in dumbness across the land, and then capitalize on it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. I agree

He definitely has some learning disabilities.

[BlueIris]

9. He screws up in public because he's got a mic in his ear.

It's sometimes hard for him to properly pronounce everything Karl is whispering to him through the tiny, garbled communication's device.

[asjr]

11. Exactly! He can be programmed and was from the

time he was "chosen" to be president. The Repubs knew he could be manipulated. I felt before he was installed that he is a puppet and still do. Pinocchio should never have become president.

[rooboy]

10. You are absolutely correct, and it's a political technique.

You wouldn't be familiar with him, but my state in Australia was run by a guy called Joh Bjelke-Petersen for about 18 years, from about 1970 to the late 80's. The similarities between Dim Son and "Sir Joh" are stunning to me, from the way they speak to their nutty right-wing views and contempt for civil liberties. A special inquiry into corruption ended up indicting and jailing most of his former cabinet, including the police minister, the health minister and the police commissioner.

Joh's success was put down to a guy called Allen Callaghan (Joh's 'Karl Rove'), who literally told him to stop using full sentences and just talk gibberish. Whenever he was challenged, Joh would just accuse the journalist of being a communist. The average person would say that Joh was down-to-earth and spoke to their brand of conservatism.

[amber dog democrat]

15. I like the indictments and jail sentences....

I think its possibly a quite similar situation I honestly do think our chimp has an inferrior intellect, no moral integrity and his criminal impulses are just kept in check.
Yet he has led us into an unnecessary war that has claimed tens or tens of thousands of innocent victims.

For the jingoistic and reactionary rightwing demophobes that support him, the myth of the Chimp as a great leader goes unchallenged. If we have dinosaurs that still defend Nixon, ( who in light of the Chimp does not look half bad today ), I do not doubt there are millions in this country who will go to their graves defending him too - even when he acts against their best interests.

[Jamison]

13. I don't know, but I can't stand it.

It's like the "dumbing down" of the Presidency.

I liked the way Kerry speaks...very eloquent at times.

What's most embarassing is that people from other nations notice this and make comments such as "Why do you people have such an unrefined hillbilly leading your nation?"

[GCP]

14. I think he's brain damaged

When he's reading a speech it's like English is his second language, and he speaks as if he's got a mouth full of mush. It's the years of alcohol that's finally caught up with him.
If it weren't for the fanatical loyalty and secrecy of those in charge at the WH, the story would be out by now.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. There is NO loyalty to idiot son

The loyalty is to those who pull his strings. And the loyalty is more akin to being a 'made man' in a crime family. Omerta loyalty.

Bsh is NOT in charge. He's the front man.

[oasis]

16. Bush is a simpleton. Who could act that dumb for such an extended period?

The only smarts he has shown so far, was to get Karen Hughes and Karl Rove to do his thinking for him.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. He didn't pick Rove. Rove picked him.

Rove chose idiot son because he was the perfect puppet with the perfect pedigree and the perfect name.

It wasn't the other way around.

[atommom]

19. As many smart people here have pointed out,

he makes his worst speech errors when he's trying to pretend he cares. He's much more articulate when he speaks about his enemies and how they need to be crushed. When he tries to say nice things, though, he just can't make them come out right.

I do think he's deteriorated quite a bit in the last few years.

[kentuck]

20. He understands where 40% of his support comes from...

and I think much of it is on purpose. Master manipulator.

[Nikia]

21. Some of the people at my plant liked how he speaks

I really couldn't believe that even the first time I heard one say "Bush is a good speaker." I always thought that he was an awful speaker. Clinton was a good speaker. Reagan was a good speaker. Regardless of Bush's words, he is emotionally flat when he talks. Regardless of one's preferred vocabulary and grammar structure, it is hard to believe that people would consider him a good speaker since he lacks emotion.