I got a little testy today over at Huffington Post with the blog, “Could This Be ‘Learning On The Job’?” But the president doesn’t seem to have a repertoire of comebacks for the kinds of bullies he deals with in Washington.
He likes the eloquent statesman approach. I like it too. Who doesn’t? But it has its time and place. And the battle over tax cuts is not the time or place to be predictably a pushover.
I suppose I should remember that his field isn’t communication. But wait, he was a debater. There are times in debate when the utmost in civility is simply the wrong path to take. Sure, you don’t lower yourself to the level of people like Rush Limbaugh, but there’s a large range between that and where the president is in his communication.
What else could he say? Here are a few disclaimers he could lead with if direct comebacks are not his style:
“I have learned that being overly polite to people with microphones who don’t have the best interests of this country at heart is not productive.”
“There are people who shout merely to be heard. I shout when it matters to people who can’t be heard unless I do.”
“There are always at least two sides to every story. But they aren’t always equally accurate.”
These are a start. Then he could lead into some pretty firm talking. It would be a breath of fresh air. He’d respect himself more for it. Try it yourself at work. It’s better than letting people walk all over you. That’s for sure.
Comebacks at Work: Using Conversation to Master Confrontation here
