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Politico Pimps Study That Shows President Obama’s SOTU Written At 8th Grade Reading Level

by Tommy Christopher | 6:40 pm, January 25th, 2012

» 65 comments

In this age of word-counting and laughter-tabulating for clicks, there are worse things you could do than assess the reading level of a president’s State of the Union address. Politico is pushing a study that shows that President Obama’s three SOTU speeches were written at an 8th-9th grade reading level, based on the Flesch-Kincaid standard. Aside from deciding what conclusions to draw from this, is this measure any less arbitrary than word-counting?

From Politico:

President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address again rated at an 8th grade comprehension level on the Flesch-Kincaid readability test — the third lowest score of any State of the Union address since 1934.

The University of Minnesota’s Smart Politics conducted an analysis on the last 70 State of the Union addresses and found that President Obama’s three addresses have the lowest grade average of any modern president. “Obama‘s average grade-level score of 8.4 is more than two grades lower than the 10.7 grade average for the other 67 addresses written by his 12 predecessors,” they conclude.

The study also notes that writing to a lower grade level isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The average American reads at an 8th or 9th grade level, right in the President’s SOTU wheelhouse, so as the audience for the address has shifted over time, from Congress to the American people, attenuating the speech to that audience is not only wise, it’s egalitarian (although it still leaves out the entire audience of Wheel of Fortune).

You could also draw the conclusion, if you were so inclined, that the President is talking down to people. If this result had been for George W. Bush‘s SOTU addresses, his detractors would doubtless have concluded he wasn’t capable of more.

On its own, however, the entire exercise seems arbitrary: (empasis mine)

“The Flesch-Kincaid test is designed to assess the readability level of written text, with a formula that translates the score to a U.S. grade level. Longer sentences and sentences utilizing words with more syllables produce higher scores. Shorter sentences and sentences incorporating more monosyllabic words yield lower scores,” the University of Minnesota’s Eric Ostermeier explains.

By this measure, the song Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious would probably clock in at around Stephen Hawking’s grade level. By contrast, The Art of War is written in very short sentences, with few syllables, but I wouldn’t want to hand it to a third-grader. The study itself notes some of the ways its score can be skewed:

Dragging down Obama’s Flesch-Kincaid score are the series of short sentences written – perhaps for dramatic effect – on a number of policy issues.

On the state of the American auto industry:

“We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry is back.”

On the need to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure:

“So much of America needs to be rebuilt. We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges. A power grid that wastes too much energy.”

On the importance of passing a payroll tax break extension:

“There are plenty of ways to get this done. So let’s agree right here, right now: No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay.”

On remembering the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden:

“All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves.”

You get the idea.

By themselves, tools like this scale, or word-counting/clouding, are of little, if any, value. The true effect of a speech like this is difficult to measure, and even harder to convey.

barack obama, Flesch-Kincaid, Politico, SOTU

Gloves RipRock Donahue

So the speech flew right over the heads of the O.J. jury…uh…I mean Obama supporters.
Gloves RipRock Donahue

After the speech, Joe Biden suggested if Obama is reelected, that they invite Abe Lincoln’s secretary, Tiffany, to sit with Mrs. O. next year.

The seats are already promised to Chicago pals Tony R., Bill and Bernardine A.. Jeremiah W. and Rod B. and Louis F. So, too late, Joe.
val smith

I guess that means Republcans are the Simi Valley Jury.

Now that makes a lot of sense.
val smith

Yawn.

Despite yours and Sean Hannity’s fevered dreams and fondest wishes those attavcks didn’t work in 2008.

