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Biden's presidency


ewsieg

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23 minutes ago, Archie said:

Ahhh, the but Trump, but Trump crowd that grasps at straws to take the focus off a geriatric demented old man thats supposed to be running this country.

The geriatric old man who was supposed to run the country got defeated and now he spends his days selling red hats and tee shirts and collects donations from a bunch of suckers.  

Edited by Tiger337
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53 minutes ago, smr-nj said:

“She’s very well-spoken”……

Who’ll be the first GOP talking head to preface their remarks about her?

Place your bets

"Well-spoken" is what clueless old white people say when they try to compliment black people they like, e.g., Biden about Obama.

Republicans will come bearing their teeth. She's going to be a socialist communist BLM Antifa social justice warrior pushing the White House's agenda to implement CRT in schools and private workplaces. Or something like that

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8 hours ago, chasfh said:

"Well-spoken" is what clueless old white people say when they try to compliment black people they like, e.g., Biden about Obama.

 

Obama is very well spoken.  Are we never allowed to say that a Black person speaks well even when he does?   It is one of his greatest strengths and it is highlighted by the fact that the last two presidents have been horrible speakers.  

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2 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

Obama is very well spoken.  Are we never allowed to say that a Black person speaks well even when he does?   It is one of his greatest strengths and it is highlighted by the fact that the last two presidents have been horrible speakers.  

This is not some rule I’m coming up with at this moment. To my understanding, black people are very sensitive to white people being patronizing of them, and are annoyed when white people give them compliments that can fairly be considered slight. It suggests a lack of equality between the two, in which the recognition by a “superior” party of a slight accomplishment is the best that can be expected of the “inferior” party.

To say that Obama, who at the very least is one of the great orators of our time, is merely well-spoken or articulate, as though that represents the height of his potential, is to give short shrift to the tremendous accomplishments he has achieved in other areas and all the hard work he put in to get there. It’s not unlike when they used to say that Willie Mays is a great ballplayer because of his uncanny instincts and his great speed. Sure, he had those, but to imply that Willie’s instincts and speed were the sum total of his greatness sets both the floor (the expectation) and the ceiling (the ultimate compliment) too low.

Again, this is my understanding of it, and ironically, I may not have articulated it exactly as it could have been, but I think I’m at least pretty close. I know some people here will harshly disagree. But it makes sense to me.

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54 minutes ago, chasfh said:

This is not some rule I’m coming up with at this moment. To my understanding, black people are very sensitive to white people being patronizing of them, and are annoyed when white people give them compliments that can fairly be considered slight. It suggests a lack of equality between the two, in which the recognition by a “superior” party of a slight accomplishment is the best that can be expected of the “inferior” party.

To say that Obama, who at the very least is one of the great orators of our time, is merely well-spoken or articulate, as though that represents the height of his potential, is to give short shrift to the tremendous accomplishments he has achieved in other areas and all the hard work he put in to get there. It’s not unlike when they used to say that Willie Mays is a great ballplayer because of his uncanny instincts and his great speed. Sure, he had those, but to imply that Willie’s instincts and speed were the sum total of his greatness sets both the floor (the expectation) and the ceiling (the ultimate compliment) too low.

Again, this is my understanding of it, and ironically, I may not have articulated it exactly as it could have been, but I think I’m at least pretty close. I know some people here will harshly disagree. But it makes sense to me.

I just avoid being complimentary toward people. I've found it works well. 

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5 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

Obama is very well spoken.  Are we never allowed to say that a Black person speaks well even when he does?   It is one of his greatest strengths and it is highlighted by the fact that the last two presidents have been horrible speakers.  

"well-spoken" has become kind of code-word phraseology though. There are other ways to express it. I think one could say his erudition is off the charts and it wouldn't have the baggage.

Edited by gehringer_2
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5 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

Obama is very well spoken.  Are we never allowed to say that a Black person speaks well even when he does?   It is one of his greatest strengths and it is highlighted by the fact that the last two presidents have been horrible speakers.  

Code phrase: Articulates well. 

