Who is too elitist: Kerry or the people who think his speech is too

[Mass]

intellectual?

Once again, I have seen people saying that Kerry's speech today is too intellectual and that he does not connect to ordinary people because he does not speak like them.

I have just finished listening to his speech. First, let me say it was a great speech: one of his best ones, in my opinion.

Let me also say I had no problem understanding what he said. For me, it was perfectly clearly expressed and perfectly understandable, with words that my son could understand. This led me to realize I have never heard somebody say that he did not understand what Kerry said (among those who listened to what he said, I mean). What you see are people who say that the average Joe does not understand.

So I am really beginning to wonder if our liberal movement is not full of elitists who disrespect the ordinary people so much that they do not think they would understand a politician who respects them enough to speak them as adults. The only difficulty for people to understand what Kerry said here was to have access to it. It was only aired on C-SPAN and at a time where the average person was probably busy doing something else.

May be it is time that we (or rather they) stop thinking that they are much more intelligent that the average Joe and that they understand so much better. This is certainly not a sign of respect of the people they pretend to root for).

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. Great observation and one I've had many times before

It ALWAYS pisses me off when people say "well, no one in the heartland can understand what Kerry's saying," as if the "common folk," the "rural Heartland folk" can't understand his speeches.

It is patronizing and belitting to everyone who lives in the middle of this country, as if we are all country bumpkins with pitchforks and fourth-grade level literacy.

You're absolutely correct - the true elitism comes from these snobby "liberals" who patronize people from other parts of the country when they imply that we can't understand anything more complicated than "Bring it on!"

These people no doubt think most Americans are too stupid to understand Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, too - I think it's NICE when our president is a man of eloquence.

[ginnyinWI]

15. yup, nothin out here in the fly-over states,

except us bumpkins, and our cows. :crazy:

And, of course, the University of Wisconsin, which made the front page of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel today because of its outstanding leadership on Stem Cell Research!

:rofl: (and you know that Lincoln was a Mid-Westerner, too!)

[WildEyedLiberal]

18. We're just hayseeds, Ginny

Who needs book-learnin'? We got cows to milk, butter to churn, and chickens to feed!

:rofl:

[ProSense]

2. This is relevant

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1003344&mesg_id=1004911

[jillan]

3. Give me a break!

The problem in this country right now is
the "dummying down".

Everybody wants to keep it simple, people don't like a challenge.

I love Kerry because he makes me think.

It's unfortunate that people have become so closed minded, and that includes
people of our party.

[globalvillage]

4. I absolutely HATE when bush* talks to people

like they're as stupid as he is. I work with a woman who used to talk to me like she was a third grade teacher and I was her student. I finally got sick of it and told her to stop.

I have no problem understanding Sen Kerry, and I don't know anyone else who does either, if they take the time to listen to him.

He should never try to change his speaking style, it's perfect.

[fedupinBushcountry]

8. Agree

and for some on the left to say that if you are only a high school graduate, you fit into the Joe six pack crowd, is plain ridiculous.

I made a comment earlier to someone and this is what I wrote, I hate Bush speak, it is low and demoralizing to anyone's intellect. I'm tired of living in a stupid, one word, one phrase America. That attitude has taken us down a dangerous path, and this mother of 3 and wife of a retired military man, will not let America continue to reign on stupidness and catch phrases, that is not what I want in our leaders, I want the real man, the real words and the real explanations, and if I have to educate people on that, then bring them on.

[ginnyinWI]

16. "I'm the decider!"

That cracks me up every time I hear it. What a gift to all of the leftie radio show hosts--every one of them has it up in their little sound spots. What a dope.

[karynnj]

19. One of the AAR stations shows took "I am the decider"

and made a parody from "I am the walrus" which fit the weirdness of Bush's statement. ("I am the decider, cookoo cachew, cookoo cachew, cookoo")

[ginnyinWI]

21. yeah I heard that! priceless. n/t

[Dr Ron]

5. I'm going to listen to intellectual speeches. . .

while I'm drinking my latte, and I don't care what they say.

[YvonneCa]

7. >>>>>>

:7

[karynnj]

6. What gets me is that it'salmost like supporters of other Democrats

acting in a Rovian way. Kerry at his best is, without a doubt, the most inspiring speaker we have at this point. This really is a Kerry strength - you do remember lines he said. He also does produce sound bites - I've heard any number of news people referring to "outsourcing" war efforts - this is not standard English, it was a clever turn of phrase.

There was no part of Kerry's speech that a high school kid wouldn't understand. I sgree that thye have a very low opinion of the population if they think they can't understand it.

