Commentators have criticized Kerry for “stepping on his applause lines” during his acceptance speech. I welcomed it.

I believe that most politicians allow themselves too many applause lines and let the applause go on for too long. (This happens most annoyingly at the National Conventions and the State of the Union addresses.)

The excessive length and occurrence of applause has two negative consequences for the speaker’s political interests. First, it makes politicians look overly satisfied with their selves. I would like to think that most Americans do not like politicians and do not think they deserve the adulation. Second, it is the television equivalent of what radio calls “dead air”: it enhances viewer opportunities to change channels.

Be it calculation or accident, I do not think it harmed Kerry, and it may work in his favor.

Jonathan Dresner - 8/3/2004

There are two caveats: one is that the enthusiasm of the crowd (this was a rally, after all, not a seminar) was not allowed to flourish; second, that it made him look rushed (which he was) and therefore underprepared. They should have warned the crowd in advance that they needed to be more restrained, and pipe back down when he started back up.

But I tend to agree that the 'rally-speech' style with frequent pauses for (functionally required) audience participation is a poor vehicle for communicating with people who are not actually at the rally, and for communicating anything of any complexity.