The New South Becomes Old

Once the rising stars of the "New South" made famous on the cover of Time magazine in the 1970s, these old-timers--former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia and former Sen. David Boren of Oklahoma--have endorsed Barack Obama for president.

I'll bet when these friends and colleagues of late Sen. Lawton Chiles first saw their names listed by pundits and academics among the ranks of the "New South," they never thought they would add endorsements of the first major black presidential candidate to their legacy.

Repitition, Floating Opposites, and the One That's Different

As Toby says in West Wing, he's a speechwriter and so he knows how to build a rhythm and make a point.

More than a month ago I picked up a book for guidance on speech techniques:

Presidential Speechwriting: From the New Deal to the Reagan Revolution and Beyond
Edited by Kurt Ritter & Martin J. Medhurst
Texas A & M Press, 2003

I'll be getting to read it soon I hope. Maybe I can get some tips on how to spice up the sections of the book on right-sizing government.

Turtle Island Update

The nearby pond with the outcropping I call 'Turtle Island' has swelled after many April showers. The island is totally submerged now.

In other news, I finished studying yesterday's interview and got about 50 minutes into a new one today. I now have a total of about 50 distinct interview audio files for this book.

Halfway There

Halfway through note-taking on another hour-long interview. If I were to count up the number of times this staffer said 'you know,' 'so forth,' and 'I mean,' I suspect it would be a staggering figure.

Most of that filler I've removed from the dialogue since it really contributes nothing.

Transcribing Again

Finished note-taking on another interview with a key former staffer. Still a few more to go before the backlog is gone.