Anyone Else Notice the 'Public Speaker Posse' Gambit?

So lately I've been noticing that anytime someone gets up in front of a microphone, be it the President, or some military type speaking, or a Sheriff announcing the most recent crime wave, often they'll have a bunch of people who look obviously staged standing in behind them?

Sometimes it's military in the case of the Prez or a General, in which case the poor pawns tend to look uncomfortable but like they were ordered to do it, and not make any faces.

Other times it's other policemen behind the main guy... they rarely speak or are asked to further answer a question, and I've wondered what is the point?

I always, ALWAYS, end up paying more attention to these background people than I do to the main speaker. I wonder how the heck they got up there, who picked them, are they worried about being in the line of fire if there's an assassination attempt... all sorts of things. Sometimes they'll be making faces (or almost fainting like that one woman did behind Obama) and it makes for this whole 'nuther level of curiousness. One that in particular stands out was the State Police standing behind Wayne Carver, the CT coroner after Sandy Hook. You could see them get more and more antsy, or appalled, or something, as the disaster of a press conference continued.

I just can't figure out what's the point, from the POV of the public opinion handlers and PR guys; is it to make it look like everybody 'stands behind' Obama et al? Or to offer more protection around them than the Secret Service can? (!) What?

Anyone?

reply to post by signalfire


I'm kind of the same. I don't see the point of having so many background people, and usually all men. In general they always begin by praising each other and doing a first responders hooha before addressing the news item. I think that visual is to impress the public with how many people are supposedly working on the problem. Get a good look, because those people are the ones with the high salaries and good pensions.

When you see that, they are trying to make an "ad populum" argument (which is a fallacy). The speaker is trying to say that because these people behind me believe me, you should believe me too.

It's good old fashion soviet psychology. Once your wise to these tricks, they'll never work again.

Knowing argumentative fallacies is the first step in seeing through the charade. Another one which might fit your scenario is "Appeal to Authority". Because this person behind me is an expert in the field, what I'm saying must be true. The speaker never goes into specifics, but just acknowledges the authority who told him what to think on the issue. Below is a link to some of the more common fallacies which are useful to know.


writingcenter.unc.edu...

reply to post by signalfire


So the bat crap crazy shooter in the audience has a greater choice of targets, thereby making better odds for the main speaker to not get harmed.

They are the sucker crowd.

Des

reply to post by signalfire


I have not noticed this. What is the point of going to a meeting or listening to a speech on the TV If you're not going to be paying attention ? If all you're going to do is watch the other people on the stage. For that matter Usually if anyone is on the stage they are also speakers or are getting an award and rarely are people just there to fill up a stage. Last time I watched a speaker on stage in person was probably when I watched my son get the honor roll last June . The principal was on stage then a keynote speaker, some reverand and then their class president. The principal introduced the keynote speaker then left the stage. He returned to introduce the class president then left the stage again.
I pulled up the video of Pres. Obama's last state of the union address and the only ones on the stage with him was Joe Biden and John Boehner. Hardly the armed guard. No soldiers or anything.
Lastly, how often to you have these thoughts about assassination attempts ? That alone is troubling.

reply to post by Sandcastler


So this is everyone who ever gets on a stage to make a speech or has this thread become about the President again.... another gripe session. It figures.

reply to post by Destinyone


Really? So everyone who makes a speech is at risk of being shot at? No it's about the president once more. Talk about thread drift. Why don't we change the title or the OP to reflect that and not about anyone in general who happens to make a speech ?