Just finished watching Debbie Wasserman Schultz across the table from Rance Priebus on today's Meet the Press. I've always loved her as a ballsy New Yorker transplanted to Florida who aggressively defends our side and effectively advocates a fairly progressive viewpoint. I was pleased when she was appointed DNC chair, because Kaine was pretty ineffectual. I suspect that many here at DailyKos share that assessment. Then I saw that bs about her rocky start which surprised me, but I really hadn't been watching. So I figured this appearance would give me some insight. In my view she held her own but I was a bit disappointed.
Now for starters let me note that David Gregory was his usual douche-y self and Debbie hit all the right notes on policy. On substance she was on the money and, I think, more than held her own. That wasn't the problem.
The problem was that Priebus was better on semiotics. He basically sounded better, more earnest, and (I hate to say this) more understandable than her. Let's get this last point out of the way first. He's from my home state of Wisconsin. If you've listened to the locals interviewed over the last few months during the union busting stuff, you'll hear a distinct Wisconsin accent. It's akin to a Minnesota (pronounced "Minnesooota") accent and is a cousin to Frances MacDormand's accent in Fargo. Priebus, if he had one, got rid of it and speaks in straight concise american english. He also speaks in sound bite sentences, a product, I am sure, of media training, to be discussed later. Priebus reminds me of his pal, fellow jerk Scott Walker, who has NOT lost his Wisconsin accent but who also delivers his repugnant message in rapid fire, on message terms.
Many of us know that Newt Gingrich in the mid-nineties reshaped GOP messaging by requiring all Republican candidates who wanted support from his GOPAC to undergo media training so they could speak in concise, media friendly, focus group tested sound bites. Here's a good piece from FAIR describing those efforts. Of course the best laid plans occasionally screw up. Compare Newt's expectations for Michael Steele with what actually happened. And culprit number one in violating the lessons of media training is none other than Newt himself.
Being a Democrat, Debbie is afflicted with the impulse to ACTULLY THINK about what you are going to say and even listen to the other side. I know about this; sadly I've got the same disease. But I'm not on national TV shaping my party's message. Debbie paused too much. It took her too long to make her points. And she just seemed on the defensive. She actually answered the question being asked, not the one she wanted to answer, a cardinal no-no in media training.
And then there was her accent. Instead of being that quirky thing that gave her regional authenticity, today it interfered. Her appearance was just something of a mess and a real contrast to what I was used to from her. On other, pre DNC chair, appearances, she always struck me as a self assured, effective communicator, accent be damned. Schumer and Anthony Weiner both have New York accents and communicate just fine (omit Weiner comments please). This morning, though, Debbie just wasn't on. I have to assume that all national figures, Democratic and Republican, now have to undergo media training to be effective speakers in this environment. Especially when you know that weasels like David Gregory are going to be tougher on you as a Dem than your Republican counterpart. Anyway, if you were not actually listening to what was being said, just on tone, sound and effective communication skills, I think Priebus came out ahead. Maybe next time.
Anyway, here's a link to the segment. Judge for yourself. Maybe I overreacted.