Those of you who watched the debate last night saw two untrained people trying to speak in public, and it must have made you cringe. I suppose oratory is not as important a skill as it once was. Alan Keyes, regardless of what you think of him, can deliver a speech. Bush can't complete a sentence without stammering and Kerry doesn't know what his hands are doing while he's talking -- it's like watching one of those acts where one guy stands in front with his hands behind his back and another guy stands behind him and his arms act as the first guy's arms.

But I want to point out a trend in political public speaking that really irks me: the Clinton Fist. I saw Bush make it last night. Are you wondering what the Clinton Fist is? It's the style of fist made popular, I believe, by William Jefferson Clinton. It's a kinder, gentler fist, one which doesn't frighten soccer moms, because it lacks the aggressive look of a real fist while still, supposedly, conveying resolve. I find it annoying as hell. Below are examples of the Clinton Fist and a real fist:

Clinton Fist

http://askbuff.com/clintonfist.jpg


Real Fist

http://askbuff.com/realfist.jpg

In my opinion, the Clinton Fist demonstrates a politically correct spinelessness which I find repulsive and yet characteristic of politicians everywhere these days. These guys are ruled by focus groups and polling data and don't have the balls to make a clenched fist if they feel passionately about something.

What do you guys think about the fisting situation?

Maybe Clinton was trying to make his fist look like Dole's? :P

You know, I've never seen a good closeup of Dole's bad hand. I can tell he's always got a pen jammed in there, but I want to see the hand. No one will show it!

Buff. i wanna hear your opinion of last nights fisting

Edwards with a Clinton first, i would more appropriately call it girly fist
or Chaney hands together most of the time

FYI both bush and kerry use the clinton fist:)



As for cheney, im rooting for angioplasty;) nothin deadly, just something to let him retire to his ranch, where he can whip his minorities and count his money, daily oil baths, and write his memoir "how i profited off of every military action, a memoir"


:yowsa:

That's funny. I remember George Bush I did this chopping motion thing when he spoke.

I saw Edwards do the Clinton Fist -- I bet he never did that shit in the courtroom.

And Cheney looked like he didn't know what to do with his hands.

I saw Edwards do the Clinton Fist -- I bet he never did that shit in the courtroom.

And Cheney looked like he didn't know what to do with his hands. [/b][/quote]
well one is generally jerking of the american public, and the other is geneally stabbing them in the back, and he cant do that on national TV, not without Donny Rumsfeld standing in front of him



:biglaugh:

to be clear, im not Bush's biggest fan, but i think Cheny is dangerous, same goes for the rest of the goons around him.

Condoleeza Rice should never have more power than she has now

and dan rather is a paranoid loon

Buff,

FWIW, front page of local paper had Cheney doing the "Clinton" single hand and Edwards doing actual double fist today. Wasn't too impressive though, that feller has some small hands!

A double Clinton? I can only imagine...