Can I ask a serious question?

[politicasista]

It has to do with Kerry's speaking. I was at a hair salon (the day after the debate). This lady had brought up Kerry and she complained that he didn't connect with voters or inspire them like Edwards or someone else would have. I know some people think Kerry "talks at" people rather than talking "to" them. Can you help understand? That thread in GDP is ugly.

[JI7]

1. the day after the debates

Kerry gained support . he was far behind BUsh in the polls before. but his numbers went up after the debates. the same was true of other times when people got to see him for themselves.

of course not everyone is going to like him as is the case with everyone else.

[Mass]

2. Concerning the thread in GDP, this is mainly the fact of people

who do not like Kerry generally speaking, so dont spend too much time on that.

For the other question, I dont think I have seen anybody who has seen Kerry actually speak say that he does not connect, and it is even more true from people who have spoken to him.

People like or dislike some traits in different people. Personnally, I do not like Edwards. His speech is learned and is always the same. When he speaks without text, he is a lot less good. But, for some reason, some people find his ability to say the same speech again and again a great way to connect.

It all depends what you are waiting from a pol: that he does something for you or that he can say a speech well.

[politicasista]

3. Thanks

Of course, her comments kind of make me angry at times, but I am ok.

[pinkflower21]

4. mass, I agree with you

Don't get me wrong, Edwards is a great person and I think if Kerry had been elected president that Edwards would have gotten a lot more experience being vice-president, but I can tell when Edwards speaks that he has less experience than Kerry just because he does tend to repeat the same speech over and over again. Poverty is very important and I'm glad he is focusing on that but I once saw him give a speech on poverty at a college graduation ceremony on CSPAN. I was wishing he would have talked more to the graduates about what life was going to be like for them going out into the world and all that, maybe touch on poverty, but mainly talk to the graduates. It's only natural that John Kerry would speak better to the people, he has been in the Senate for 20 years, where as Edwards just had one term under his belt. I always find John packs so many more details in his speeches than Edwards does and John covers more of a spectrum of relavent topics.

[karynnj]

5. I agree with you

I was very surprised that I almost couldn't look away when Kerry was speaking at the rallies covered on CSPAN. I was dissapointed with Edwards convention speech. It was similar to the standard speech, but somehow didn't work as well.

I realized why I wasn't completely comfortable with Edwards, oddly enough when I was reading Tour of Duty. When I read the few pages on Kerry's career as a lawyer it struck me, that as he also had an enormous ability to win over a jury, he could have had a career similar to Edwards'. The fact that Kerry felt unsatisfied earning a lot of money doing liability suits and preferred being a public servant, made me more impressed with Kerry. I realize that Edwards did not have Kerry's priviledged background, but if he had as deep a need to serve the country wouldn't he have run for some office earlier than when he ran for Senate. Then after less than 4 years as a Senator, he started his Presidental run.

Also, some of the stories of his trial disturbed me. If I were on the jury where he channeled the voice of a baby who died in labor complications, I would have a hard time forcing myself to give him a victory if the facts warranted it. (The NYT had profiles of the primary candidates.) But I'm a NYC area person who grew up near Chicago - sarcasmcomes naturally.

[ray of light]

7. who cares how he speaks

he's HOT, HOT, HOT. (lol)

But then again, so is Kerry! Maybe the campaign should have marketted them as sex gods...

[jillan]

8. The media did - they were the "good hair" guys..

or something like that!

[ray of light]

6. I take that as the pundant's talking points. then people start thinking

well, yeh...i didn't understand policy so I agree he must have lacked something...

[jillan]

9. What I'll never understand when people say that about Kerry

Is look at the way * speaks! I just want to scream when I have to listen to um um um um him. Umm, umm, do you, umm, umm, know what I, um , mean???

But yet "they say" that * connects with people!

[TheDonkey]

10. No, I don't agree with that at all but he can be over eloquent with his

words and that makes it difficult to create soundbytes or short mottos and what not. It's a problem that he tried to work on throughout the campaign and during the debates did an excellent job of simplifying his message with out making it an idiotic ramble like bush does.

I like how Kerry talks to voters like they are intellegent people and not babies who can't be trusted with complex issues.