Ready for a 55 minute Kerry speech tonight?

Here's a little bit about it:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/TheNote/TheNote.html

Says ABC News' Dan Harris, the best reporter on the Kerry beat: "Campaign advisers are calling it a 'positive' speech — not an 'attack' speech. It will, however, contain contrasts."

"Kerry will, per the campaign, communicate to the nation 'what's in his heart.' It will be 'very personal'; he will talk about personal experiences from his life, including Vietnam. He will talk about how those personal experiences have shaped the message of his campaign: 'Stronger at home, respected in the world.' There will be light moments, too."

"The speech will run 55 minutes. When pressed on whether this is a wise move, given Kerry's reputation for being a less-than-riveting speaker, Communications Director Stephanie Cutter bristled."

(snip)

"'He is a riveting speaker,' she said. Furthermore, she argued, it's a 'really good speech' and one that he wrote (longhand, on yellow legal pads) — so he will 'knock it out of the park.'"

When he's on top of his game, he really delivers.

I hate long speeches. I really prefer 20-30 minute speeches. Anything longer makes me crazy.

heart it should fly.

It better be good to keep people's attention, but even if it is merely ok my contention is it really won't matter in the long run despite what the media says.

I'm sorry, but the sound of his voice bugs the crap out of me

am I the only one?

not on the same level as the chimp's, of course, but I remember when the primaries were in full swing, I turned him off as soon as I heard him speak

that said, I hope lots of Merkins watch, and he closes the deal with as many as possible

But I will say Kerry can sometimes be boring and drone on, which is why it might be a mistake to have a speech this long.

Still I think the debates will be much more important and vastly more watched in terms of viewers than the convention, and Kerry should do well in that setting with Bush.

gave a key note speech in I think 88 - he went on FOREVER and got a pretty good mocking for it - I think 55 minutes is too long too - 30 to 40 at the most. Al Sharptons was about 20 and it was fabulous. Edwards was about 30. Kerry doesn't need much more time than that.

It got him on the Johnny Carson show a few nights later.

I didn't remember that it was two hours but I do remember that it was God awful long - two hours that is way to freaking funny - what was he thinking and why didn't someone get a hook and pull his sorry butt off the stage - ROFLMAO

I heard someone say on the news last night that it ran two hours, guess not.

I actually have much of that convention taped and one day I'll go back and watch that speech again... when I'm really, really bored. ;-)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001051/bio


"At the 1988 Democratic Convention, Gov. he gave the introduction for Michael Dukakis, it was the longest keynote speech in the history of American politics. Throughout the speech people were screaming for Dukakis, and wanted him off the stage, after 48 minutes, he said, "In closing..." The entire audiance stood up and went crazy. Shortly thereafter, he appeared on "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson," where he received a three-minute, 48-second introduction from Carson, it was multiple pages long, and was Carson's longest introduction for a guest. When Clinton finally came out, Carson, said, "Well, governor, I thank you for coming here tonight. And my first question is, how are you?" With that, Carson placed an hour glass timer on the desk."

Some other website said the speech was 3 and a half hours I'm not buying that -

on edit here is another one:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5464091/

"1988: Bill Clinton drones on and on in Atlanta for 32 minutes. Delegates jeer, "Get off, get off." Then they cheer these words: "In conclusion..." Clinton then goes on the "Tonight Show" to joke about it with Johnny Carson and Carson pops out an egg timer."

"1992: Bill Clinton at the next convention: "Well, I ran for president this year for one reason and one reason only: I wanted to come back to this convention and finish that speech I started four years ago!""

So I'm not sure how long it was but I guess it probably was somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour - not two and certainly not three and a half....

Johnny Carson, as many will remember, was HUGE at one time in this country. Clinton came on and it was hilarious. It was self depricating humor and people loved it. I've heard a few references to it in the DNC coverage this week. Carson, who was a genius at what he did, set him up perfectly.

I read exactly that some where - what I read said Clinton going on Carson and mocking himself helped to put this behind him and I think it said he even played the sax on that apperance

If he's not doing well, it will be trouble. But he would have to seriously screw up to really be in trouble election-wise. He could really help himself, but it should difficult for him to really hurt himself.

how to fix what Bush has screwed up royally in four years. But, yeah, I can already see the talking points for the next morning. Regardless of how fantastic the speech is, The media has probably already started writing they're articles on how long and boring it was...

One "pundit" actually said, "She has a fascinating story. She should have told it in 10 minutes, not 20!" WTF? I think it was Fineman but every single pundit sucks. I am sick to death of their opinions as if they are golden.

WTF? He's a great speaker. But many, how shall I put it, easily bored don't want to hear content, they want to hear RAH. Think Homer Simpson. That's one of the problems with politicians, they don't want to address the issues. When Kerry talks, he says something.

days. I sure hope its a good speech.

I also want to add these words of advice: self-deprecating humor.

I'd sure like to see him deflate all those "stiff" claims with a little humor.

Crossing my fingers -- this has got to be good!

he`s not a a good speaker as Clinton and that certainly will be brought up by the whores-but- he will be better than bush. one hour is way to long to hold the attention of the majority of the viewers

It's not that we can't pay attention to something for an hour, it's that it will be difficult to make an hour's speech interesting enough to stay tuned.

What I'd like to hear:
1) Why he's qualified (the major accomplishments of his Senatorial career)
2) What are the 3 major policies he'll try to implement. Be specific.
3) What are his plans for Iraq. Don't be specific, broad strokes are ok.
4) What are the 5 major policies of the Bush administration that he'll change. Be specific (i.e. things like "improving the environment" won't be worth listening to, but a list of 3 current environmental issues that he plans on correcting would be).

