Study: First Lady’s convention speech seven grade levels higher than Ann Romney’s

[_Kissy_]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/09/05/study-first-ladys-convention-speech-seven-grade-levels-higher-than-ann-romneys/0/The speech First Lady Michelle Obama delivered at Tuesday night’s Democratic convention read at a twelfth grade level, according to an analysis by a University of Minnesota political scientist, making it, by that measure, the most complex speech delivered by a presidential candidate’s spouse at a nominating convention.

By contrast, the speech delivered by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, checked in at a fifth grade reading level. Romney’s speech marked the lowest reading level for a spouse’s convention speech since the practice first began in 1992, according to Eeic Ostermeier, the Minnesota political scientists.

Ostermeier reached his findings using the Flesch-Kincaid readability test, a metric that rates sentence structure and difficulty of word use, and then computes numbers corresponding to grade levels to indicate how verbally advanced a given text is. For example, longer sentences and words score more points, while monosyllabic words score fewer points.

Based on that rubric, Obama’s speech posted the highest score, at 12.84, of any spouse’s convention speech since the practice began in 1992, topping her own previous high mark of 9.28—or a ninth grade reading level—she set with her speech at the 2008 Democratic Convention.

Rounding out the top five highest scoring speeches are Teresa Heinz Kerry’s 2004 speech (9.20) and Elizabeth Doles 1996 speech (8.51.)

While Mrs. Obama’s convention speech set a new high, her husband, President Obama, has delivered all three of his state of the union addresses at an eighth grade level.

[jcrew6]

Seriously?  It's come to this pettiness? The wives of the candiates are being studied?  Awesome.  

Edit *If this were a joke, ok....   But the fact that someone seriously did a study?  WOW.

[DSamuels]

While Mrs. Obama’s convention speech set a new high, her husband, President Obama, has delivered all three of his state of the union addresses at an eighth grade level.

Does that mean she's smarter than him? Or just has smarter speech writers?

[trippyhippy]

That's what happens when your side posts news stories about Mrs. Obama and how tacky her clothes are and how unclassy she is.  It make the other side want to post proof of the opposite.  So maybe you should really be commenting on those posts telling them how petty it is?

Quoting jcrew6:

Seriously?  It's come to this pettiness? The wives of the candiates are being studied?  Awesome.  

Edit *If this were a joke, ok....   But the fact that someone seriously did a study?  WOW.

[rccmom]

Most Americans read and comprehend at an 8th grade level last time I checked. So, going too high and you usually are not well understood.

[jcrew6]

My side? The Entire RIGHT side of politics endorsed the post of MO?  I don't think so.  Did a political  leader on the Right go after MO's look?  I don't think so,.  So, no.  "MY SIDE"?  What was it someone said about people being "into ignorant generalizations like some"?  LOL...  Nice job. 

Quoting trippyhippy:

That's what happens when your side posts news stories about Mrs. Obama and how tacky her clothes are and how unclassy she is.  It make the other side want to post proof of the opposite.  So maybe you should really be commenting on those posts telling them how petty it is?

Quoting jcrew6:

Seriously?  It's come to this pettiness? The wives of the candiates are being studied?  Awesome.  

Edit *If this were a joke, ok....   But the fact that someone seriously did a study?  WOW.

[jesusismyfriend]

I care because...... I know let's do a comparison between biden's speech and Ryan's speech. How much of a gap do you think there will be?

[Kmary]

Well this was goofy.  I did find it interesting that they've been checking these speeches against the readability test since 1992.  Wow. 

Suddenly dying to know what level Palin's speeches were...do "betcha" and "gotcha" even register on the test?

[Refurbished]

There has always been a strong correlation between IQ and SAT scores and political party.  Schools like Harvard and Yale that have the highest scores are almost completely democrat, but state schools with the lowest scores are predominantly republican.

Grade level of candidate speeches has always been studied.  When Washington and Lincoln did their speeches, it was at 12th grade level.  All of the candidates of our lifetime have never reached that. 

Quoting jcrew6:

Seriously?  It's come to this pettiness? The wives of the candiates are being studied?  Awesome.  

Edit *If this were a joke, ok....   But the fact that someone seriously did a study?  WOW.

[Carpy]

Seven grades higher?  Ok

[billsfan1104]

I dont think it has anything to do with grade level. I think it has everything to do with theway it was presented. Obama clearly did a better job. But she is also use to this, and also is a lawyer, so she has had practice with her speaking skills. Ann Romney has not. So I think this study is skewed. Because two different ways that they delivered, but basically the same speech.