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Ever Notice How Michelle and Barack Have the Same Campaign Trail Stutter? We Created a Video Comparison

Sep. 5, 2012 5:02pm Erica Ritz

TheBlaze’s Brendan Awerbuch contributed to this report.

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Michelle Obamas Stutter Resembles Barack Obama in DNC 2012 Speech

(Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Those who tuned in to Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday may have experienced a strange sense of familiarity. Not because she has been in the national spotlight for the past four years, but because she bore a striking resemblance to her famous husband in speech and gesture.

Perhaps it is the natural result of being together for decades. Perhaps the famous orator coached her before her speech. Either way, the similarity was uncanny.

First and foremost, as Gawker noted, the first lady spoke with a feigned stutter. The admittedly left-leaning Gawker author writes:

Michelle Obama stutters. She does not have a stutter. She stutters on purpose. “I-I-I, I’ve seen it in our men and women in uniform.” “Fr-from the young person with so much promise.” “And-and, even as a kid…”

It is a studied stutter, deployed in order to build sincerity. It is not so much a rhetorical device as an acting device. The same could be said for the presentation of almost all political convention speeches. And it is, at its core, sad.

And if you’ve listened to Barack at all over the years, you’d know he has the same thing. Don’t believe us? Here is a side-by-side example:

But the similarities don’t end there. Viewers also may have noticed on Tuesday that Michelle uses very familiar hand gestures to Barack:

And in what was perhaps the strongest resemblance, the first lady used the words “I” and “me” a staggering number of times. According to Keith Koffler, she used the two words 83 times in her 25-minute speech, or roughly 3 times a minute.

Her husband is famous for a similarly self-centered rhetorical style. In a 25-minute speech in July, for instance, President Obama referred to himself 117 times, according to CNS News. Mathematically, this means the president used the words “I” or “me” roughly 13.09 seconds.

Here is a montage of the two:

A number of people are starting to pick up on the similarities, in particular Michelle Obama’s newly-developed stutter.

Eddie Scarry compiled a list:

TIME‘s White House Correspondent Michael Scherer tweeted, “Michelle Obama’s rhetorical style leans on the intentionally stuttered word.”

Similarly, New York magazine editor Dan Amira said, “Michelle Obama’s speech would have been better if she didn’t fake-stutter every sentence for dramatic effect.”

Going balls to the wall, TWT columnist Mary Beth Hicks tweeted, “The stuttering is SO EFFING FAKE.” And Twitter personality Gourmet Spud concurred, asserting, “Michelle Obama is a great speaker, but she uses that annoying fake-stutter-at-start-of-sentence way too much.”

What did you think of the speech? Did you think the stutter was fake? If so, was it effective?

Take our poll, below:

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Comments (157)

KingCanon
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:39pm
I chose stutter as fake BUT making the speech better simply because it did for those that
are on their side of politics. It brings the O’s down to the level of their listeners. Almost
robotic and/or rehearsed to make them look like caring leaders. Many speakers do this and
it makes me sick.

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- 13th Imam
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:10pm
  Pr-Pr -Probably on the Te-Te-Teleprompter
  
  Report this comment
- Chuck Stein
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:13pm
  Yup, it is aimed at making them endearing to the listener. Synthetic prop to make them look genuine. That’s why I voted “Fake, but makes the speech better.” — it WILL fool people.
  
  Report this comment
- KyleD
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:56pm
  It might be fake, it might not be. People’s speech patterns homogenize as they spend more time together.
  
  Report this comment
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:22pm
  I guess someone taught her to SMILE, too.
  Hopefully, in November, we will hear that familiar stuttering voice we grew up with:
  “th-th-th-that’s ALL Folks!”
  
  Report this comment
- Detroit paperboy
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:32pm
  Hitler had a voice inflection coach and a hand gesture and body language coach tooooooo…….FACT.
  
  Report this comment
- twain536
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:00pm
  Ever notice how people stutter when they are trying to lie convincingly?
  
  Report this comment
- The_Cabrito_Goat
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:05pm
  I guess they’re not just an item for PR purposes like the Clintons are. They really DO spend enough time with each other, enough to rub off on one another.
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:25pm
  Elvis used to have the same ticks but his were’nt fake. I’m wondering if these pos’s are trying to copy the mannerisms of Elvis
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:35pm
  They copy what Elvis used to do because that was one of the things that people loved so much about him. BINGO
  
  Report this comment
- crr
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:03pm
  Lots of people stutter when the lie.
  
