Former White House scribes, academics break down Obama’s rhetoric

Yesterday’s C-SPAN panel on “Obama Administration Speeches and Rhetoric” is an hour and 41 minutes, but it is the most efficient path to a coherent point of view from every angle of the subject.

Sit back, as I did, and listen to former West Wing speechwriters Vinca LaFleur, Jeff Shesol and John McConnell, and University of Texas’ Roderick P. Hart and University of Pennsylvania’s Kathleen Hall Jamieson.

If you’re in a hurry, Jamieson (as usual) has the most to say, in answer to her own question, “How is it that a person generally seen, particularly by the press, as eloquent during the campaign, is now seen as largely rhetorically unsuccessful ….?” (She picks up at about the 18-minute mark.)

Thanks to LaFleur for sending the link our way.