Those were the words John McCain used to describe Barack Obama’s campaign promises. While I’m not sure I agree, it was a lovely turn of the phrase.
Unfortunately I find McCain’s promises to be substantive and boring. That’s a problem for him.
Leaders, including politicians, are always challenged to deliver meaningful and substantive messages in inspirational and encouraging ways. If I have to choose between the two, I’ll take substance over style. When it comes to the general electorate, however, that isn’t generally the case.
What are you doing to make your substantive ideas enticing and exciting to those you lead?
Mr. Sanborn,
I would agree with you – lovely turn of phrase, but seems like another one of McCain’s political moves (knocking at the young senator’s inexperience).
McCain is indeed boring, yet substantive. Substance appeals to the people who have time to listen to the details of political promises. To the rest of the general electorate, mainly working individuals, our ideal candidate must display certain attributes to steal our attention from all of the day’s clutter.
Obama possesses those attributes: Charisma, distinction, conviction, intelligence. Another part of Obama is something I like to call the ‘Kennedy-factor’. A good-looking, articulate, young man with the right ideals and beliefs, no matter how many times an old senator tries to tell you those ideals transfer into empty promises. McCain tries to preach how much of a pragmatist he is. How about this for realism – People respond to energy. People respond to charisma. That is the real world.
With that in mind, when I speak I strive to have people desire to listen. I want to speak with conviction. I want to speak with intelligence and distinction. But most of all, I want people excited to hear my words. The outgoing nature of an orator is what makes that individual an orator, not substance. Substance takes a backseat to charisma in any public appearance (or campaign). Because if I speak with enough confidence and conviction to have my audience believe anything I say, what does it matter WHAT I say? Not that I would ever try to deceive or mislead individuals listening to me.
Dave Salvi