  Report this comment
- goldmankc
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:19pm
  she looks like she could whup barack’s arse
  
  Report this comment
- Freedombeliever
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:24pm
  They b-b-b-oth stut-t-t-er when lying because they have to rely on the t-t-t-t-ele-pr-ompter!
  
  Report this comment
- americaalways
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:53pm
  I should have picked ‘No, stop picking on her” I feel bad(almost) that for once mrs – let’s destroy America in our lifetime- obama (don’t fret over their poor kids, they’ll be rich hero’s in kenya when this County burns to the ground) had to dress DOWN for this appearance. She must have been worse than hillary storming through the White House screaming at everyone over her having to dress like a ‘commoner’ .
  
  Report this comment
- girlnurse
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 3:17am
  I seriously cannot listen to her or Barry…I seriously will spew. Not really them..jus when I think how dumb half the population of the country is to fall for such obvious fakery…they must laugh their arses off behind the scenes at how schtoopid Amerikans are!
  Remember this?
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8GGK5rGcKqk
  
  Report this comment
- Quiata
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 7:35am
  Ch-ch-CHARLATANS!
  
  Report this comment
- ambrosia
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 11:19am
  It’s the EXACT
  same “political stutter”
  used by the Kennedys for decades.
  
  Watch all the Kennedy clips, they ALL did it,
  they think it endears them to the common folk
  & feigns such “disturbed concern” that they can barely
  bring themselves to say the words clearly without “choking up”.
  IT’s ALL contrived & phony.
  
  Oblameo admitted to watching & “studying” all John Kennedy moves.
  That energized trot, where he picks up both paws
  and romps up on stage or down Air Force One’s stairs,
  like a show pony-
  THAT is the very move John Kennedy used.
  
  Oblameo poses like him for “deep-thinking, historical photos-
  leaning out of the Oval Office window,
  holding his hand up to his chin, contemplating-
  not Cuba & the Cold War
  but how he hoodwinked America & got away with it.
  
  He carries his suit coat over his shoulder EXACTLY like Kennedy.
  Oh yeah, one would say there is only one way to carry your suit jacket-
  actually there are many
  & Oblameo does it just like Kennedy.
  
  Whatever one thinks of John Kennedy-
  his love for country & leadership was never in question.
  That’s about the ONLY thing
  Oblameo hasn’t shoplifted & emulated…off Kennedy’s character !
  
  He’s GOT to go-
  he’s a punk marauder & a Commie manipulator.
  He’s an enemy of the state and our trusted allies.
  
  Send this embarrassing c-c-cr-creep p-p-pa-packing-
  phony stutter, phony wife, ph-ph-ph-phoney baloney and all !
  
  Report this comment
- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 2:48pm
  This is their PHONY attempt to be “humble” it stinks. They were both groomed and trained and set forth from the COMMUNIST CELL. This is one of their tricks.
  
  Report this comment
- Smith77sgtusmc
  Posted on September 7, 2012 at 2:05am
  It is rehearsed. It is called NLP neorological langauge patterns. The average person has a ten second attention span. The stutter refocusses attention. The I’s and me’s are to focus on her and the hand gestures around the face to reimforce with a mental image. You being directed to think about them. And to replace you inner voice… The who tells you that you shouldn’t do that with thiers. Problem is it works but just makes some of us angry to think about them. They use it in church too. Not the 10 second staggered sentences with the one word breaks. Maybe I just read to much.
  
  Report this comment
PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:37pm
I guess the Romney Cowards were right all along. Ron Paul Supporters are truly for Obama. It was a scam to divide us to the Dictator could win. The other sad part about this situation is that Romney is no better. I’ll never vote for some one who thinks he can kill people with out trial. Your not God so stop trying to act like it. This Country is doomed. You got two choices. A Mormon or a Muslim. I feel disgusted and the Devil won. All I have to do now is avoid you Demons Worshipers and wait for Jesus.

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- v15
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:00pm
  Christianity must continue to demonize “Mormons” as a cult of devil worshipers to survive. After all, speaking inside a mega-church, driving a Maserati, and owning a mansion is more important than the truth.
  
  Preachers are prostitutes – both give you a service you want for money. Just name your price.
  
  Report this comment
- RossPoldark
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:01pm
  Obviously you are not a Christian. Satan will never win against God. It might look like it, but God is there watching and waiting for the right moment.
  
  Report this comment
- AndySchmandy
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:30pm
  Youre a loony.
  