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1 hour ago, chasfh said:

This is not some rule I’m coming up with at this moment. To my understanding, black people are very sensitive to white people being patronizing of them, and are annoyed when white people give them compliments that can fairly be considered slight. It suggests a lack of equality between the two, in which the recognition by a “superior” party of a slight accomplishment is the best that can be expected of the “inferior” party.

To say that Obama, who at the very least is one of the great orators of our time, is merely well-spoken or articulate, as though that represents the height of his potential, is to give short shrift to the tremendous accomplishments he has achieved in other areas and all the hard work he put in to get there. It’s not unlike when they used to say that Willie Mays is a great ballplayer because of his uncanny instincts and his great speed. Sure, he had those, but to imply that Willie’s instincts and speed were the sum total of his greatness sets both the floor (the expectation) and the ceiling (the ultimate compliment) too low.

Again, this is my understanding of it, and ironically, I may not have articulated it exactly as it could have been, but I think I’m at least pretty close. I know some people here will harshly disagree. But it makes sense to me.

I understand you are not making it up right now.  I also believe in well intentioned honesty.  How can you analyze Obama's presidency without mentioning his oration skills?  That is how he became president and I do think communication skills are one of the important qualifications of a good president. The comparison between Obama and the two recent old white guy presidents is stunning.          

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1 hour ago, chasfh said:

This is not some rule I’m coming up with at this moment. To my understanding, black people are very sensitive to white people being patronizing of them, and are annoyed when white people give them compliments that can fairly be considered slight. It suggests a lack of equality between the two, in which the recognition by a “superior” party of a slight accomplishment is the best that can be expected of the “inferior” party.

To say that Obama, who at the very least is one of the great orators of our time, is merely well-spoken or articulate, as though that represents the height of his potential, is to give short shrift to the tremendous accomplishments he has achieved in other areas and all the hard work he put in to get there. It’s not unlike when they used to say that Willie Mays is a great ballplayer because of his uncanny instincts and his great speed. Sure, he had those, but to imply that Willie’s instincts and speed were the sum total of his greatness sets both the floor (the expectation) and the ceiling (the ultimate compliment) too low.

Again, this is my understanding of it, and ironically, I may not have articulated it exactly as it could have been, but I think I’m at least pretty close. I know some people here will harshly disagree. But it makes sense to me.

Right. There is a kind of 'damn with faint praise' - 'isn't *this* an exception to the rule' kind of feeling to the way both 'articulate' and 'well-spoken' have traditionally been applied to men of color. Just come out and say "Obama is the finest orator to have held the office since JFK" and you don't get into the problem.

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15 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

 

I understand you are not making it up right now.  I also believe in well intentioned honesty.  How can you analyze Obama's presidency without mentioning his oration skills?  That is how he became president and I do think communication skills are one of the important qualifications of a good president. The comparison between Obama and the two recent old white guy presidents is stunning.          

As night and day difference Trump and Obama are in the communication, both are equally effective. Biden is better at retail politics and shaking hands and meeting one on one than giving speeches. 

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14 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

"well-spoken" has become kind of code-word phraseology though. There are other ways to express it. I think one could say his erudition is off the charts and it wouldn't have the baggage.

 Yes, I understand it's a code word but sometimes it applies.   I don't know anything about Karine Jean-Pierre, but I would say that the most important part of her job is speaking well.  How can we say it?  Erudite is not a word that most people relate to.  What do I say to a Black student who comes to me looking for advice before an interview and I think one of her best qualities is her communication skills?  Is it OK to say that she has good communication skills or is there another phrase I should use.      

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4 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

As night and day difference Trump and Obama are in the communication, both are equally effective. 

Equally effective at becoming president maybe, but one is viewed as a buffoon worldwide and the other will be remembered as one of the best orators of his time.  .  

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Just now, Tiger337 said:

Equally effective at becoming president maybe, but one is viewed as a buffoon worldwide and the other will be remembered as one of the best orators of his time.  .  

I don't think Trump is a baffoon to the 70 million people he grifted. Sure he isn't respected world wide like Obama, but his communication was effective enough to get him elected and get him a cult following. 

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