President Obama ”owned the room” in last night’s speech to Congress on health care. He was masterful in his use of emotional appeal (accessing the right brain) married to rational thinking (using left brain logic). He demonstrated confidence, commitment and unwaivering belief.
In terms of communication style, he pulled out all the stops. He framed health care reform as a challenge that America could face and win, much like the recession. Telling the American people we “pulled the economy back from the brink” of disaster in his opening remarks, he linked the health care debate to a strong visual association. Presenting the challenge in emotional terms was motivating, and increased his possibility of success.
President Obama spent the first third of his speech using broad strokes, from a vantage point of 10,000 ft. He acknowledged those who came before him to shore up support. He added statistics as spice, like “insurance premiums have gone up 3x faster than wages” which substantiated his case. The first standing ovation came with the line “We will build on what works, rather than start over with a new system” addressing the concerns voiced by both parties.
Then President Obama turned to rhetoric, which lifted his audience to the challenge of what he believes we have to do. His speech was full of repetition and incantations, i.e. “The time for bickering is over. The time for games has past. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together… Now is the time to deliver on health care.” Predictably, standing ovations followed.
Only after winning over the emotions of his audience did President Obama turn to details. He kept this part of his address straightforward and unemotional. Rather than translating hundreds of pages of policy, he focused on simple concepts like– insurance companes can’t drop you when you’re sick; put limits on out-of-pocket expenses; or deny anyone insurance for pre-exisiting conditions. President Obama used irony when he added that of course ”some details still need to be ironed out”. But he didn’t let the moment pass by stepping on his laugh. He smiled and took his time before speaking again.
It wasn’t until mid-way through his speech that President Obama featured his theme of “more security and stability”. A catchier theme that could be easily repeated would have been more memorable, but this is a minor point. Next, he faced the elephant in the room by saying “I don’t want to put insurance companies out of business, I just want to hold them accountable”.
The speech could have used more analogies to make complex issues understandable and concrete. One of his strongest points came when Obama showed “presidential” leadership when he vowed to protect Medicare and said that ending it “would not happen on my watch”. He continued relying on an emotional appeal, rather than an intellectual one right through to the end. His finish was an extended call to action. By noting Ted Kennedy’s crusade to pass health care reform, and Kennedy’s alliances with Republicans, President Obama framed the issue as non-partisan. And he gained traction for himself by quoting Kennedy that the “great unfinished business of our society would finally pass”.
President Obama ignited a patriotic spirit… He called on members of Congress to step forward… And he challenged them to act. It remains to be seen if he has motivated Congress to put aside politics and fulfill Obama’s personal mission. We ask of our president to be a figurehead, to lead, and to inspire. When Presidents are successful, they can change the course of our nation. In the end, President Obama’s audience was not Congress. His audience was the American people and the legislative building was only the backdrop.
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