Both Pelosi and reid were bOOORING.

[saracat]

Nancy needs to stop obviously reading the teleprompter and Reid reminded me of Daschle, and we know what happened to him. Sigh.

[genius]

1. They should have let Barbara speak. She's the real leader.

[Redleg]

2. Yeah- they are not nearly as exciting as Bush.

EOM

[saracat]

3. Actually, he DID do better than they did, but he had all the

props, like wildly applauding paid audience members waving inked fingers!

[bigwillq]

4. I agree, they were both kind of dull but

I liked both of their messages.

[bobweaver]

5. What they said would have made good columns, but were poorly delivered

[Dickie Flatt]

6. Agreed

Reid is an improvement on Daschle, but that's not saying much. Why do we always have to parade the soft-spoken and freakish looking Congressional leaders in front of the camera? Can't we choose the best speaker from each house and blow everyone away?

[saracat]

7. I was thinking the same thing.Why don't we have good orators for leaders?

[Dickie Flatt]

9. The congressional leaders should lead not speak

We should choose our Congressional leaders based on their ability to work the rules of the House and Senate to the Democrats' advantage and their ability to keep Congressional Democrats in line. If the best man or woman for the job is not a great speaker, so be it.

But just because they are our Congressional leaders, that doesn't mean we need to have them deliver the SotU response. Let them play politics in the Capitol and let our best orators deliver the Democratic message to America.

[saracat]

10. Good point.

I don't know why the leaders always must give the rebuttal.I thought they delegated the rebuttal occasionally to a governor or someone.

[KnowerOfLogic]

21. Sometimes you have to speak to lead. nt

[moodforaday]

8. Here's a few tips

...to Democrats delivering their teleprompted speeches:

Do away with those feel-good stories. Clinton was from Hope, Reid is from Searchlight, every single one of them has to have some lame story like this. These stories are dull and put people to sleep.

For God's sake, don't SMILE when you criticize the president! It makes you look insincere and it takes away from the weight of your arguments. You're basically sending the message that any disagreements you have are really minor and no big deal.

Pelosi - Don't grit your teeth when you speak and stop making this horrible effort to keep your eyed wide open throughout your speech. It makes you look robotic. You're allowed to blink. Imagine that.

Stop playing into the hands of the Republican noise machine. Stop using the neocon newspeak. Never ever say "war on terror", unless you put quotes around it or use a qualifier. Say "the president's war on terror", say "the so-called war on terror". At least, if you believe this should be your message. If you don't, you're as responsible for every single dead, maimed, unjustly imprisoned and tortuerd person, American or Iraqi, as the republicans are.

Larry King has senator Frist right after the Dems. Frist was speaking off the cuff. He was spinning and lying through his teeth, but he appeared earnest and engaging. Reid and Pelosi where not just boring, they looked bored themselves.

[amjucsc]

12. YES!

I half went to sleep within ten seconds of Reid opening his mouth. I suspect a few million other people changed the channel. Reid should have gone straight into why social security reform is a bad idea (and even when he got around to that he wa less than great.) <sigh>

[KissMeKate]

11. they spoke policy

bush spoke sound bite

[amjucsc]

13. The Dems need better speech writers...

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Stand and Fight]

16. Oh hogwash!

You say hate and disruption, and I say get your head out of your nether regions. Wake up! Pelosi and Reid laid out the realities of Bush's disastrous plans for domestic and foreign policy. There was no hate or disruption in their speeches -- just honesty that people like you don't like to hear. The hard reality is that your President is tearing down a great social institution through reckless action. The hatred and disruption is coming from your Republican party and your very "compassionate conservative" President. He is the one who spent a good portion gay bashing on national television -- not Senator Harry Reid or Representative Nancy Pelosi. Get a clue!

[Stand and Fight]

15. ADHD

That is one of the problems with people -- they would rather be "entertained" than informed. The content of Reid and Pelosi's messages were more informative than anything that idiotic chimp had to say. Yes, they told the "feel good stories" and "read from a TelePrompter," but their message was on point without looking too obviously partisan. I think they could have been more combative, but I am not looking to be entertained, but assured and informed that my representatives in Congress are doing their jobs, fulfilling their oaths of office. They did a heck of a lot better job than those sitting on their duffs bitching and moaning... Fight the Republicans and tear them down -- not our own.

[losingit]

18. The Problem Is You. Stand and Fight.

You and the Base of Our party is now being laughed at. I know that this will be a view that makes me a freep but it is true.

I am not as much left as most on DU. but I see that the right gains everytime we move to the left.

I think most of America is truely in the agreement with social liberalism. I think most also are conservative financially.

Hate is not the answer truth is.

[pdurod1]

17. I thought Bush was kinda boring

Reid connected with me. I liked the Dems moaning UHHHuuuhhh when Bush went on his bullet points. He momentarily actually had the deer in the headlights look similarily when Kerry handed him his ass during the debates.

And I think Edwards "slayed the dragon" during the VP debates.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. It's all part of the BIG PLAN.

Hush now.

[KnowerOfLogic]

20. Agree. They were both semi-OK on substance, but the Mr. Rodgers style

just doesn't do the job.

[WesClarkRocks]

22. Harry Reid makes

Tom Daschle look charismatic.