Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal columnist and former Reagan speech writer agrees with ProfJohn!!!

[ProfJohn]

I wonder if Mrs Noonan has a screen name or just lurks around on here

My post from 8-11-2008
link to thread

One thing to think about when it comes to his big speech.

He is giving it at an outdoor stadium, this could turn into a huge disaster.

A convention hall seems small on TV and the applause tend to echo helping to build on the momentum. (Look at the Twins and all the games they win at home due to this.)

But at a baseball stadium Obama will seem awfully small standing behind that podium. And the sound in the stadium will most likely suck with that stadium echo effect.

I don't know what the agenda looks like, but if there are two or three hours of speeches before Obama starts his the audience could be bored by then.

The worse case scenario: we have a tired bored audience who can't hear Obama very well and thus can't get into the speech and this great moment turns into a disaster when all the talking heads on TV talk about is how everyone in the stands looked bored.

Of course it could go the other way as well. But he is taking a big gamble by giving his speech in a stadium.

Peggy Noonan in today's Wall Street Journal
link

The general thinking among thinking journalists, as opposed to journalists who merely follow the journalistic line of the day, is that the change of venue Thursday night to Invesco Field, and the huge, open air Obama acceptance speech is?one of the biggest and possibly craziest gambles of this or any other presidential campaign of the modern era. Everyone can define what can go wrong, and no one can quite define what "great move" would look like. It has every possibility of looking like a Nuremberg rally; it has too many variables to guarantee a good tv picture; the set, the Athenian columns, looks hokey; big crowds can get in the way of subtle oratory. My own added thought is that speeches are delicate; they're words in the air, and when you've got a ceiling the words can sort of go up to that ceiling and come back down again. But words said into an open air stadium?can just get lost in echoes, and misheard phrases. People working the technical end of the event are talking about poor coordination, unclear planning, and a Democratic National Committee that just doesn't seem capable of decisive and sophisticated thinking. So: this all does seem very much a gamble. At a Time magazine event Wednesday afternoon, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe suggested the power of the stadium event is in this: it's meant to be a metaphor for the openness and inclusiveness that has marked the Obama campaign. Open stadium, 60,000 people ? "we're opening this up to average Americans." We'll see. In my experience when political professionals start talking metaphors there's usually good reason to get nervous. (Questions: how many of the 60,000 will be Coloradans? Are a lot of the tickets going to out of staters? Are they paying for tickets? Is the Mile High event actually a fundraiser? What's the top ticket going for?)

If my prediction turns out to be true you guys will never hear the end of this

BTW I like Peanut Butter Cookies, thank you

 

[OrByte]

I was counting down the minutes until you posted something like this. I read an article on yahoo news about this and immediatly remember you saying something earlier.

Truth of the matter is. The issue of Obama's celebrity status is a manufactured one..it is a pointless issue...it is certainly something the media will propogate because lets face it the media sucks. So the issue has legs...sigh.

That said, even those in the DNC are saying that if they had to choose over again, they probably wouldn't go with the arena speech. And that is because of all the variables involved, an uncontrolled atmosphere.

You were right PJ because I do recall you bringing this issue up before. I guess most of us will keep our fingers crossed while some of you will be pleading with the TV screen for Obama to fail. All over a pointless and tangential issue.

Aint politics grand?

 

[Lemon law]

What What, non Prof John get a prediction right? We have an old folk saying to cover these situations, even a blind sow gets an acorn once in a while.

But I suspect the prediction will go South anyway, the networks covering the speech do have much experience on how to get their Cameras and sound right, no matter the setting.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
If my prediction turns out to be true you guys will never hear the end of this

Even if it isn't we'll never hear the end of it as you seem to be in full press mode.

 

[cubeless]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
What What, non Prof John get a prediction right? We have an old folk saying to cover these situations, even a blond sow gets an acorn once in a while.

But I suspect the prediction will go South anyway, the networks covering the speech do have much experience on how to get their Cameras and sound right, no matter the setting.

so it's come down to u liberals having to blond bash now, eh?

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

And I expect a plate full of cookies if my Lieberman prediciton comes true.

 

[fskimospy]

People have been questioning the wisdom of the arena speech since it was announced Pro-Jo, it's not exactly news. I for one think it's a great idea. If you have star power, use it.

