Waldo Jaquith

The day so nice, I linked it twice. Apparently.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 27 September 2011 @ 9pm

Obama adopts that particular speaking style anytime he’s in the south, and anytime his audience is mostly black. On those occasions, he also forgets how to pronounce the word “for.”

While saying “fo’” is common among blacks in the south, it sounds pretty strange coming from a Chicagoan.

Posted by I. Publius on 28 September 2011 @ 2pm

I think the reporter should have probably just transcribed them with the “g”s, but I don’t think it’s racist not to have them. They did the same thing when transcribing Palin. Does that make reporters racist against white people? Alaskans?

I will agree with I.Pub above that Obama does have a habit of slipping into some fake accent when visiting certain areas. I remember when he came to Charlottesville in support of Rep. Perriello, listening to him and thinking, “That is not what he normally talks like. Why is he talking like that?” I also remember it being funny because Charlottesville is decidedly not the type of town that is Southern in that manner.

Posted by Michael on 28 September 2011 @ 2pm

You choose not to use her universally recognized stage name, Lady Gaga? Ms. Germanotta sounds so clinical, so legal. You might as well throw in a reference to a dead language like inter alia. =)

Posted by tx2vadem on 29 September 2011 @ 8pm

I will agree with I.Pub above that Obama does have a habit of slipping into some fake accent when visiting certain areas.

Though perhaps I haven’t heard what you’re describing, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to call it “fake.” Many people (myself included) speak in a range of accents, depending on our location and to whom we’re speaking. Our surroundings bring out various facets of our speech.

That said, yes, it’s certainly not unheard of for candidates to adopt a ludicrously unreasonable accent when speaking to audiences, and they sure can sound like jackasses.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 29 September 2011 @ 10pm

it’s certainly not unheard of for candidates to adopt a ludicrously unreasonable accent when speaking to audiences, and they sure can sound like jackasses.

My all-time favorite: Hillary campaigning in Alabama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDQ1vIuvZI

Posted by I. Publius on 1 October 2011 @ 8am

I remember feeling the same way about it at the time—not having been a fan of hers for the nomination—but the story turned out to be pretty different than the “look at her pretending to have an accent that she doesn’t” line of the time. All that ever got played was that one bit, but not a word before or after—no context. She was quoting from lyrics by gospel musician James Cleveland (who I blame for creating the lousy sound of modern gospel, but that’s another discussion), and reading them as they are famously sung. The audience is reacting excitedly because they’re hearing lyrics that they well know. Once that story came out, the problem for Clinton was basically the same problem that the AP reporter is having for quoting Obama dropping his Gs—the question of whether it’s appropriate to quote in dialect, or whether that’s insulting. In her case, it just made her look dumb, so the question of appropriateness turned out to be moot.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 1 October 2011 @ 9am

Well, nothing says “Presidential material” like this little stunt by the leading Republican candidate affecting his Weird Uncle Mitt style.

Posted by Bubby Hussein, Hillbilly Sheikh on 1 October 2011 @ 11am