Thursday, June 17, 2004
(8:13 AM) | Adam Kotsko:
Speaking Strategeries
I'm slowly working my way through the July/August Atlantic Monthly and have arrived at the article by James Fallows about Bush and Kerry's debate styles. I was shocked to learn that Bush was apparently a decent public speaker back during his governor days -- not nearly as awkward as he is now. Casting about for an explanation for the change, Fallows writes:
I have read and listened to speculations that there must be some organic basis for the President's peculiar mode of speech--a learning disability, a reading problem, dyslexia or some other disorder that makes him so uncomfortable speaking off the cuff. The main problem with these theories is that through his forties Bush was perfectly articulate. George Lakoff tried to convince me that the change was intentional. As a way of showing deep-down NASCAR-type manliness, according to Lakoff, Bush has deliberately made himself sound as clipped and tough as John Wayne. Moreover, in Lakoff's view, the authenticity of this stance depends on Bush's consistency in presenting it. So even if he is still capable of speaking with easy eloquence, he can't afford to let the mask slip.Fallows isn't too convinced by this theory, and I personally don't think it's as convincing as the explanation that Bush just became much more uptight and arrogant when he moved onto the national stage.
In any case, I am reminded of a theory that I floated to some CTS students during the California recall election (and again to some friends last night at the lovely Kandice Arwood's abode): there's no way Arnold Schwarzenegger has lived in the US for 40 years and still sincerely has that bad of an accent. On some level, it must be put on, part of the persona he's developed along the way. I mean, he's governor of California, he's married to a native English-speaker -- this is something he should have much more under control by now.