  Report this comment
- Detroit paperboy
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:20pm
  I’ll take the Mormon ANYDAY ……………….ANYDAY !
  
  Report this comment
- marynelle1944
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:05pm
  As a Baptist….Christian….I’m appalled at the comments of people who say they are Christians and attack Romney the way they do. No doubt in my heart he believes in God, Country and family. His faith may be different in some ways, but so are other faiths. One thing for sure you don’t hear about Mormans killng people, threatening people, etc., May God be with us on Nov. 6th and may His will be done.
  
  Report this comment
- truthnstuff
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 9:37am
  You “christians” who attack Mormons are truly hypocrites.Do you not realize that there are some 30,000 denominations in Christianity, and many within each denomination. All differing in doctrine, and some even differing in there own denomination and individual church.
  
  I am not a Mormon, not even a christtian anymore, but many of you are just like the dumbocrats, eating and destroying your won.
  
  Report this comment
Philo Beddoe
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:36pm
Their combo stutter is supposed to be endearing.

they are so phony I want to puch

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- RossPoldark
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:02pm
  It’s the Obuma zombie Koolaid.
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:31pm
  Their trying to copy the Elvis mannerisms . Can you see it
  
  Report this comment
berycuda71
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:35pm
All idiots have to pause sttuter to think of the next stupid thing to say to try to make them seem smart, a smart person knows his actions speak LOUDER than WORD’S

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- Chinishque
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:03pm
  It is the combination of trying to make a lie sound plausible and portraying a caring persona…very gross and very sad.
  
  Report this comment
- Godfather.1
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:21pm
  berycuda71
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:35pm
  
  “All idiots have to pause sttuter to think of the next stupid thing to say to try to make them seem smart, a smart person knows his actions speak LOUDER than WORD’S”
  
  A smart person knows when and when not to use an apostrophe. On the other hand, a speech impediment is not a reflection of intelligence.
  
  Report this comment
lilium479
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:35pm
Why doesn’t Moochelle talk about Larry Sinclair and O’s cocaine use…what a mom and dad.

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Rayblue
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:32pm
It’s probably like my lights when the AC kicks in.
The teleprompter blips when Debbie Shultz sticks her nose into a light socket to dry her **** and obama and the horse he rode in on think it’s what they’re supposed to say. If not, it’s the most childishly irritating ploy to sound overcome with the sobs.
Actually, I use a version of this to drive my wife up the wall. She pretends to ignore me but I know better. She’ll cut my brakes someday.

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nzkiwi
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:27pm
I don’t know about this idea.

Married couples can often pick up each others mannerisms. Family members can also have some common speech habits.

This doesn’t seem like a big deal to me.

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- Dodecahedron
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:47pm
  She didn’t do this (stutter) before… why now?
  
  Report this comment
bobby12
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:26pm
An educated person usually has better speaking skills than these two………….especially someone who is an attorney and trained to speak in front of people.

Most educated people are also more “refine” than these two.

If I didn’t know better, I would never believe they finished college!!!

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- ignatzz
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 6:48pm
  [An educated person usually has better speaking skills than these two…]
  
  She just blew people away with her speaking skills, in case you didn’t notice.
  
  Report this comment
isur5ed
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:25pm
It was so apparent in the speech last night that I wondered if they somehow wrote it in to the teleprompter. Like a “blue” font means to stutter the first syllable of the sentence. Or maybe they actually write it in – “L-le-le-le-let me tell you here . . .”
That said. She really did an amazing job. Better than 99.8% of American’s at public speaking. Gotta give her props for that. Just tell her speech coach to teach them to use it more sparingly.

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- isur5ed
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:36pm
  For those who say it is natural . . . I would just point to the way they turn it on for moments of sincerity and turn it off for moments of powerful speech. A very pronounced difference. I’ve done some public speaking over the years too and when you originally write the speech, you have true feeling behind the words. But when it is time for delivery, after having practiced it over and over again, the presentation often ends up incorporating some unnatural emotion – though it may have been perfectly natural and present the first time you crafted the words. On the other had, when I speak, I purposely try to put on no heirs – because it bugs me so much when I see others do it. Which is why I felt compelled to read this article in the first place. :0)
  
  Report this comment
TheEDGE
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:22pm
Thanks Blaze. Nothing like a little torture on a Wednesday afternoon. You guys should have dubbed in a clip of Oprah hocking a loogie, just for kicks.

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fobama
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:19pm
What happen to those wonderful 2008 speeches when the teleprompter was on fire, with hope an change!