And they ain’t working now.
Charles Ulysses Feney

8th grade reading level means it went over the heads of 75% of the American TV brain dead public.
http://gregingleright.weebly.com/ Greg

More important than the average length of the Presidents spoken sentences are the fountains of fiction that flow from his opponents. The pesident spoke clearly. His detractors spoke falsely.
Anonymous

He has to use short sentences because he knows it will be interrupted often with applauses.
Anonymous

Beat me to it.
Anonymous

Beat me to it.
WiddleBabyDanielson

RACIST PASTOR.
Anonymous

I want the president to speak to us at our level but, I have to realize tea-party folks are watching also.
Anonymous

Hey, Tommy what’s your real name!? We are to take your “birdcage liner” articles seriously, when you won’t even use your real name?.
News Of The World

Well, when more than half the room are Republicans, you definitely need to dumb it down for them. Even then, though, they’re too busy drooling…
Anonymous

well well well….seems some of you tparty republicans have forgivin politico…i recall all the bad names like leftist rag and obamabots that you were calling them after they exposed your Uncle Ruckus 9-9-9 Cain for the lying cheating sexual harassing fake pokemon mimic he was……OBAMA IN A LANDSLIDE…..and even at an 8th grade level the presidents speech WAS STILL way to intellectual for many republicans to comprehend
Henry Wood

This is just another sign that the president is trying to be bipartisan.
Anonymous

right over the heads of the Fox audience-not enough repetition.
Anonymous

I was a technical writer for many years, and it was a standard rule to write to the 7th grade level (assuming the reader would understand the technical terms if the audience was the engineering staff). Newspapers regularly write to the 5th grade level. They need for people to be able to skim the paper and get, and digest, the news as quickly as they can. It’s no big deal.
Anonymous

Are you going to kill yourself when Obama gets re-elected?
Anonymous

What’s your real name loser?
Anonymous

What’s your real name loser?
Ben Dover

Even when written at an eighth grade level, the speech was incomprehensible to some, judging from Boehner’s reaction. I guess if the sentence doesn’t contain the words “tax cuts”, “class warfare”, “protecting the sanctity of marriage” and “drill, baby, drill”, it cannot be understood by GOP members of the Congress.
Anonymous

The eighth grade level was written to allow the TEA-GOP-Republicans to better understand the president thoughts and actively convey to them they should really try harder.
Anonymous

I really like this site, its such a nice site.

Gynecology Instruments
http://profile.yahoo.com/W2NA4JJMKXJTTQNYKS77U6Y3FU Ossama

How is this test arbitrary if it’s applied evenly to other speeches? My guess is that the comprehension level of this writer is on a similar level. The Prez can’t even be as nuanced or honest as Mad Magazine. Go to Mad for transparency – go to Obama for closeted deceit.
http://twitter.com/dry_oatmeal dry oatmeal

Remember everyone, do not point out the typical latent racism in this post. That would be what right wingers call “playing the race card” which actually makes you the racist, you racist pro-civil rights progressives, you.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mary-Bechthold/1380381077 Mary Bechthold

Apparently not. According to the CBS Pol taken, 91% of voters approved his speech.
http://twitter.com/Samuel_Bun Samuel_Bun

Fox will repeat from the speech what the viewers need to know over and over and…
expatpatriot

Effective oratory is clear, punchy, and unadorned. Obama apparently knows this.
Anonymous

I used to watch to deternine the number of clapping interruptions. Where is Brian Williams when you need him?
Anonymous

Are insults all you have??? Typical liberal trolls
Anonymous

More insults. Can’t you do better???
Anonymous

More insults. Do you realize how desperate you sound???
Anonymous

More Insults. Cheesy at best.
Anonymous

You mean like the way the Lame Stream Media praised it.
Anonymous

Outstanding Gloves. But they will have to all meet in Chicago at the next community organizers conference. Barry will be Bye Bye in 2013
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ERDSZOOPOITNDF3GS45TPSRZP4 Jeff

Tommy, did you get your DNC check yet this week. You’re doing a great job protecting the Prez.
Pablo

“Pimps”, Tommy? I don’t recall that kind of talk out of you when Politico was pimping Cain “accusers”?

http://legalinsurrection.com/2011/11/politico-v-herman-cain-in-numbers/
Pablo

Yeah, this speech is so damned good it’s the third year in a row he’s given it.
Pablo

^^^This makes no sense.^^^
Anonymous

A checklist for a night in Tommie’s mom’s basement:

