In Crowd Size, Obama Has the Edge -- Speeches Can Draw Tens of Thousands, But Does It Matter?
From The Wall Street Journal:
When Barack Obama claimed the Democratic nomination before 17,000 people last week, with thousands more outside unable to get in, it was notable but not surprising. He routinely draws huge crowds. That same night, John McCain spoke to about 600 supporters. That was routine, too.
The disparity in crowd size between the two candidates is striking, as are the candidates' oratorical abilities when they speak before those large gatherings. But does it even matter? Experts and political consultants say that in some respects, it does, though the crowd size isn't nearly as important as it might seem.
Sen. Obama, the Democratic candidate for president, is among the most gifted speakers in recent politics. Sen. McCain's speech-making abilities have improved, but both Democrats and Republicans say that he still comes across as stilted and awkward.
Large crowds can excite supporters and generate more volunteers, and they look impressive on the local news.
They can also get into the "psyche of the electorate," said Republican strategist Jason Roe. He compared large crowds to seeing a lot of yard signs for a particular candidate. Voters think, "There must be something special about that guy if that many of my neighbors are supporting him," Mr. Roe said.
Still, history is littered with losing candidates who drew super-sized crowds. Sen. Obama himself has drawn large crowds in primary states where he lost.
Most voters' impressions won't be shaped by big speeches or big rallies, but through interviews and debates, where Sen. McCain performs much better than he does in a scripted speech.
Just one high-profile speech remains for each man, but it is an important one -- the address to a primetime audience during each party's convention in late summer.
Voters are most likely to see the candidates in interviews and snippets on the nightly news, forums where Sen. McCain does well.
When Barack Obama claimed the Democratic nomination before 17,000 people last week, with thousands more outside unable to get in, it was notable but not surprising. He routinely draws huge crowds. That same night, John McCain spoke to about 600 supporters. That was routine, too.
The disparity in crowd size between the two candidates is striking, as are the candidates' oratorical abilities when they speak before those large gatherings. But does it even matter? Experts and political consultants say that in some respects, it does, though the crowd size isn't nearly as important as it might seem.
Sen. Obama, the Democratic candidate for president, is among the most gifted speakers in recent politics. Sen. McCain's speech-making abilities have improved, but both Democrats and Republicans say that he still comes across as stilted and awkward.
Large crowds can excite supporters and generate more volunteers, and they look impressive on the local news.
They can also get into the "psyche of the electorate," said Republican strategist Jason Roe. He compared large crowds to seeing a lot of yard signs for a particular candidate. Voters think, "There must be something special about that guy if that many of my neighbors are supporting him," Mr. Roe said.
Still, history is littered with losing candidates who drew super-sized crowds. Sen. Obama himself has drawn large crowds in primary states where he lost.
Most voters' impressions won't be shaped by big speeches or big rallies, but through interviews and debates, where Sen. McCain performs much better than he does in a scripted speech.
Just one high-profile speech remains for each man, but it is an important one -- the address to a primetime audience during each party's convention in late summer.
Voters are most likely to see the candidates in interviews and snippets on the nightly news, forums where Sen. McCain does well.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 6:25 AM
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