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- PutMoreOnMyPlate
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:29pm
  It seems to be glitching.
  
  Report this comment
- booger71
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:01pm
  They switched the teleprompter to wind power, thus the power glitches.
  
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restoretheusa
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:18pm
I say I say, maybe they are fans of Foghorn Leghorn!

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- OlefromMN
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:29pm
  More like Jimmy Stewart. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU9onCxssDM
  
  Report this comment
Mapache
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:18pm
Another famous stutterer, Forest Gump, warned us about these two, “life is like a box of chocolates….” Boy, we didn’t know what we were getting and I sure didn’t like it when we found out!

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- Ramrod64
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:30pm
  I agree.
  
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wingnut1955
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:17pm
I…I…I didn’t watch it.

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- JAMACAMECRAZYMAN
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:22pm
  Uh Uh Uh Uh – I didn’t either
  
  Adaba Adaba Adaba – That’s all barack…………
  
  Report this comment
- yancie
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:25pm
  same , same , same . Here
  
  Report this comment
- SITDOWNANDSHUTUP
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:49pm
  uhbuhdee…..uhbuhdee…..uhbuhdee………that’s all folks !!!
  
  Report this comment
- marynelle1944
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:07pm
  I didn’t watch. Why watch and listen to someone who has already shown their true colors. Too bad those so in awe of these two can’t see the forrest for the trees.,
  
  Report this comment
- NancyBee
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 11:19am
  l—l—-l—l—-lol!!
  
  Report this comment
Tri-ox
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:14pm
Hating America is hard on the brain – these two commies are going to have heads full of mush before they’re evicted from OUR White House in January.

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- Betty Kidd
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:10pm
  “is going” ?, they are there.
  
  Report this comment
762x51
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:13pm
And why shouldn’t a brother and sister share a stutter?

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Small World
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:13pm
Match made in hell. Lies.

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spirited
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:13pm
Michelle
Barack
Gibbs
Rice
Jarret

They all get and lose the same (exact) pause of a stutter.
They also all do that, “Um” & “Uh” thing too.

>Michelle “Mom and chief” plans toUm, Uh ~~> run for President in 2016 (betcha)!

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Exidor
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:13pm
Maybe the teleprompters stutter and they’re just reading them that way? lol

It was so obvious and annoying. Same coaching.

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Slayer
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:12pm
If the Obamas could get a dollar for every time they say “I” or “Me”, we’d have the deficit paid off in no time!

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- GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:24pm
  Good plan. But, what about if you include a penny for every lie they said the last four years?…I think you’ll have some extra chage in the end….maybe even for 20 years of Medicaid funding!
  
  Report this comment
- TheEDGE
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:34pm
  A dime for every time they blame Bush and we could make social security work for eternity.
  
  Report this comment
AnOregonian
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:10pm
Did Barry give her an i pod of his speeches too?

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Slayer
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:10pm
Ever notice how Barack and ME-Chelle are both America-hating, lying, incompetent Marxists?

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- CatB
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:33pm
  YUP!
  
  c
  
  Report this comment
omahawildcat
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:07pm
Barack and Michelle no doubt have the same speech coach. They have the exact inflections and timing.

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Busy Marie
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:07pm
The same speech writers and teleprompters.

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Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 5:06pm
People trying to keep lies straight have to think about what they say.

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- Ihatecommies
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 8:39am
  Ba-ba-both are uh-uh-uh-uh-uh ma-ma-ma-moonbats f-f-f-from P-P-Planet St-St-Stupid!
  
  When are we going to start call the left EXACTLY what they are…Commies. On Dec. 4, 2010, Joe Sims, co-editor of the Communist Party USA online magazine “Peoples World” stated among other things “the possibility that the communists may be able to “capture’ the Democratic Party entirely.” Read that slowly and carefully…”the possibility that the communists may be able to “capture’ the Democratic Party entirely.”
  
  Sims is a proud little Commie. He goes on to brag that among other things, “heightened class and democratic struggle…all have combined to produce an unprecedented situation – and opportunity.”
  
  The New World Order (Communists, Progressives, Socialists, Democrats) have been in an all out frontal attack to frame the current political debate as one of class? Clearly even the ones seeking to wage this struggle freely admit that is their effort and how said effort is an “opportunity” for them?
  
  Just like every Uhhbama-loving Commie, they get caught stealing your soul from ya and then deny they were caught red handed, daring to demand, “you gonna believe me … or ya gonna believe your lying eyes?”
  
  Report this comment

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