Clarity for the Sake of Rhetoric

Let me be clear…

The phrase “let me be clear” has infected American, even global politics.

It was a signature effect of President Obama’s speaking style. It sounded forceful, and, well… clear. It’s a great way to get listeners to pay attention for a few seconds, maybe even get your point quoted. It’s a type of trick often taught during media training called “flagging.”

But flags become tattered in the wind. Now that it’s passed into so many speeches from so many public figures, I can’t help wondering. If you’re telling me you’re about to be clear, what the **** were you doing before that?

The reality is that what follows is rarely any more or less clear than what preceded.

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