I can't find this info on the convention website, or elsewhere. I'm thinking (for some reason) that it would be about 8 pm, but can anyone tell me if that's right? I don't want to miss it....

speech is scheduled for 10.

n/t

http://www.dems2004.org/site/pp.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130848


9:00 pm    Performance by Carole King 


Andre Heinz


Vanessa Kerry


Alexandra Kerry


John Kerry Biographical Film


John Kerry's Vietnam Swiftboat Crewmates
Jim Rassmann of Florence, Oregon will speak
The Reverend David Alston, Columbia, South Carolina
Skip Barker, Selma, Alabama
Steve Hatch, Niagra Falls, New York
Jim McDevitt, Wrenthem, Massachusetts
Mike Medeiros, San Leandros, California
Pat Runyon, Eaton, Ohio
Wade Sanders, San Diego, California
Del Sandusky, Dunedin, Florida
Fred Short, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Gene Thorson, Ames, Iowa
Jim Wasser, St. Anne, Illinois
Drew Whitlow, Huntsville, Arkansas
Bill Zaladonis, Sanford, Florida


The Honorable Max Cleland
Former United States Senator, Georgia


John Kerry


Finale


Benediction
Father John Ardis
Paulist Center Community of Boston


Adjournment

I hope so. Let's see what happens.

Hope its a winner!

all of the press has been complaining that america doesn't know john kerry...they will know him well after tonight i presume....

He can be riveting, he really can. But he can also get lost in a speech that long. I am going to be a nervous wreck all day!

of things - theres so much to cover

who he is
what he believes in
specifics of what separate him from the debacle we currently have

this is going to take time
i think edwards spoke for a 1/2 hour or so - didnt he

please dont worry.... not because i say so but as an example, because often it seems people who have seen him speak, come away liking him that much more (surprised even from what ive heard) after theyve heard him

In fact, I've decided that I just can't watch it.
I'll watch some of the repeat and get some analysis here, but I'm just too nervous...

Knock it out of the park Kerry! Please.

Kerry was my preferred candidate from the beginning. However, I do have concerns about this evening. Can't help it. It could get into drone territory.

But I DO believe Kerry can knock this one out of the park if his biorhythms are all in sync!

I will be praying all day that he is allowed to do his best.

I think that if he especially speaks from the heart, he will knock it out of the park. In that regard, time will not be a factor.

I did hear this morning, I believe on CNN, that there are a couple of "surprises" in the speech. Has any of this broke yet? What do fellow DU'ers suppose the "surprises" are?

My husband, who pays absolutely no attention to pundits--doesn't want to hear anything they say--thinks Kerry is a great speaker. He first listened to one of his speeches during the primary. Kerry followed Edwards--I think it was in Iowa--and my husband thought Kerry gave a much better speech. He likes his serious approach and the fact that he isn't glib. I think Kerry's unsound byte way of speaking drives our ADHD press corps crazy. But for people who want to listen, want to learn about who Kerry is and what he's proposing, a long speech may not be a bad thing.

Of course, the press has already decided on its spin. Too long. Too senatorial. Etc., etc. The question is: does Kerry want to play to the pundits, who seem to be getting emptier, shriller and more hysterical every day--starting with their bashing of Teresa Heinz Kerry and continuing through their thinly-veiled, bigoted comments about Al Sharpton and the Black-Eyed Peas. It's become a lot of meaningless yammering that certainly isn't going to affect Kerry's core of supporters and I don't think will sway too many of the deeply disillusioned independents and swing voters. I think the growing cynicism about Bush (see Donkey Rising today) can only logically extend to the inane press, who have no idea what problems regular, middle-class Americans are facing.

We want to hear about jobs and health care and whether or not our teenage children have more of a chance of being sent to the Middle East than attending college. I don't give a flying Cheney about whether or not Al Sharpton was "on message" or that Teresa Heinz Kerry addressed the audience in five languages, or that Kerry spoke too long.

My husband's reaction to Kerry's Iowa speech was illuminating. I'm a political junkie and watch all the nonsense. I was on edge whenever Kerry spoke, wondering if people (pundits) would perceive him as boring or droning on too long. Then I realized that it wasn't necessarily the people's perception, but the pampered, perfumed press corps, who are so comfortable, especially with Bush's tax cuts, that they don't have to worry about health care, or job security, or college, or losing their kids in an unnecessary war--they have the luxury to fret about the length of someone's speech or the accent of the candidate's wife.

Enough of the rant, but this crap from the media makes me so angry. Thank god for C-Span.

As always, check out donkey rising for some good news...especially yesterday's post about persuadable and independent voters.


http://emergingdemocraticmajorityweblog.com/donkeyrising/index.php

But I'll certainly sit through it.

(Rat Terrier I love your avatars.)

will be standing on tonight, was making the point earlier to Judy Woodruff that John Kerry is going to have to work really hard to keep people's attention in a 55 minute speech since, she said, "people who go to Kerry's rally are known to walk out after twenty to thirty minutes of his speaking" ... the gall of the woman!

I just wonder if Candy Crowley could hold people's attention uninterruptedly for twenty minutes!

:eyes:

wastebasket just from looking at her.

Heard it on C-SPAN earlier. I'm not sure which year Clinton gave the 66 minute speech, though.

At least as far as the media goes. *BUT* it's the American people who have said they don't know enough about him ... so an interesting, heartfelt, informative 55-minute speech should work perfectly.

The media won't like it either way, but let's wait to hear the speech and then to learn what the Joe Schmoe in Peoria thought about it. I don't care for long speeches either, but I'm willing to give Kerry the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he's doing.
<fingers firmly crossed> GO JOHN!!!!

Why won't he give them more punditry time? The instant analysis of his speech will give them more time to be on TV -and that's what it's all about ;)

Or George W. Bush?

Kerry will look and sound Presidential. It's all he needs to do.