Lotion-check
kleenex-check
MSNBC-check
Current TV-check
Anonymous

Wouldn’t be nice if Obama could put class warfare aside and invite a hero from the military or someone a little more inspirational than a billionaires secretary who makes between 200-500k per year. It is shameful what dishonesty this man gets away with. Anyone who knows the tax code knows that this whole Buffet rule is nothing but a canard.
Anonymous

The essentials for night in Tommies basement:

1. Lotion
2. Kleenex
3. one sock
4. turn on msnbc or current tv
Anonymous

Too bad the little dictator couldn’t use this event to honor a soldier who sacrificed for our country.
Anonymous

Tommie what part of the speech did the climax come?
Tim Howe

“”pimps”?!

tommy is such a fanboi…
Holistic

Republican reply written at 14th grade level. Now we know just how stupid you have be to become a Democrat.
Anonymous

For the record, the vast majority of newspapers are written for a 5th grade reading level.

The question is not the grade level it is written at, it’s are you communicating effectively?

From all I’ve seen in the press and polls, the President communicated very effectively.

The stricken looks on the faces of Boehner & McConnell’s proved that.
Anonymous

For the record, the vast majority of newspapers are written for a 5th grade reading level.

The question is not the grade level it is written at, it’s are you communicating effectively?

From all I’ve seen in the press and polls, the President communicated very effectively.

The stricken looks on the faces of Boehner & McConnell’s proved that.
http://www.facebook.com/tonykoch1 Tony Koch

obama can only read his teleprompter if there are short words on it…. since nothing comes from the heart it only comes from the prompter…..
Anonymous

Obama compared to W and Perry,Obama is Einstein.
Anonymous

Would you like some cheese with your whine?
Anonymous

he was talking too the community he was an organizer for….bwaaahaaa.
Anonymous

Did someone shit in your cornflakes this morning?
Anonymous

pablo, is this all you do? r u a paid dem operative? actually you should ask the dnc to give you at least one if not two more puters. the name is smeared all over this thread. just wait more pablo’s will be coming out in full force…BTW, is there going to be a web room where just obama lovers are going to meet again this prez cycle? I got the last web addy but I know it’s not going to be used this time. I was wondering if you could leak out the addy? I want to know all the lies/.smears before they come out..thanks in advance
Anonymous

starting a class warfare! wonder what country he’s headed to, after, he makes his millions like clinton. as a matter of fact,please take the clintons with you…or, are you afraid they will steal you blind too.
Anonymous

I seriously doubt any rich guy is paying his secretary $200k. Most rich people I know are very stingy with their money.
Anonymous

Oh, so you can get up in front of the world and give an hour long speech on several different complex subjects. Please. Better a teleprompter than screw up speeches like GB, Jr.
expatpatriot

Well, of course that’s factually untrue, but no matter.

To the essence of your snark, repetition is very useful in teaching the young and also adult learners who may be somewhat inflexible in their thinking.
Anonymous

When I worked for the
department of the Army I had to write policy and procedures at the fith grade level.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_34VQ3NDNOFFUF6R7ALXY6O33S4 Cal

That’s not what the State of the Union is about, moron.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_34VQ3NDNOFFUF6R7ALXY6O33S4 Cal

He was trying to make it understandable to all Americans. Even the Teanderthals. Unfortunately for them, 8th grade level wasn’t dumbing it down enough. Most Teanderthals are closer to kindergarten level.
http://twitter.com/runforfun54 American

You’re a racist pig.
http://twitter.com/runforfun54 American

Uh, no, a poll is taken of AMERICANS …. has nothing to do with media response. Jeeze, r u really that ignorant?
http://twitter.com/runforfun54 American

this is rich … coming from the person (YOU) who claims that 90% approval rating from Americans in a CBS poll refers to media approval. Who’s sounding desperate?
http://twitter.com/runforfun54 American

My guess is that most of the Right Wingers here get their news from USA Today, written at the 5th grade leve.