VOICES

Today NPR did a piece on the effect of voices on the electorate . While interesting and quite likely accurate, it seems a sad testimonial to people's relationship with their mothers. Senator McCain was criticized for having a soft, tired sounding voice which made him sound like an old man, coincidentally which makes him sound like who he is. Senator Obama has a strong, masculine voice and sounds like a preacher and is, therefore, very effective in getting people to listen to him. Senator Clinton has a woman's voice (what a surprise!) which our country is less used to listening to in politics, certainly on that level. She lacks the softness of Nancy Pelosi (whose voice sounds more like the nurse holding your hand and saying, "This is going to hurt but I will be right next to you holding your hand."), and when Clinton gets excited, she sounds angry. While Obama sounds like he can shout to all 30,000 at one of his events, without a microphone, there is no criticism for that. When Clinton raises her voice, trying to be heard over all the noise, hecklers, and to make a point, she sounds (said this researcher) like the scolding mother.

That people respond on a gut level to their introjected mothers rather than competence, issues, substance, experience, ability to lead, is saddening. Would it then suggest that, should she be elected, people will fight her or follow her? Only a study of the relationship to their mothers for each voter might determine that outcome. It further suggests that we behave like reactive children to the foundation in our ears set by our mothers our whole lives.

Presidential timber has been rated for many years. Apparently our voters do not recognize quality or substance if it is not delivered with the right kind of voice. Schools offer voice training.
Bush 41, it was predicted by a voice specialist, would never be elected president because of his nasal, whiny-sounding voice. Those who forget that more than one element decides a vote to a candidate are often wrong in their predictions. Accurate predictors are able to see the whole system, but they are few and don't seem to be represented in today's media.