Best political consultant
Michael Shadow
When local politicos want to say it right, they call Michael Shadow. Trained in classical rhetorical theory, he has taught the discourses of the ancient Greeks to students at the University of Illinois and the UW. But he currently makes a living showing candidates how to put words together at forums and interviews. He has worked with a majority of the current City Council, plus state and federal officeholders. Shadow likens the printed word to a photograph and the spoken word to a caricature--although the photograph presents more visual information, the caricature uses a few lines to create a more powerful, dramatic image. Speakers must learn to "cue" statements--tipping their listeners verbally that something important is about to be said. Working with videotaped mock interviews and debates, he teaches candidates to recognize and modify the message an audience is receiving visually, vocally, and verbally. So how is it that candidates who aren't good public speakers manage to get elected anyway? "Speaking is not the ultimate--it's one of the components of the mix," Shadow says, "like telling the truth and caring and believing what you say."
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