October 10, 2014
IT'S NOT REALLY A FAIR COMPARISON:
Vocativ analyzed more than 600 presidential speeches, from George Washington to President Obama. The researchers used the Flesch-Kincaid readability test, an algorithm that calculates reading comprehension by measuring syllables as well as word and sentence counts. The algorithm assigned each speech a numerical grade from one to 21, based on these three criteria. A grade of four, for example, would mean that the speech could be understood by a fourth-grader, a grade of 12 would make a speech appropriate for high school graduates, and a 21-level speech would be suitable for someone with a PhD.Notable findings from the study included the fact that George W. Bush's speeches were one grade level above President Obama's. George Bush's State of the Union address on February 2, 2005, for example, earned a grade of 11.6, while a recent State of the Union address from President Obama earned just a 7.5.
W was one of our most effective public speakers; the UR among the least. It's largely a function of the former believing things and the latter not.
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 10, 2014 5:06 PM
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