Since he entered the presidential race, Donald Trump has been heavily criticized for his brash, shoot-from-the-hip campaign speeches. Those who are fed up with “old Washington” loved it. Amid suggestions that he needed to stay on message while addressing major issues of concern to voters, he’s not only being criticized for using a teleprompter, but for using it while giving an apology.
President Obama using a teleprompter in a sixth grade classroom in 2010. (whitehousedosier.com)
Some of you may recall when the exalted one, speaker extraordinaire, President Obama, used a teleprompter to address a sixth grade class in 2010. Hillary Clinton has often used them.
Having used one during my working days, I can tell you it takes practice. And while Trump probably used one during the taping of his Apprentice TV show, giving a lengthy speech is another thing. The speaker must be able to transition smoothly from side to side as he views the projected script, pausing and providing emphasis where desired, all while avoiding the appearance that he/she is reading a script.
In the past, while referring to notes. he would jump from topic to topic with no rhyme or reason. His use of the teleprompter has made his speeches more organized.
When Trump chose to express his regrets for some past insults during his Friday night speech in Charlotte, N.C., the critics couldn’t wait to jump on his perceived insincerity while using the teleprompter. I’m sure he wanted to get it right, but you can’t expect the media to cut him any slack. After all, they know he dislikes them, and they’re in Hillary’s camp.
I expect Trump will get more comfortable with the teleprompter, and he will learn that with an able operator behind the scenes, he can pause to ad lib and return to the script. He may even read something so well that it appeared to be an ad lib.
(If you would like a free subscription to kramerontheright, simply scroll to the bottom of the column at right.)
