Caroline Kennedy receiving criticism for not being articulate. 54 "you knows" in short interview

[Liberal_in_LA]

I HATE 'you knows'. You can listen to the video at the link. The video is off to the right.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/12/27/2008-12-27_caroline_kennedy_tells_daily_news_i_woul.html

Comment to article: Anacondaman Dec 28, 2008 10:26:27 PM
I tried listening to the video clip and in 5 minutes (minus 10 seconds), she uttered the abominable "you know... you know..." 54 times (I may have missed a few of her "you know," you know?). I can't understand it; she went to the best academies and schools, has traveled all her sheltered life, had the best tutors that money can get... and still she cannot speak one intelligent sentence without a few dozen "you know... you know..." per minute, and a host of "uh... uh.... uh...." WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER? She sounds like she's from some unforesaken ghetto! She forgot to mention another qualification: she supervises her maids and butler.

[Idealism]

1. Since when did you have to be articulate to be a Senator

[Contrary1]

2. ...or as the preznedent? n/t

[Xenotime]

17. Exactly. It's what she will do that is important.

[pot luck]

3. Obama gets the same criticism from some of these people.

If a few "uh"s and "you know"s is the least of her problems, then I think she's in good shape.

[EFerrari]

4. We can't all be Arlen Specter.

:)

[Sultana]

5. Ugh, "you know what i'm sayin'?

:D

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Um. . . . Ed Koch used "um" every third word. And "uh" when not using "um".

How did that work out for him?

[CreekDog]

7. that makes her a more valuable draft pick

:think:

[Obamanaut]

8. Another utterance to be despised is "I mean..." when it begins a

response that is not a clarification to some earlier fuzzy point. Sometimes one even hears "I mean, you know..."

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. "You know what I mean" is another awful one.

[salguine]

9. Maybe she could have a career in professional sports.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. You can read the transcript at the NYTimes site.

She can't give a straight answer to a question or take a stance on anything except that if she's not appointed she won't run for the senate in 2010 but will "support the Democrat." A bit lacking in fire in the belly, don't you think?

[Muttocracy]

24. I think those were 2 separate interviews - but very similar

NYT has different audio clips, also filled with "you know" and vagueness. But maybe it was all one interview.

[bigtree]

11. well

. . . she's not scripted.

(What 'ghetto' does the 'you know' and the 'uh, uh' originate from?)

[Mike Daniels]

12. You know....If her name was Caroline Smith she wouldn't even be under consideration

The Kennedy family has done some noble things but just because someone comes from that family doesn't meant they're automatically qualified for public office.

There are lots of people who live in NY who done equivalent or greater things than Caroline has done over her life who have no hope of being appointed to the open Senate seat. The only thing putting her in consideration is her last name plain and simple.

If she wants the seat let her run for it in 2010.

[deutsey]

13. Yeah, but she's someone I'd like to have a beer with.

:evilgrin:

[PfcHammer]

15. Beer and BBQ where it's at! Plus

she looks to be god fearin and moral.

[Horse with no Name]

14. Gotta wonder why so many alleged "liberals" are so against

a real liberal getting into the Senate?

It's rampant here.

[Liberal_in_LA]

29. Not against it. Just pointing out her speaking skills.

[book_worm]

33. yes, I'm sure she always speaks this way.

[bottomtheweaver]

16. And they printed every one, along with a crappy picture.

The press is in full Fox mode and the comments to that Daily News article are even more vicious. Who the hell are those people anyway? If they were posting here they'd be called trolls before they got to two posts.

[Atman]

18. Obama says "UH" a lot. But newspapers almost always cut this stuff out.

Mort Zuckerman was on MSNBC this morning defending the decision to post the un-edited transcript, simply saying it made her look bad. Good defense, huh? It is common practice to clean this stuff up when editing an interview. Everyone has verbal ticks, and they have nothing to do with thought processes or intelligence. It was entirely unfair for them to single Kennedy out this way.

That said, I'm not necessarily in favor of Kennedy's appointment, but I don't believe she deserves to be treated this way.

.

[ProfessorGAC]

20. That Happens When One Speaks Without A Prompter

Perhaps it's the same with her. Obama might have his "uhs" but Silverspoon couldn't keep it flowing while reading a prompter.

I'll take a few verbal pauses over hyperscripted any day.
GAC

[Liberal_in_LA]

27. Obama use to be worse with the "uhs". He reduced the "uhs" when the press wrote about it.

[Waiting For Everyman]

19. Could it be she's choosing her words?

So as not to be picked apart for any given nuance? (Would that happen? No, of course not. Silly me.)

Yeah, I hate that too, when a public figure actually is careful about what she says. Who needs thinking while speaking?

[Nye Bevan]

21. The Democratic Sarah Palin

What an embarrassing performance. Now I see why she only wants to be *appointed* to a Senate seat as opposed to *elected*- her performance in a debate would clearly be abysmal. I sincerely hope that Gov Paterson will appoint someone who is actually *qualified* to be a Senator.

[Common Sense Party]

23. Ouch.

That's going to leave a mark.

[Liberal_in_LA]

28. Double ouch!

[Horse with no Name]

30. I see you are from Connecticut?

What a fine Senator you have SIR. :rofl:
Methinks you ought to clean up the rotting sewage flowing through your own yard before you worry about the fresh water creek running through your neighbors yard.

[Nye Bevan]

31. Great point.

Perhaps you could post a list of the states that you consider it to be acceptable for DUers to be from, and, you know, be allowed to post in this thread.

[DesertRat]

22. Listening to that video was painful. n/t

[DeschutesRiver]

25. I heard one of her interviews and it surprised me - it was awful.

I don't care if it is stupid Sarah Palin or Caroline Kennedy we are talking about. Except that I guess I expected way more from Caroline Kennedy, and she flat out didn't deliver. She sounded stupid and inarticulate to the extreme - I couldn't listen to her again anymore than I could listen to the shrilla from Wasilla.

I had heard that she was uber smart, polished, articulate, etc - I guess the key word is that I merely "heard" that, as I hadn't heard one word from her yet. I thought she was smart and articulate because I wanted her to be that way, and as a Kennedy who believes she can hold a Senate seat, I expected no less. I made assumptions that were not correct.

Now I'd have to see evidence that she has any kind of brain or ability before I'd say she should hold the seat. She needs to be judged on her qualifications, not her name brand (which is apparently what I did, ie assume because of her name). After listening to her remarks, at this point all I can say is that she sounds like she is expecting the seat just because she is a Kennedy. That really sucks. Hope she pulls out something better; otherwise, surely there must be a qualified candidate out there for this seat that can get the position and do some good with it.

[book_worm]

32. Umm, Who cares? you know.