Public speaking, media training, presentation training, crisis communications
Archive for March, 2009
It’s been 3 days since Obama made his gaffe on Leno and the issue isn’t fading away
Posted by TJ Walker in Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Humor, Media Training, Politics, Professional Speakers on March 22, 2009
Sunday’s CNN program State of the Union with John King devoted an entire segment to analyzing Obama’s “Special Olympics” quip. The sober-minded Thomas Friedman mentions it in his Sunday column too http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/opinion/22friedman.html.
I think the gaffe has now worked its course and will soon disappear. However, I agree with New York Times columnist Frank Rich http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/opinion/22rich.html?em that Obama is getting too far behind the ball when it comes to presidential rhetoric not matching public sentiment. Rich contends that the financial crisis is Obama’s Katrina, and he isn’t giving it serious attention. I concur.
I thought it was a good idea for Obama to go on Leno. Turns out, I was WRONG
Posted by TJ Walker in Debate Central, Government & Politics, Humor, Media Training, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills, Social Speaking on March 20, 2009
Yes, the few million people who saw President Obama on the Tonight Show would judge him to be charming, savvy and likeable. BUT, the hundreds of millions of people who didn’t see the show and only saw news reports of the appearance were greeted with this headline:
“Obama insults the Disabled”
Should President Obama go on Tonight Show?
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics, Media Training, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking Skills on March 18, 2009
Yes, a modern president has to communicate with the American and world community in as many ways as possible. Obama can’t be seen as hiding in the White House. He must sell his economic policies, defend his positions, and get on the right side of growing anti-wall street populism. I disagree with those who feel a seat next to Leno isn’t “Presidential.”Being likeable, accessible, and “real” are not luxuries for a president in time of crisis, they are necessities.
Do I want Obama putting on funny hats and participating in pet trick skits on late night TV? No. But he can certainly have a conversation with Leno and any other host to communicate his priorities to the nation.
Obama Teleprompter blunder
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics, Keynote Speaking, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills on March 18, 2009
No matter how good you are at using the Teleprompter, mistakes are going to happen if you don’t practice. Obama got caught yesterday thanking himself while reading a prompter—he was reading the wrong speech!
http://tinyurl.com/d2f7f6
There is no foolproof –protection against this unless you rehearse each and every speech—something Obama can do for big speeches, but not necessarily the run-of-the mill stuff on a daily basis. This is, in fact, why other presidents didn’t use prompters for ordinary meet-n-greet speaking opportunities at the white House. I’m not ready to suggest that Obama give up the prompter, but a little more rehearsal may come in handy, or switching to a system where only his outline appearances on the prompter screen.
So who won the Jim Cramer versus Jon Stewart Debate on Comedy Central?
Posted by TJ Walker in CEOs/Financial, Crisis Communications, Debate Central, Media Training, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills, Speaking Competition on March 14, 2009
They both did. Cramer “won” by showing up, taking his medicine, and making it harder for Stewart to keep making (justifiable) attacks. In the long run, Cramer didn’t do any further damage to his already shaky image and he probably enjoyed being in a bigger limelight than usual. Since Cramer has been exposed as a hyperbolic conman in the past, his reputation couldn’t be lowered more in the eyes of most investors.
The Comedy Central host, however, was the big winner. Stewart proved to be as funny as David Letterman, as economically insightful as Paul Krugman, as fearless as Ed Murrow, and as consumer-centric as Ralph Nader (the good, early Nader). And Stewart crammed more tough economic and political questioning and reporting into one 15 minute interview than CNBC or even NBC’s Meet the Press does in a month of Sundays.
What is the secret behind Rachel Ray’s Voice and Brian Williams Speech patterns?
Posted by TJ Walker in Fear of Speaking, Great Lectures, Media Training, Presentation Skills Training, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking Skills, Social Speaking, Voice on March 13, 2009
The secret is that Rachel Ray has a terrible voice AND she doesn’t let it bother her. I was watching her show yesterday and I closed my eyes and just listened to her voice. It is scratchy, grating, and unpleasant to my ear. But so what? Rachel Ray makes tens of millions of dollars a year talking, i.e., using her voice, because she says stuff that is interesting to people. As a presentation coach I find that many people are insecure about their voices and waste time worrying about artificially lowering their voices and seeking out voice training. With all due respect to the many fine voice coaches in the world, I think this is a waste of time. If you have interesting things to say and you say it with passion, you too could be the next Rachel Ray, or, speaking of awful voices, Barbara Walters.
***
-
You are currently browsing the archives for March, 2009
Recent Comments