The Republicans try this every election cycle, they always try and convince the Democrats not to use their strengths for risk of 'going too far', or whatever thing they've cooked up this time. It's bullshit. Obama is one of the most charismatic politicians of our time and it's high time the Democrats took advantage of that. John McCain can make some more ads complaining about how much everyone likes his opponent if he wants, but all it's going to start looking mighty pathetic.

 

[RightIsWrong]

I still don't know why this is an issue.

If giving a speech where 10s of thousands can see you and hear your ideas is more elitist than giving a speech were only a few, well connected insiders can hear your speech and ideas in person is elite, then my dictionary needs to be revised cause I have always thought that the opposite were true.

 

[yllus]

Didn't JFK accept his party's nomination in a Los Angeles stadium?

Obama outdoor speech echoes JFK's 1960 move

DENVER ? Barack Obama's decision to move his nomination acceptance speech from an indoor arena to an outdoor stadium may be a smart effort to tap the Kennedy mystique, open up the convention and generally stir things up.

But almost a half-century later, it remains unclear whether the precedent that helped inspire the move ? John F. Kennedy's "New Frontier" convention acceptance speech at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1960 ? was itself a success, or even a good idea.

Those who were there and those who have studied it disagree on details. Was Kennedy bothered by the setting sun? Distracted by hovering helicopters? Visibly exhausted? Even attendance estimates vary from 50,000 to 80,000.

Kennedy's speech was the first time he referred to the New Frontier, which became the label for his administration's agenda, and its themes were much like those Obama strikes in his campaign.

Kennedy asked his audience not to vote on an irrelevant personal characteristic (his Roman Catholicism); he proclaimed the need for change, saying, "The old era is ending;" and he was part of "a new generation ? not blinded by the old hates and fears and rivalries."

Looking back, "The decision to move the speech outdoors was brilliant, as was Obama's this year," says Theodore Sorensen, who drafted Kennedy's speech and supports Obama. "Kennedy's physical presence was electrifying, and so is Obama's. A big outdoor audience maximizes their presence."

 

[Thump553]

I don't mean to rain on your self-congratulatory parade PJ, but this armchair quarterbacking is hardly unique or especially insightful. It was a major topic of discussion on Morning Joe (MSNBC) today, and I recall it being discussed by pundits on TV multiple times before. I'm sure it was a matter of intense debate in the planning meetings of the Obama campaign, as well.

Yes, Obama is diverting from the tried and true safe course of television event staging. Obviously he has thought it through and decided the potential upside is worth the risk. And I agree-countless candidates have doomed themselves by playing it too safe and boring. Swinging for the bleachers keeps the potential voters interested, and McCain grousing.

Don't whine too much, because no matter how this speech goes it will provide more commercial fodder for McCain - a celebrity II spot, maybe? That commerical was the most effective campaigning "no-negative" McCain has done all summer.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
People have been questioning the wisdom of the arena speech since it was announced Pro-Jo, it's not exactly news. I for one think it's a great idea. If you have star power, use it.

The Republicans try this every election cycle, they always try and convince the Democrats not to use their strengths for risk of 'going too far', or whatever thing they've cooked up this time. It's bullshit. Obama is one of the most charismatic politicians of our time and it's high time the Democrats took advantage of that. John McCain can make some more ads complaining about how much everyone likes his opponent if he wants, but all it's going to start looking mighty pathetic.

Exactly. Instead of highlighting the strengths of McCain they try to downplay Obama. Obama is intelligent and ivy league educated so they label him an elitist. Obama is popular and draws huge crowds of supporters so they portray him as a celebrity. Obama is charismatic and inspiring so they say he's all hope and change. Do this enough and people may - and I say may because most don't pay attention - realize how much of a dud McCain really is.

 

[fskimospy]

I swear we've reached a new level of idiocy when people are arguing that an incredibly popular person should hold a speech for fewer people so that he doesn't appear to be too popular.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
I swear we've reached a new level of idiocy when people are arguing that an incredibly popular person should hold a speech for fewer people so that he doesn't appear to be too popular.

That was NOT my point at all.

The point is that his speech may come across as being flat due to the large expanse of the stadium. He could give the best speech of his life and it may not play well on TV.

