CALLANDER: Warner gets lesson in speechmaking

BY ALANE CALANDER
FOR THE STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
Published: September 3, 2008

Virginia’s very popular former governor, Mark Warner, the Democratic candidate this year for U.S. Senate, had a very humbling experience last week in Denver.

When he was asked to deliver the keynote address the second day of the Democratic convention, he knew he had huge shoes to fill, given that Barack Obama had catapulted to national prominence after delivering a brilliant keynote four years earlier.

In no way, however, could Warner have anticipated the extraordinary oratory by which he would be compared throughout the week, including the closing speech Thursday night by now presidential nominee Obama, who hit the longest homerun ever.

The week’s speech-making started slow, building to a crescendo like we have never seen in American politics.

Television commentator Pat Buchanan, a former speechwriter for presidents, complained all week about lackluster performances, until Obama had completed his acceptance speech, at which time Buchanan was gushing with infinite praise.

Though Warner delivered a solid, substantive speech on Tuesday, ranking among his personable best, it was not brilliant prose or emotionally charged.

Warner’s conversational speeches have served him well when running for office during three different campaigns and during his distinguished tenure as governor of Virginia, but reviews of the keynote address were not complimentary from the cable news talking heads.

Not enough zing for the national stage, they thought, but he sure got a good lesson in speechmaking while in Denver, and he’s a quick learner.

Paul Begala, a former adviser to candidate and President Bill Clinton, compared Warner’s keynote address to a talk before the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

That despite the fact Warner actually attacked Republicans with words such as: John McCain promises more of the same. A plan that would explode the deficit that will be passed on to our kids. No real plan to invest in our infrastructure. And his plan would continue spending $10 billion a month in Iraq.

If Warner’s appearance is remembered, it’s because he’s a nice looking guy with a beautiful family that joined him on stage, and he’s a respected Democrat — from one of those elusive southern states — who has delivered results through his bipartisan approach.

Bipartisanship was a theme that Obama wanted to showcase at his convention, and it was a common thread that appeared in both the Warner and Obama speeches.

The Democratic nominee emphasized all-inclusiveness in his own speech to 84,000 supporters at Invesco stadium on Thursday night.

Many of us remember Bill Clinton’s first convention speech when he wrote out 18 pages and dragged on for well over his allotted time. The crowd cheered, when he came to the in conclusion part of the speech.

Since that time Clinton has learned a lot about speechmaking and he is a master at it when he puts his mind to it, as he did on Wednesday night of the convention.

Warner hadn’t intended to “wow” everybody and he didn’t. The governor from Montana, Brian Schweitzer, followed Warner in boots and cowboy hat to fire up the crowd and set the stage for the really dynamic speech of that night, Hillary Clinton’s.

Warner emphasizes that he seeks ideas that work. Whether they come from a Democrat or a Republican doesn’t matter. But he clearly told the convention that Barack Obama represents the future and that things are so bad in our country right now, after eight years of Republican control, that a Democrat must win the Presidency.

At this critical moment in our history, we have one shot to get it right,Warner declared.

Campaigning comes more naturally for Warner than speech making. He thrives on one-on-one contact with voters, and really knows how to work a crowd, thriving at parades and barbecues. He hosts his own pig roast annually where he treats his longtime supporters to a complete barbecue meal at his King George County farm.

Former Virginia Sen. and Gov. Charles Robb is not known for his oratory either, but he is admired for his serious study of the issues.
Warner, too, is no intellectual lightweight, and his low-key appeal for Obama may be just what was needed to carry Virginia for the Democrats.

Alane Callander is a south Stafford resident active in many local causes. Reach her at .