[ginnyinWI]

17. The way I look at it :

He's a very skilled speaker who can reach all levels of people at the same time. He includes the simple, sound-bitey stuff as well as longer sentences with more complex arguments and points. There is plenty of simple, patriotic language that is understood by virtually all Americans. Even if some don't understand every part of it, they can tell by listening that this is a smart man who is sincere and capable of leading. In fact, even with the sound turned off you can see the sincerity--in his expressions and gestures.

I would venture to say that anyone would understand and trust Kerry if they were seeing him for the first time and had no other information to bias them. And that is exactly why the other side had to poison people's minds against him with all of those smears.

[YvonneCa]

9. I want my President to be an intellectual...

...to know more than I do and to speak accordingly. A few groups of voters may have trouble with his vast vocabulary (English learners, for example). But John Kerry should NEVER change the way he speaks. He's at his best when he is himself. That said, if some people don't understand everything he says, so long as he speaks with the passion and conviction of his values...and speaks the truth...people will GET that. I think the main reason people haven't connected is that the media has prevented that from happening. Did you notice the new Osama tape today...JK must have been banging his head against the wall when that happened. (Remember right before the election? He said it's a big reason he lost. I know, I know...he won. :) ) I think it IS true, however, that some people are more knowledgeable than others about complex issues...but that's an EDUCATION issue and that should be the focus and challenge for our party: to educate about issues of importance to people's daily lives and to educate about what our party REALLY stands for, not the Republican spin.:patriot:

[Island Blue]

10. Excellent point Mass.

There is absolutely no reason in the world why the "Average Joe" shouldn't understand Sen. Kerry. I certainly think that most people DO understand him, and if they don't, they either aren't really listening or something has gone horribly, horribly wrong with our educational system and we need to address the problem. You're right, it's quite insulting to say that he's somehow speaking way above people's ability to comprehend, while Bush* who can barely manage to form a complete sentence (on a good day) is just "one of the guys". I think a lot of people's expectations of what a president should sound like have been lowered way too much.

[saltpoint]

11. Love Kerry. Also I love his speeches. All of them. Every damned word.

If someone can't follow this man, I say don't dumb down the speech, elevate the citizenry.

Jefferson wanted an educated citizenry, not a bunch of yahoos storming townhalls with pitchforks and torches demanding a ban on Harry Potter books and voting for clueless snarkgoblins like George W. Bush.

John Kerry really IS the real deal.

[karynnj]

12. Improve your mind, elect Kerry - Could be our slogan

Your point is great - "If someone can't follow this man, I say don't dumb down the speech, elevate the citizenry.

Imagine a President who helps you understand things you didn't connect before, who pushes you to think and to express things with precision. Science would be good again, as would be foreign languages.

I agree Kerry is the real deal - what other politician has friends like Bruce Springstein.

[WildEyedLiberal]

13. "clueless snarkgoblins like Geoge W. Bush"

Best description ever. :rofl:

[kerrygoddess]

14. I love this line...

"If someone can't follow this man, I say don't dumb down the speech, elevate the citizenry."

Love it!

And this line from JK's speech - "Truth is the American bottom line." Love it!

[ProSense]

20. A question

Is it elitist to speak and sound intelligent?

or

Is it elitist to say most Americans down understand someome who sounds intelligent?


Would this make a good poll question in GD? It should be asked straight out, no poll format, so that people can't respond anonymously.

[zann725]

22. I don't find him hard to understand...I find him New England-ish...which

he IS. (Just like the Prez. Bartlett on "West Wing (in an Episode in Season 2) called: "Let Bartlett Be Bartlett"...the intelligent New Englander candidate tries unsucessfully to be as aw-shucks and every-man as his intellectually-weak opponent. By being "untrue" to his strengths, Bartlett ultimately weakens his stance, as well as the resolve of his fellow West Wingers. Ultimately, EACH of his cabinet confrontshim with his need to be "himself"...as each proudly asserts..."I serve at the pleasure of the President"(that they're 100% "behind" who he TRULY is).

Of course, Kerry CAN be "circular" in his analyses at times. But he is MOST in touch with "every man" when he uses that same intelligence to make "light"/jokes of his opponents' embarrassing pitfalls. When he recently did his comic series of "Brownie" comparisons in a speech...the "intelligence" of his analogies not only "hit" EVERY 'mark'...but were clearly understandable AND "touched by "every man" who listened.

In short, "Let Kerry be Kerry"...and in '08 we WILL win!