tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7983372.post6639462010348776468..comments2023-11-05T04:04:12.442-05:00Comments on Short Schrift: The Professor's Sense of the PossibleTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026955797817424956noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7983372.post-75353368336877613492008-04-16T17:12:00.000-04:002008-04-16T17:12:00.000-04:00As I understand it, the explanation was requested ...As I understand it, the explanation was requested by one of the audience members. I don't know that there's a way he could have answered the question that wouldn't have set off Mr. Larison's prof-dar. We also don't know what the rest of the conversation was like; it could have been a kind of wonkish, academic exchange suited for the audience of the moment.<BR/><BR/>My sense is that the candidate actually has a fairly keen sense of audience, and tends to pitch his comments well to the appropriate mode and tone for many diverse constituencies. He switches from professor mode into preacher mode into politician mode rather well, from what I've seen. Each has its appeal in a campaign season.<BR/><BR/>I think Larison's right that attempts to "explain" any constituency to another is inherently treacherous, even if candidates get asked to do it all the time. But Obama's ability to offer insights that weave together an understanding of diverse constituencies has frequently been cited as one of his political gifts.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12124250193911141831noreply@blogger.com