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I wrote today about Obama’s bubble. Not the bubble of the presidency, but the bubble of adoration that follows him everywhere he goes. Charlie wrote a few weeks ago about how his audiences laugh at everything he says, even if its not particularly funny. Here’s an example from earlier in the month of an Obama riff about Romney and taxes during a speech in San Francisco:
“So a few weeks ago, you can start seeing he’s figuring out, well, this isn’t maybe selling that well. (Laughter.) And then, a few nights ago — (laughter) — suddenly a guy pretending to be Mitt Romney stood on a stage next to me — (laughter and applause) — and said he’s changing his plan. He is just going to pretend it doesn’t exist. What $5 trillion tax cut? (Laughter.) I don’t know anything about a $5 trillion tax cut. Don’t pay attention to that tax cut behind the curtain. (Laughter.) During the debate he said, ‘There is no economist who can say Mitt Romney’s tax plan adds $5 trillion to the deficit if I say I will not add to the deficit with my tax plan.’ (Laughter.)”
The president’s most natural form of rhetoric is not soaring inspiration so much as mockery and sarcasm for audiences like this one. You saw this come out last night in his “horses and bayonets” line which would have been greeted rapturously by one of his crowds. But its not particularly presidential and its not so charming for people not already in the president’s camp.
During O's speech the other night, you could tell he was expecting laughter after every sentence. When he didn't get it, he was the one who laughed.
Back about 1962 I was watching Andy Williams (?) doing some stand up thing at a Kennedy family bash that was on TEEVEE. And every sentence, the place rang with laughter. And in 20 minutes, I don't remember his saying anything funny. But they sure laughed. Turned out that is what the Kennedy's did.
I wrote today about Obama’s bubble. Not the bubble of the presidency, but the bubble of adoration that follows him everywhere he goes. Charlie wrote a few weeks ago about how his audiences laugh at everything he says, even if its not particularly funny. Here’s an example from earlier in the month of an Obama riff about Romney and taxes during a speech in San Francisco:
“So a few weeks ago, you can start seeing he’s figuring out, well, this isn’t maybe selling that well. (Laughter.) And then, a few nights ago — (laughter) — suddenly a guy pretending to be Mitt Romney stood on a stage next to me — (laughter and applause) — and said he’s changing his plan. He is just going to pretend it doesn’t exist. What $5 trillion tax cut? (Laughter.) I don’t know anything about a $5 trillion tax cut. Don’t pay attention to that tax cut behind the curtain. (Laughter.) During the debate he said, ‘There is no economist who can say Mitt Romney’s tax plan adds $5 trillion to the deficit if I say I will not add to the deficit with my tax plan.’ (Laughter.)”
The president’s most natural form of rhetoric is not soaring inspiration so much as mockery and sarcasm for audiences like this one. You saw this come out last night in his “horses and bayonets” line which would have been greeted rapturously by one of his crowds. But its not particularly presidential and its not so charming for people not already in the president’s camp.
During O's speech the other night, you could tell he was expecting laughter after every sentence. When he didn't get it, he was the one who laughed.
Back about 1962 I was watching Andy Williams (?) doing some stand up thing at a Kennedy family bash that was on TEEVEE. And every sentence, the place rang with laughter. And in 20 minutes, I don't remember his saying anything funny. But they sure laughed. Turned out that is what the Kennedy's did.
