The American Spectator

Reader Mail

All Power to the Palin

9.26.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 5)

Years ago in college, I had a course (can't remember the name) where the professor was particularly particular about presentations. While it was an engineering course, the professor insisted we present our results in a briefing format before the entire class.

After the first round of presentations, the professor gave us all a failing grade. Confused, we asked why and he let us know that he graded each of us on the number of "uhs" and "ahs" produced during the presentations. Basically, he started each of us off with 100% and then started subtracting. I won't reveal my depressing score on this first presentation; too damn close to negative territory.

His advice to "fix" the problem was interesting and very difficult to implement: just shut up. He told us that using these filler noises made it sound stupid, so rather than "ah" our way past a sticky point, just be silent. It was, by far, the most difficult thing I have ever learned.

Today, I find myself cringing every time I have to listen to a briefing or presentation with "ah" and "uh" cluster-bombing throughout. It can take a generally good briefing and send it completely down the hole. I've seen it so bad that it affects decision makers. Why support a project or recommendation that "sounds stupid" because it appears the presenter isn't even comfortable with what's presented?

There's nothing much left to say about a presidential candidate who also cluster-bombs "ahs" and "uhs." He hasn't learned to be silent so he's stuck on sounding stupid.
-- Karl F. Auerbach
Eden, Utah

Excellent article...apropos the Kennedys, I remember my grandfather saying years ago that he would feel a lot better about the Kennedy's naked political ambition if just ONE of them had run for county sheriff somewhere along the line instead of going straight for the top jobs in the country...seems like he was prescient in that respect.
-- Robbins Mitchell
Houston, Texas

I loved this observation which calls the entire concept of a "free press" into question.

For a number of years I have followed the American military concept of Information Warfare and its constituent parts, one of which is called Perception Management. (Crudely put elsewhere this is referred to as "Spin".) The idea is to use all means of information to convince people you are right and your opponent is wrong.

Over these years I have come up with four simple but effective rules for Perception Management:

1. Never let the other guy swing first.

If you let your opponent pick the topics and start out with even a blatant lie, you wind up playing catch-up ball and if he crafted his approach well you may never get public trust or support for your point, even if you are correct and honest. This is obvious when you get some of the really egregious claims in the media (such as anything in the New York Times) and do not get them quashed fast enough. Right now the Daily Kosites are pushing the hoary old "Keating Five" things which are a typical dodge to get suspicion off the guilty.

2. When something goes wrong. be the first to take advantage of it.

This has been all too obvious lately when McCain says something which is not far wrong but "indignant" reporters and Obama take it up first and declare he is "out of touch with America." His comments on the economy basically being sound but being made to seem like he has a "nothing to see here, folks" attitude are a good example of how this works, as it makes him look like a doddering fool even though the claimants are playing very loose with the facts.

3. Find a good "Buzz Word" and use it until it becomes part of the general lexicon of the day.

Most objective thinking people know that Socialism has not worked and will never work, so instead of using the term "Socialism we can believe in" which is a non-starter the concept morphs to "Change we can believe in" and is run out every chance they get, until Obama "owns" the word change and any other attempts to use the word are virtually meaningless.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Sarah Palin, Hank Paulson, Business, Social Security, Medicaid, Islam, Hollywood, Constitution, Law, Military, Socialism, Conservatism, Medicare