The NYTimes: They Know What Matters

In the interest of telling all the news that fits (the narrative), the NYTimes has turned its crack Democrat party relations group political journalists loose on…

Scott Walker’s accent:

Out on the presidential campaign trail, Gov. Scott Walker has left “Wiscahnsin” back home in Wisconsin. He now wants to strengthen the economy, not the “ecahnahmy.” And while he once had the “ahnor” of meeting fellow Republicans, he told one group here this week that he simply enjoyed “talkin’ with y’all.”

 

The classic Upper Midwest accent — nasal and full of flat a’s — is one of several Walker trademarks to have fallen away this month after an intense period of strategizing and coaching designed to help Mr. Walker capitalize on his popularity in early polls and show that he is not some provincial politician out of his depth.

The Times also notes, for the aid of the brain damaged, that Walker, who is running for President, has changed his focus from Wisconsin to National issues.  Thanks, Times.

NPR at least had the intellectual honesty to talk with a linguist who noted that people tend to tailor their own accents to their audiences.

Which may the reason the Times hasn’t written about this:

Or this:

But I’m going to suggest “intellectual honesty” has nothing to do with it.

9 thoughts on “The NYTimes: They Know What Matters

  1. So the Times never got around to investigating how Obama — raised in Hawaii and Indonesia — got his accent?

  2. I don’t remember ever hearing Walker say “Wiscahnsin” or “ahnor.” Then again, despite what people on the coasts think, I don’t sound like the movie Fargo or like I’m from Canada.
    Has anyone ever seen a Stephen Colbert interview where he talks about working to get rid of his accent at a very young age? He strove for the Midwest flat accent that newscasters use.

  3. Anyone remember the many iterations of Algore during his presidential run? I think it was finally determined, by some attractive young fashion consultant retainer that Algore was best suited to woodsy, Earthy colors and tones.

    The end result was featured on the cover of the Rolling Stone. It depicted Algone suitably attired and air brushed. It was referred to as the “package picture” because his “manhood” was among the after-photo added enhancements.

    Diction training is nothing compared to that …

  4. The level of intellectual analysis at the Times has sunk to:

    “He talks funny.”

  5. Joe, that was Naomi Wolf, who has more than a passing resemblance to Monica Lewinsky. She tried to get Algore to be the “alpha male” Rush/Paul Shanklin had a hilarious bit where he’s standing in front of the mirror chanting that and Tipper thinks he’s been drinking again.

    And that’s his “chakra” that was enhanced, right?

    Yeesh. I seem to be drawing a blank about the NYT mentioning the regional accents of FDR, Kennedy, Truman, Johnson, Carter, and Clinton, too.

  6. “Walker is a clean, articulate, bright ‘Sconnie.”
    I think, Night Writer, that this is the Times’ way of reminding its readers that Walker did not complete college.

  7. BB: That’s her. Naomi Wolf. Her identity had become an earworm that I’ve been trying to shake myself of since the post. Thanks for the clarification before I found myself still trying at 4AM tomorrow.

    As I recall, didn’t Algore also try to intimidate (today “bully”) some female entity he was debating, or otherwise interacting with, by supposedly leaving his podium and walking up to her and being “in her face” in what was thought to be an intimidating manner?

    Boy, this stuff makes me feel old …

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