Remember the Dean Scream. Everyone who was there in the hall said it was great and that Dean was playing off the energy of the audience. But on TV it looked awful. Could see the same thing tonight.

 

[Mean MrMustard]

I have no idea what this thread is about.

Obama is giving a speech. Doesn't every presidential nominee give a speech? Am I missing something?

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: eskimospy
I swear we've reached a new level of idiocy when people are arguing that an incredibly popular person should hold a speech for fewer people so that he doesn't appear to be too popular.

That was NOT my point at all.

The point is that his speech may come across as being flat due to the large expanse of the stadium. He could give the best speech of his life and it may not play well on TV.

Remember the Dean Scream. Everyone who was there in the hall said it was great and that Dean was playing off the energy of the audience. But on TV it looked awful. Could see the same thing tonight.

Oh if that's your only point then this is REALLY a total non-issue.

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: eskimospy
I swear we've reached a new level of idiocy when people are arguing that an incredibly popular person should hold a speech for fewer people so that he doesn't appear to be too popular.

That was NOT my point at all.

The point is that his speech may come across as being flat due to the large expanse of the stadium. He could give the best speech of his life and it may not play well on TV.

Remember the Dean Scream. Everyone who was there in the hall said it was great and that Dean was playing off the energy of the audience. But on TV it looked awful. Could see the same thing tonight.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Dean scream speech only looked awful after the sound was electronically enhanced by Republican swiftboaters.

In real life the yeeha or what ever it was barely audible.

And apologies to P&N, I meant to type blind and not blond and its corrected now.

As for me, I will have my own thoughts about the Obama speech AFTER the speech and not before.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: Donny Baker
I have no idea what this thread is about.

Obama is giving a speech. Doesn't every presidential nominee give a speech? Am I missing something?

He is giving his speech at a football stadium. Very risky move because the sound acoustics of a stadium sucks compared to a convention hall.

 

[cubeless]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Donny Baker
I have no idea what this thread is about.

Obama is giving a speech. Doesn't every presidential nominee give a speech? Am I missing something?

He is giving his speech at a football stadium. Very risky move because the sound acoustics of a stadium sucks compared to a convention hall.

and the podium is kind of over the top... but that's probably par for the course for conventions any more...

 

[abaez]

Sound acoustics... wow. If that's all of the risk.. sheesh.

I'd be more afraid of the speech being bad than anything else.

 

[davestar]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Donny Baker
I have no idea what this thread is about.

Obama is giving a speech. Doesn't every presidential nominee give a speech? Am I missing something?

He is giving his speech at a football stadium. Very risky move because the sound acoustics of a stadium sucks compared to a convention hall.

(1) The fans at a football stadium get loud enough to drown out play-calling on the field during a game. It will get plenty loud.
(2) The TV audience will get a direct feed off the mic/soundboard. Acoustics don't come into play at all in that regard.
(3) Concerts are held at stadiums (and outdoors in general) ALL THE TIME. Sound engineers can get around any difficulties that the venue creates.

 

[Stoneburner]

You speak in the third person and think peggy noonan cares what you think? ANd we care what Peggy Noonan thinks? Peggy Noonan would felate a half dead bison if it were wearing a reagan mask.

This thread should be deleted.

 

[JD50]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
I swear we've reached a new level of idiocy when people are arguing that an incredibly popular person should hold a speech for fewer people so that he doesn't appear to be too popular.

Agreed.

 

[Vic]

PJ's 'prediction' is that sound systems aren't adequate for large outdoor stadiums? Am I getting this right? Maybe back in the 1950s they weren't....

 

[WHAMPOM]

What? Oh no! Not stadium accoustics and the chance of a bad echo. Oh, just poofjohn practicing hypocrisy.

 

[Lemon law]

We have to admit, this Obama stadium address was planned weeks in advance, and it might have flopped big time if it rained. But that does not look likely now, last time I checked the people were packing the Sadium hours in advance of the Obama speech, and we will know within hours if PJ was right or if PJ is wrong again.

But like some cross product of Jimmy Durante, Pinoccio, and a energizer bunny with no shame, non Prof John will keep going and going and going in his efforts to piss on Obama. He has a million of em.