Romney Speak: Whine and Cheese
Mitt Romney has received lots of unsolicited advice lately regarding how best to meet President Obama in the upcoming debate. The three debates, including one VP debate, are highly anticipated and as many as 86% of Americans say they plan to watch some or all of them.
Romney's alarming slide in the polls has Republican talking heads pontificating about this being Mr. Romney's last chance to salvage his failing campaign.
May I offer one humble bit of advice that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere? I suggest Mitt practice the tone and cadence of his voice, which strikes me as either condescending or whining, depending on which talking point he is discussing.
When questioned on specifics, he takes on a tone of an ever-patient parent speaking to a petulant child. He pulls out that fake 'ha-ha-ha' and with an exasperated shake of his head, responds as if he is correcting the hired help for serving the wrong wine with dinner.
But to me, the most annoying and difficult to listen to, is the whine he takes on when speaking about President Obama. Each sentence or significant phrase ends in a notable drop in tone which gives the line a whiny quality. If he could just practice keeping the tone of the sentence even through the end, it would sound like a statement of fact instead of a spoiled child complaining, "It's not fair!"
Although I am unabashedly a liberal Democrat, I have always listened to both sides, even when I disagree vehemently with the speaker. I gritted my teeth through every speech and public appearance by McCain, Reagan, Big Bush, and most tryingly, Little Bush with his deep drawl and penchant for making up words.
But no candidate in my memory has been so difficult to listen to speak as Mitt Romney. The condescension and whiny-ness are like fingernails on a chalkboard to my ears and I can't wait to turn him off.
There you go, Mitt. More unsolicited advice and coming from an Obama supporter you have no reason to take it. But please, just in case the unlikely happens I have to listen to you speak for the next four years, practice that tone. You can't make your point if your audience can't stand the sound of your voice.
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