Impassioned? Selling Your Candidacy? Or Just Freaking Out?

I was compelled to re-post this video, originally featured on the Huffington Post website. It features Councilman Phil Davison of Minerva, Ohio, making a fiery speech at the Stark County Republican Party’s executive committee meeting to select a nominee to run for Stark County treasurer.

You can’t deny that this man has passion.  But what’s behind this passion? Is it sincere?  Or is it simply a “I’ve got to shake up my listeners at all costs!” type of presentation? Notice how he tries to walk away from the podium, only to go back 3 seconds later to look at his notes; how he puts up a random number of fingers to signify the 13 years of experience he has. At around 1:20, he angrily states, “I will not apologize for my tone of voice tonight,” but never quite explains why he seems so angry, or why he continues to yell at his audience. If you’re going to go for the the “I’m mad, and I’m just not going to take it anymore!” tactic, at least make it clear why. He seems to get so caught up in the emotions of his speech that it even becomes too difficult to remember a 7-word quote from Albert Einstein.

There’s more… but once you watch the video, it’ll be fairly clear to you exactly how he might have been a lot more effective by trying to be a lot less impassioned.

Davison did not get the nomination.

This video also appeared in Stark County Political Report, Martin Olson’s blog about Stark County Ohio