'Mumbles' Wants to Speak - Just Lemme Talk

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Boston Herald - July 14, 2005

Just Lemme Talk - Mumbles wants to speak

Experts: Talk This Way

So Canada has "providences" and Philadelphia is an East Coast state. After three full terms, Hub Mayor Thomas M. Menino's misspeaks have become legendary.

Some say Menino has done a good job disarming critics by being the first to poke fun at himself. But he can ditch the "Mumbles" moniker just by following a few easy pointers supplied by area [Polished Social] image consultants[, Samantha von Sperling] and speech experts:

Hire a pro or, short of that, listen to broadcast newscasters such as Peter Jennings, who are trained speakers.
Take measured breaths from the diaphragm -- it brings oxygen to the brain, and reduces speech impediments.
Stand up straight, use teeth-whitening strips and hold a good pen to help stop fidgeting and flailing arms.
Do nothing. "The biggest mistake he could make is not be Tom Menino," speech expert Richard Katula said.

-- Kevin Rothstein

Mayor OK's debate -- If He Gets Time to Talk p 5

Written By Kevin Rothstein

Mayor Thomas M. Menino -- by his own admission "no fancy talka" -- has signaled he will debate his election rival on one condition: that he gets plenty of time to talk.

"There will be discussions in this campaign with my opponent," said the mayor, who has been reluctant to debate in past campaigns. "I don't believe 10-second answers really respects the issues."

But debate coaches are divided on whether the mayor mocked by critics as "Mumbles" should be looking to expand -- or limit -- his verbal jousting with opponent Maura Hennigan.

"I wish that Mayor Menino were my client," said Samantha von Sperling, owner of Polished Social Image Consultants. "If you don't come across as articulate, you don't come across as intelligent as you might be, sort of shooting yourself in the foot."

Speech consultant Dennis Becker agreed, saying, "No. 1, he does not have a good skill of being concise, and No. 2, you can't understand his words enough for him to be concise in a short period of time."

Becker's diagnosis of the mayor's infamous speaking style: Menino blends sounds within words and then strings his words together, a "horrible combination."

But Northeastern University communications professor Richard Katula said, "The thing about Tom Menino is he's been in office long enough so people are used to the way he speaks. It's almost become his signature."

Menino's slowness to embrace debates has been so frustrating to Henningan that it's enough to, in his words, "fry your nose."

The councilor at large from Jamaica Plain has started a "debate watch" counting the days since her challenge more than two weeks ago. She said she is "ready, willing and able" to meet Menino anytime, anywhere, adding, "We can have one next week."

Years ago, Menino and his aides declared: "We are not running a race for president of the debating society." He has won three consecutive mayoral elections.

Observers have said the mayor's strategy has been to accept public speaking as a weakness and to focus instead on his role as the "urban mechanic" -- plain talking and focused on his job.

"They wanted to play to his strength, which is being a neighborhood guy," Becker said.

And the mayor has continued to get reelected by simply, in his own words, "splinkin' from the heart."

This Story ran in The Boston Herald, page 5, July 14th, 2005.

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