May 22, 2007 4:19 AM
'Rock star' on a smaller stage
The "rock star" comparison might not be fair to Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
After all, even the world's greatest band would be envious of some of the giant crowds he has been facing out on the stump.
But as the old style, paper-cut prone version of the Rocky Mountain News reports today, Obama's campaign has set the bar pretty high. And sometimes he's being judged not only on his own merits, but by whatever excitement that surrounds him on any given night. See the story HERE, HERE, HERE.
Take one recent speech at an almost academic setting in Johnston, Iowa, where he toned down his presentation and got fewer interruptions of wild cheers and applause.
In effect, it's like reading an opera script, seeing Seinfeld without the laugh track, or watching a NASCAR race with the sound on mute and no announcers hollering "Boogity-boogity-boogity!" over the roar of the engines.
Some folks in the crowd thought he seemed flat as a result, but it's one of those facts of life. Nobody is a "rock star" 24 hours a day. And while candidates try to make noise and create excitement at the giant rallies, they also need to connect with voters the old fashioned way: eye-to-eye, in normal tones of voice, up-close.
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May 24, 2007
3:20 PM
TJ writes:
Does this rock-star thing work both ways? In other words, are there rock stars who get treated like politicians? Some might say The Dixie Chicks, but I'm stumped when I try to come up with a politician whose ever been treated that badly. What does it mean to get the politician treatment?
May 22, 2007
9:47 PM
Get Real writes:
Sprengelmeyer apparently doesn't have the schoolgirl crush for Newt like he does for his rock star Obama.