Off the cuff, not off target
The past few months have been very interesting to keen watchers of the Zambian political scene. Precisely the president's public speeches have been a marvel to watch as they have taken on not only an unprecedented level of informality but depending on which side you are, have elicited roughly one of of two reactions.
Firstly those in the opposition have been tuning their ears in the hope (which is almost always fulfilled) of catching an 'off the cuff' comment from the president. Since ascending to power in September last year he has not disappointed in serving up a few choice remarks, off the cuff.The opposition have used these to various degrees of success to mercilessly taunt, mock and ridicule the government and in parliament and the local dailies. You almost feel for the government who are making a genuine effort to put a positive spin on the same.
In is not surprising that the second reaction comes from the people in the president's camp who are hoping that he does not stray into an 'off the cuff' comment and as such prevent hours of trying to put a positive spin on the president's sentiments.
Some of the comments that have attracted such reactions include the following (this list is not exhaustible). The president's 'speech' during his meeting with Zambians resident in Botswana in which he made a number of comments that are very difficult to categorise. Indeed one would have a hard time distinguishing some of the comments from political satire. He has made similar comments when swearing-in ministers, key government officials and even during press conferences. One gets the justifiable feeling that his assistant for press relations' spinning machine is now working overtime. During such times, he has variously called foreign affairs minister Given Lubinda 'a tourist attraction because of his colour', said 'Botswana only has two shops', justice minister Sebastian Zulu's report 'useless, among others. Prompting one parliamentarian to as the vice president whether he has had a word with the president over the same, to the usual laughter and heckling. Being white, I imagine his face became red.
Of course Zambia's president is not the only one whose off the cuff comments have attracted deep interest. The US president Barack Obama has had a few of those like the time he thought he was whispering to outgoing Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, oblivious to the fact that the microphone was still on and broadcasting every word? Or have people forgotten the catalogue of some of the most famous off the cuff comments, emanating from the controversial figure of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi? If you have to, try googling them and you will be surprised at the catalogue that you unearth.
The question though is whether off the cuff comments should simply be dismissed as the casual straying of the eye away from the prepared speech. Or simply an attempt by a leader to personally engage his audience but using the wrong choice of words. Could it be that, as in the case of Obama, an audience overhearing a conversation that they had no business doing so, and that only made possible by some misbehaving technology?
I tend to take the view that we do not need to be dismissive of so called off-the cuff comments. In any case, they tend to reveal more and actually have the potential to reveal more than any formally prepared speech ever will. Off the cuff comments present the leader in the most natural light. Forget the words professionally stringed by PR advisors, forget the speeches fine-tuned in advance for the occasion. Off the cuff remarks are actually 'the truth as it needs to be told'. At least from the president's perspective.
Carefull! stay on the cuff!
Off the cuff remarks will teach you a lot more about your leaders than six of their biographies combined. These comments also serve to confirm what people know but conveniently choose to forget or ignore; that leaders are human beings. They have emotions, they are not all knowing, they can make serious gaffe's and are at times clueless. In fact, take their speech away from them, most will will not even know where to start from. It therefore comes as a relief when leaders informally volunteer information to the public, information which in most cases is only revealed in the sanctum and secrecy of cabinet meetings and behind office doors. They give us a glimpse behind the facade and sometimes charade of suits, pomp and ceremony, and into the sometimes cavalier and jocular ways that characterise some government operations even at the highest possible level.
This then brings us to the sobering conclusion that 'off the cuff' remarks are the most honest and truthful. You are better off taking them more seriously than you do those structured speeches. Some shrewd politicians have actually ensured the acceptability of certain policies is tested, by systematically easing public opinion their way through constant and deliberate 'throwing around' of off the cuff remarks. Call it a sort of testing of the waters, a diversion or strategy. It helps turn the public'c imagination in your direction and suddenly the absurd will not seem that much any more. Look at some contentious laws and policies that have ever been passed. Follow the audit trail, and you will find at the root, a number of off the cuff remarks that were used to direct public opinion that way.
In short, off the cuff remarks should not be dismissed. In fact you are better off dismissing a well written speech instead. Let us encourage our leaders to make off the cuff remarks as they help us learn alot about our leaders.
