Palin

[Bonny]

And I thought the content of the speech more important than whether you can memorize it!

Putting your skills aside - did you know Reagan was a masterful user of the teleprompter?

George W. Bush preferred large print note cards...

(guess those guys were as good at memorization)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...59-503544.html

But what I don't get is why does anyone care which tool a person uses - notes or teleprompter? That is like caring whether a person uses a cell phone or a landline...a convection oven or a regular oven...a digital clock or an analog clock. It is just a matter of which tool a person prefers. Wierd.

Nah! Not WEIRD! Just fussy! Some people like the real thing the up front truth from the heart type of thing. There is that monotone voice when a teleprompter is used. Look at Adolph ( bad example I know) but he almost conquered the world with his enthusiastic speeches.

[Grace]

I always felt Reagan was speaking from his heart - and never knew until now that he used a teleprompter. Did I miss the monotone

I agree with ES - doesn't matter one whit what means one needs/uses to get the point across - as long as they can communicate.

[Bonny]

Ronald was formerly an actor & had learned elocution.

[Grace]

Ronald was formerly an actor & had learned elocution.

Then what about Clinton. He wasn't an actor, and he had an Arkansas accent. Not sure about the teleprompter. He definitely spoke from the heart - remember Oklahoma City?

Some people are simply better at speaking in public than others.

Those that listened to the first Nixon-Kennedy debate, on the radio, said Nixon was the winner. Those who watched on TV stated the opposite.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Then what about Clinton. He wasn't an actor, and he had an Arkansas accent. Not sure about the teleprompter. He definitely spoke from the heart - remember Oklahoma City?

Clinton did use a teleprompter - particularly for "big" speeches like State of the Union. He was also comfortable just using notes.

[Grace]

Speech writers - Reagan had one who was fantastic - Peggy Noonan. She wrote the short piece he did after the Challenger exploded - with input from him, of course.

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God."

The entire piece is here.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Nah! Not WEIRD! Just fussy! Some people like the real thing the up front truth from the heart type of thing. There is that monotone voice when a teleprompter is used. Look at Adolph ( bad example I know) but he almost conquered the world with his enthusiastic speeches.

A few points...

- I feel confident Adolph did not use a teleprompter! Nor did he almost conquer the world...Europe is not the world.

- When the President is giving the State of the Union Address - I'm not looking for what is in his heart.

- There can be just as much "heart" in a speech that has been written in advance as in a spontaneous speech. There is much "heart" in the Gettysburg address - even though Lincoln wrote it in advance and read it from his notes. There was "heart" in Reagan's speech about "tear down this wall!" which was written and re-written a number of times before he gave it.

- And...I don't want a President who has time to memorize a speech. There are far, far better uses of time.

I am just fussy that way.

[Edwina's Secretary]

In fact...Ronald Reagan did not write the "tear down this wall" speech let alone deliver it "from the heart." Here is the story...

http://www.historynet.com/president-...-this-wall.htm

It certainly represented Reagan's views and beliefs - but not his words.

Presidents - all of them in this day and age - use speech writers to some extent. A good speech writer writes a speech that sounds like the president thinks.

Speeches are theater - that's one reason Reagan was so good. Not many people can ad lib a speech without sounding like they are ad libbing. And think of the potential "foot in mouth" that could set off a war some place if the President of the US did??

Press conferences are when presidents speak "off the cuff" - usually after giving some prepared statements.

[Bonny]

A few points...

- I feel confident Adolph did not use a teleprompter! Nor did he almost conquer the world...Europe is not the world.

- When the President is giving the State of the Union Address - I'm not looking for what is in his heart.

- There can be just as much "heart" in a speech that has been written in advance as in a spontaneous speech. There is much "heart" in the Gettysburg address - even though Lincoln wrote it in advance and read it from his notes. There was "heart" in Reagan's speech about "tear down this wall!" which was written and re-written a number of times before he gave it.

- And...I don't want a President who has time to memorize a speech. There are far, far better uses of time.

I am just fussy that way.

I personally would like to be able to stay awake & not fall asleep during the presidents speech.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I personally would like to be able to stay awake & not fall asleep during the presidents speech.

What does that have to do with whether the speaker uses notes or a teleprompter? That is what I don't get.

But if you have trouble staying awake - a cup of coffee perhaps?

[Bonny]

What does that have to do with whether the speaker uses notes or a teleprompter? That is what I don't get.

But if you have trouble staying awake - a cup of coffee perhaps?

Well, it does make a difference if the speaker is just sitting there reading in a monotone voice it puts me to sleep. Maybe moving their hands in expression or some head movement would help. They can't even show any facial expression or the press would have a field day with that, maybe big WW III would break out.

Debates now those are more interesting. With the Nixon-Kennedy debate there was action there, there weren't any teleprompters. I guess it depended on the issues at the time & what people were thinking to call a winner. To me both candidates were winners they got up there & debated the issues.

To late in the day for coffee, besides I would up all night running to the bathroom.

[Grace]

I find it helps if I don't watch - just listen. Pretend you're listening to the radio. Then you have to pay attention to what is being said - not the way anyone looks.

Of course, I was used to listening to the radio when I was a kid - there were no TVs for quite a few years. So I had to pay attention to what was being spoken.

[Marigold2]

Such a good idea.
Also anyone can say anything. I like to look at a person's record how they have served their country before the thought of big political thoughts entered their mind.
When one looks to the Kennedy family almost all are in public service and they have truly helped their fellow man.
Ted Kennedy was a rotten husband for a great deal of his life but he was also a man who cared deeply about his fellow men and managed to make peoples lives better.
Bill Clinton also helps his fellow man with charity work as does Jimmy Carter and now Bush senior who has befriended Clinton.
We admire people who put their own wants and needs aside to help others as Abe Lincoln did.
Great people such as Florence Nightingale who helped the wounded soldiers, think of the hell it must have been in those days for those poor men and the people who tired to help.
So many good and decent people have risked their lives to make this world a better place.
Anyone with money can have someone write them a speech, but how many go out amoung the people and truly work to make their lives better?
I don't think Bristol or Sarah have yet proved to be those people.
Right now I think they are working for the almighty dollar.

I find it helps if I don't watch - just listen. Pretend you're listening to the radio. Then you have to pay attention to what is being said - not the way anyone looks.

Of course, I was used to listening to the radio when I was a kid - there were no TVs for quite a few years. So I had to pay attention to what was being spoken.