Order a reprint of this =
article=20
now.
Obama, Reagan and =
the Mighty=20
Power of Words
March 3,=20
2008; Page A15
Stephen F. Hayes's "Obama=20
and the Power of Words1" (op-ed, Feb. 26) is a slap =
in the=20
face to voters. It describes the rhetoric of the 2008 campaign as =
if the=20
voting public cannot decide for itself what is achievable and what =
are=20
empty promises.
Further, the author's connection between Barack =
Obama and=20
President Reagan is confusing at best. Yes, Mr. Obama is, and =
Reagan was,=20
an excellent orator. However, using this as a basis of comparison =
is an=20
insult to the intelligence of your audience. Is the point that we =
should=20
not pay attention to the political and philosophical differences =
between=20
the two?
Give the voters some credit and let them decide =
what=20
matters and what doesn't.
Joseph Fritz
Ithaca, =
N.Y.
Mr. Hayes's piece neglects the fact that the =
criticisms=20
against Mr. Obama are not based just on his words but on the lack =
of=20
experience behind those soaring words. Mr. Hayes compares Mr. =
Obama to=20
Reagan, but Reagan had more experience when he ran for president =
than=20
Barack Obama will ever have. The Republicans will not only attack =
Mr.=20
Obama on words but on a lack of experience that would make even =
JFK=20
cringe. Words and experience are the key combination and Reagan =
had both.=20
Mr. Obama does not.
Michael Szeto =
Baltimore
I agree with Mr. Hayes that Barack Obama's =
rhetorical=20
prowess is clearly backed by a genuine intelligence and the kind =
of vision=20
one looks for in a leader. But I would argue that Mr. Obama's =
ability to=20
wield language is itself a sign of his substance.
At the risk of invoking Marshall McLuhan's =
overused phrase=20
about the medium being the message, we must accept that we live in =
a=20
society where image trumps substance to such a degree that it is=20
substance. Mr. Obama's masterful presentation -- not just his =
skill with=20
words, but his demeanor, his attire, his gestural control -- =
displays an=20
intuitive understanding that Americans are inclined to ally =
themselves=20
with an image. And it's clear that given a choice between Hillary=20
Clinton's rather sour, defensive, some might say shrill, image and =
the=20
cool, inspiring, hopeful one presented by Mr. Obama, Americans =
choose the=20
latter.
In short, in the land of the hyper-mediated, the =
smooth=20
talker is king.
Hugh Siegel
New York
See all of today's editorials and op-eds, plus =
video=20
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