The spectalular series of victories won by Mr Barack Obama, eight in a straight row, raises two questions. How can we expalin his success. And two, what are the lessons to be learnt from the Obama style of political rhetoric and communication. I am surprised that the American media has not started analysing the style and substance of Barack Obama's speeches and public addresses. In mu opinion there is no politician in the English speaking world today who deploys the poetical cadence of the English language more effectively than Obama. Ronald Reagan was known as the "Great Communicator" but he fell far short of Obama for the simple reason Reagan was not interested in fashining his message in the accoutrement of the poetics of the language. For him the film script served as the rhetorical model, but Barack Obama brings to his public messages a vision of hope and fulfillment, a mixture of Biblical sentiments and the hard nosed realities of an America in economic problems. Some people have commented that Barack Obama is tall on rhetoric and short on policy: the exact reverse of Hillary Clinton who is all policy and no dreamworker.
Unlike Martin Luther King jr who spoke in the language and style of a biblical prophet, Barack Obama deliberately avids overt references to biblical themes, but the sub text is hope and expectation and he very astutely places himself right in the middle of the expanding web of hopes hi spins for his audiences. My lifwe is my message: this theme resonately well with the audiences and Barack Obama expands on this at every opportunity. Unlike Hillary Clinton or even John Mccain, Barack Obama is a polished wordssmith. He crafts every sentence into a statement of high principle and thereby taps into the emotional side of his audience. One may be unkind and say that this is only demogogery, but I am not saying that because in his words there is the faint echo of a truth waiting to be heard.
Barack Obama has created a coalition that spans all sections of American society and I think he will sail into the White HOuse if nominated. His support is increasing among white middle class and working class and rural voters and is eating up the base of Clinton's support. This social composition is hard to beat.