Firstly those in the opposition have been tuning their ears in the hope (which is almost always fulfilled) of catching an 'off the cuff' comment from the president. Since ascending to power in September last year he has not disappointed in serving up a few choice remarks, off the cuff.The opposition have used these to various degrees of success to mercilessly taunt, mock and ridicule the government and in parliament and the local dailies. You almost feel for the government who are making a genuine effort to put a positive spin on the same.
In is not surprising that the second reaction comes from the people in the president's camp who are hoping that he does not stray into an 'off the cuff' comment and as such prevent hours of trying to put a positive spin on the president's sentiments.
Some of the comments that have attracted such reactions include the following (this list is not exhaustible). The president's 'speech' during his meeting with Zambians resident in Botswana in which he made a number of comments that are very difficult to categorise. Indeed one would have a hard time distinguishing some of the comments from political satire. He has made similar comments when swearing-in ministers, key government officials and even during press conferences. One gets the justifiable feeling that his assistant for press relations' spinning machine is now working overtime. During such times, he has variously called foreign affairs minister Given Lubinda 'a tourist attraction because of his colour', said 'Botswana only has two shops', justice minister Sebastian Zulu's report 'useless, among others. Prompting one parliamentarian to as the vice president whether he has had a word with the president over the same, to the usual laughter and heckling. Being white, I imagine his face became red.
Of course Zambia's president is not the only one whose off the cuff comments have attracted deep interest. The US president Barack Obama has had a few of those like the time he thought he was whispering to outgoing Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, oblivious to the fact that the microphone was still on and broadcasting every word? Or have people forgotten the catalogue of some of the most famous off the cuff comments, emanating from the controversial figure of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi? If you have to, try googling them and you will be surprised at the catalogue that you unearth.
The question though is whether off the cuff comments should simply be dismissed as the casual straying of the eye away from the prepared speech. Or simply an attempt by a leader to personally engage his audience but using the wrong choice of words. Could it be that, as in the case of Obama, an audience overhearing a conversation that they had no business doing so, and that only made possible by some misbehaving technology?
I tend to take the view that we do not need to be dismissive of so called off-the cuff comments. In any case, they tend to reveal more and actually have the potential to reveal more than any formally prepared speech ever will. Off the cuff comments present the leader in the most natural light. Forget the words professionally stringed by PR advisors, forget the speeches fine-tuned in advance for the occasion. Off the cuff remarks are actually 'the truth as it needs to be told'. At least from the president's perspective.
Off the cuff remarks will teach you a lot more about your leaders than six of their biographies combined. These comments also serve to confirm what people know but conveniently choose to forget or ignore; that leaders are human beings. They have emotions, they are not all knowing, they can make serious gaffe's and are at times clueless. In fact, take their speech away from them, most will will not even know where to start from. It therefore comes as a relief when leaders informally volunteer information to the public, information which in most cases is only revealed in the sanctum and secrecy of cabinet meetings and behind office doors. They give us a glimpse behind the facade and sometimes charade of suits, pomp and ceremony, and into the sometimes cavalier and jocular ways that characterise some government operations even at the highest possible level.
This then brings us to the sobering conclusion that 'off the cuff' remarks are the most honest and truthful. You are better off taking them more seriously than you do those structured speeches. Some shrewd politicians have actually ensured the acceptability of certain policies is tested, by systematically easing public opinion their way through constant and deliberate 'throwing around' of off the cuff remarks. Call it a sort of testing of the waters, a diversion or strategy. It helps turn the public'c imagination in your direction and suddenly the absurd will not seem that much any more. Look at some contentious laws and policies that have ever been passed. Follow the audit trail, and you will find at the root, a number of off the cuff remarks that were used to direct public opinion that way.
In short, off the cuff remarks should not be dismissed. In fact you are better off dismissing a well written speech instead. Let us encourage our leaders to make off the cuff remarks as they help us learn alot about our leaders.
''Let us encourage our leaders to make off the cuff remarks as they help us learn alot about our leaders.....'' Nice piece bo Keith.
ReplyDeleteIn Zambia's case,however, the greatest mistakes so far have been made when the 'great leader' has made off the cuff remarks.Not once, not twice. But every time. Should we encourage him to continue doing this...............?
Great stuff Keith!
ReplyDeleteKeep on writing.