Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood: Lawyers, actors as the great game-changers

Lawyers and actors are trained in verbal gymnastics.  That's how they earn their living as well as develop a brandname.  So, it's no surprise that they are called upon to cast spells in political discourse.   Lawyer Bill Clinton got himself elected president twice and so did actor Ronald Reagan.

But this strange verbal voodoo can also create problems for the political parties.  Many viewed Clint Eastwood's performance art at the RNC as bizarre, hurting the conservative cause.  In NEW YORK Magazine, Margaret Hartman reports on the concerns of the Democrats that Clinton's speech at the DNC could also prove a liability.  He could go off message. He has in the past and he could this week.

Gifted speakers, including in trial work, often become overly confident. They assume that whatever they put together and put out there constitutes genius.  Not only is that often not the case.  Frequently they wind up laying an egg instead of transporting the audience.

Comments

[lawyers in minneapolis]

Thanks for posting those tips, I'm sure they'll come in handy for everyone. And nice job getting the top spot on the high scores!