The “women don’t shout” is about to become a meme. It hardly needs an attribution.
There are no new adjectives to describe how the ascension of Trump to presumptive presidential nominee world makes me feel. Reagan went from B-movie actor to president, and now Trump may go from casino magnate and “reality” TV celebrity to the Oval Office.
On election evening in November, 1981 we planned a gathering of friends at our house to watch the returns on television. By the time our first guest arrived Reagan had already been called the winner in what proved to be a landslide. It was supposed to be a party. It ended up as a wake.
If Trump wins this November I have to stretch my imagination to find a word to describe what that night will be like because all I can see in my mind is hoards of zombies coming for my friends and I.
Hillary missed an opportunity to answer Trump’s accusation of her “playing the woman card.” You all heard it by now.
She said in response to Trump’s accusation, in a serious voice, that if fighting for women’s rights means she playing the woman card … and then she raised her voice and said “then deal me in.”
Trump tells Morning Joe that her saying this wasn’t womanly because she shouted it.
I wish Hillary hadn’t responded to this with a three word raised voice (not really shouted) sound bite. Her voice, like Bernie’s, cracks when the decibel level is increased too much. There’s never a need to shout anyway when at a rally or on TV. That’s why microphones were invented.
The worst example of a politician whose voice may have ruined his chances in an election was Gov. Howard Dean whose normal speaking voice was midrange:
This final "Yeah!" with its unusual tone that Dean later said was due to the cracking of his hoarse voice, has become known in American political jargon as the "Dean Scream" or the "I Have A Scream" speech. Comedians and late-night comedy show hosts such as Dave Chappelle and Conan O’Brien satirized, mocked, and popularized the sound bite, beginning a media onslaught that many believe contributed immensely to his poor showing in the subsequent races.
Wikipedia
Trump is actually the best at rallies when he shouts. He knows his crowds get bored when he lapses into substance. So he shouts out his cheer lines. He’s no drill sergeant, but he gets his crowd’s attention.
As a reserve police officer for 20 years, I knew female cops. They learned what was called the command voice. Men whose voices went from bass to soprano when they tuned up the volume also had to learn this. It all involved learning to raise their voices while lowering the pitch. It was the “I mean business” voice.
I wish Hillary had continued her serious tone and said “if that’s what Mr. Trump wants to call my advocating for women, then I say (lowers pitch) deal (pause) me (pause) in.”
Recommended reading from Slate: Trump Hates Women
And as usual my little blog
