<p>Actually I remember Hillary saying “Okey dokey articokey” jillions of years ago. I thought it was cute at the time.</p>
<p>I know lot of people, who while not southerners, or British, or insert your ethnic group here, ended up picking up the accent of those around them.</p>
<p>The thing about Obama being a “saint”- it depends on the definition of “saint”. He seems to be a good man, motivated by noble intentions. So does John McCain. In that respect, they are both saints compared to the rest of the politicians out there. Head and shoulders above the rest, in my opinion.</p>
<p>The question is- what if we <em>did</em> have a profoundly great man or woman appear in public life. Say, a Gandhi, or a Jesus. How were these people viewd by their contemporaries? These great people had some devoted followers, but they were also subject to scorn and ridicule during their lives. </p>
<p>How would our current system react to a truly great person? I think we would still have people trash this person on the talk radio. We would still have rumors flying on the internet about how they were actually really bad outer space aliens intent on destroying the human race. </p>
<p>And a lot of very sensible people would caution against getting too enthusiastic about this person. The more this person developed a following, the more strident his/her critics would become. The ‘sensible’ people would be offended by the “cult” like following of the “faithful” and in the process they might fail to see this great person’s true greatness. And perhaps that would be a good thing.</p>
<p>I am not saying Obama is anywhere comparable to Gandhi or Jesus or any other great leader in history. I truly don’t know how good he will prove to be. I just think that we have been disappointed so many times by our politicians that we have become overly skeptical. </p>
<p>We need to have more “Hope” (I wish I knew how to insert those winking icons)</p>
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<p>Yeah, I’ve heard that before. Not sure I buy it in this case, since I’ve never heard him pick up the accent/cadence of any other area of the country where he’s campaigned. Has he?</p>
<p>Janieblue, the only time I’ve heard Obama speak in SC was in the speech where he allegedly was using “anti-white code words.” It’s on the Obama website, and elsewhere. He doesn’t sound any different to me than I’ve ever heard him anywhere else.</p>
<p>But it may just be that I’m not real sensitive to that kind of nuance. Still, suggesting that someone whose speech takes on the cadences of those around him is “fake” is hypercritical in my opinion. It’s a natural tendency, which many people (including non-politicians!) tend to do. I felt that way when Bush was accused of it, I felt that way when Clinton was accused of it, and I see no reason to feel differently about it with Obama.</p>
<p>And it’s got nothing to do with “sainthood”.</p>
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<p>A man who suggests that we might be in this pointless war for another 50 or 100 years you believe stands “head and shoulders above the rest?” Wow. I guess I’ve never equated warmongering with sainthood, but I guess that’s just me.</p>
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<p>Kluge, I heard him on NPR, and they replayed it briefly (just once that I could tell) on one of the political news shows. Those are the only 2 times I heard this replayed, and then it disappeared. My guess is, someone pushed to have that disappear from the airwaves. It’s safe to say, though, that he was definitely playing to the black southern vote in SC at the time. He was not using “anti-white code words;” this was just his usual campaign rhetoric, but no one would have ever guessed that speech was coming out of the same Harvard-educated Obama we’ve all come to know and love. It just struck me as transparently insincere and fake. You obviously feel differently.</p>
<p>John McCain advocates us maintaining a presence in Iraq as long as we need to in order to bring things back to normal. He thinks we are today a positive influence in Iraq and that our departure would result in a huge increase in violence. I don’t know about the positive influence part but I do agree with his concern of increased violence if we leave “before the job is completed”. I don’t know if we need to be there 100 years. </p>
<p>McCain likes to talk in hyperbole for shock value, especially when he is going against the prevailing opinions. Not exactly a saintly trait, so you do have a point, perhaps he is not the next Messiah!</p>
<p>I think John McCain earned his right…how many of us would be willing to have our legs broken for our constitutional rights? How many of us would sit in a box for 5 yrs in solitary confinement for other Americans?</p>
<p>I am not for McCain because of the war issue. I am for him because he has tried to change the Senate. Out of the 3 remaining viable candidates, he accepted $0 for his state in pork barrel. Obama took 90 mill, Hill took over 300 mil. For what a monument at Woodstock?</p>
<p>The media is finally stating Obama has a flaw, he is a wonderful orator, he inspires people, but where is the proof he can back up the words with actions?</p>
<p>What is his national record? I need more than a motivating speech. BTW I have his book, it left me with more questions about how he would be as a President than answers</p>
<p>What I find interesting dems yell that Bush had no experience, and he filled the White House with his cronies. Wouldn’t that be true for Obama? AT least Bush was a governor, for more than 2 yrs. Bush did put experienced people around him, so what is the difference?</p>
<p>" think Obama is given a pass on everything he says and does (and doesn’t say). I really do agree with some (on political talk shows) who have pointed out that no one will criticize him for fear of being called a racist."</p>
<p>The republicans (my side) are going to go after Obama big time on the wrong button issue.</p>
<p>Re: Southern Accent ;)</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Hillary Clinton adopts a southern drawl](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDQ1vIuvZI]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDQ1vIuvZI)</p>
<p>Both are guilty as charged!</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Barry Obama loves the south](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjRPyIDLGWY]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjRPyIDLGWY)</p>
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<p>People criticized Hillary Clinton for doing the same thing when campaigning in southern states and while stumping in black churches. I can’t find the thread here in which a brouhaha was made of this, but I’m sure you’ve probably seen it, Janie. I was not among those who criticized her for this, because I can understand how she may have slipped into using the accent and speech patterns of her audience. I believe it was probably an attempt to connect, to unconsciously say, “I’m more like you than you may think. I understand your concerns. I hope we can be friends.” (Oh, and uh…vote for me, please? :D)</p>
<p>Now some people are convinced that, coming from Hillary Clinton, it was entirely disingenuous, an attempt to manipulate her audience. Apparently, you think the exact same thing of Barack Obama. But listen—they’re both politicians. If you’re familiar with my postings at all, you know that politicians, as a species, don’t rank particularly high on my list—Any politician! In this case, both candidates are running for a very high stakes, very powerful political office. Everything they do and say carries import, and often even moment by moment make or break political implications. Behavior seen as disingenuous in one, is viewed as completely understandable in another, depending upon who’s doing the judging. Politicians are like Rorschach ink blots, in that people often only see what they are predisposed to see. </p>
<p>I’m willing to give them both a pass on this, because as I said above, I can sound very different, depending upon whom I’m speaking to. Again, I can assure you that it is never an attempt to bamboozle (:rolleyes:) my audience, but to connect with it, to put my best face forward and be judged acceptable. </p>
<p>People on these forums sometimes talk as if this election is the first one in which the candidates have attempted to curry the favor of a particular ethnic voting block. But, really—let’s be real! This is politics! Besides, if the candidate ignored a particular constituency, that group of voters would feel insulted. One reason why Republican candidates are often viewed so disfavorably by black voters, is because when they fail to seek out and address black audiences, they are clearly saying, “I don’t need your vote to win this election. What’s more, your issues are not important to me.” People want to be wooed. People want to feel as if their concerns are important to the powerful and influential. If Clinton or Obama snubbed Hispanic or African American voters, it would be to their political peril. So no, I don’t consider campaigning for black or Hispanic votes to be “playing the race card” by either candidate. </p>
<p>It’s just Politics!</p>
<p>I give them both a pass because I find myself changing my speech and cadence and even accent ALL the time… When I talk to people with strong Mexican accents, I start adapting to that. When I talk to people with strong Irish accent, same thing. I’m not trying to deceive them, just relate to them. I do it subconsciously, and as pointed out by the NYT article that I linked, this is based on evolutionary social habits. </p>
<p>This is a ridiculous and petty criticism of ANY candidate who above all must connect with and communicate to various audiences and people.</p>
<p>As I said, since I haven’t heard Obama do this before, or since, SC-- I have a hard time attributing it to “evolutionary social habits.” When someone does this in the South, and nowhere else, it says to me that he/she thinks that he/she can get away with it in the South-- that Southerners are too dumb to see through it. I realize I’m in the minority in this way of thinking (at least on this thread), but that’s just how I view it. I heard no candidate attempt a New England accent when up in NH. Why do you think that is?</p>
<p>It would be too funny to hear them pronounce Boston!</p>
<p>I don’t have an issue about the accent…I just see it as pandering. I pay more attention to their record…I just see any ad showing different accents, it would be funny and a great ad…maybe their people should surf this site to see the actual heartbeat of America</p>
<p>Why do you think it is that you’re disposed to give Obama a skewering for this, but not Hillary Clinton? By the way, did you read my post—#71? Any comments?</p>
<p>“When someone does this in the South, and nowhere else. I heard no candidate attempt a New England accent when up in NH. Why do you think that is?”</p>
<p>The South is unique in the US in terms of the strength of the regional accent pattern. You can’t begin to compare it to New England – you’d only hear a New England accent as strong as Trent Lott’s Southern accent if you’re talking to farmers or fishermen. Most people in NH sound just like most people in Chicago (another area with a regional accent that’s largely faded). But in Alabama, you can even hear newscasters with accents, which just doesn’t happen outside the South.</p>
<p>I was actually wondering what a NH “accent” would sound like… Anyone have a link to one?</p>
<p>Hanna: Thanks for explaining Southern accents to me. :)</p>
<p>poetsheart: No, I hadn’t read it. I took one look, and it looked too long and had lots of words in bold, so I didn’t bother. When I get a chance, I’ll go back and look.</p>
<p>In answer to your question, though, I haven’t heard Hillary do that. I noticed that sokkermom put up some links, so I’ll go listen to those.</p>
<p>The way you phrased your question, though, suggests to me that you’re suggesting I might be “skewering” Obama, and not Hillary, because of some hidden racist genes or something. (This is why people hesitate to criticize him.) Hate to disappoint you, but that’s not the case here. I just haven’t heard Hillary do it. As I said, I’ll go and look at those links, and when I get a chance, I’ll tell you what I think about it. :)</p>
<p>poetsheart: I did read your #71 and I know exactly what you mean. When I am with “my own folks” I revert to the accent I grew up with even though I no longer speak it. It is a certain expression of kinship. </p>
<p>Obama on the other hand, grew up among white people so he must have acquired it later. Maybe from friends in college or in church, or even from his wife’s family.</p>
<p>Re #97</p>
<p>(I live in NH)</p>
<p>Southern/ Seacoast NH = many migrants from Boston burbs (modified Boston accent, not quite as pronounced) - Still pronounce some R’s, but not all.</p>
<p>Central /Northern NH = many French ancestors and many Massachusetts relatives (a hybrid Bostonish like accent with a french canadian twist). If they pronounce R’s, they roll them I guess. :)</p>