Monday's World News concluded with a story touting how a school in Japan, which ABC failed to note is affiliated with the Washington Post Company, uses President Obama's speeches to help teach English. Anchor Charles Gibson poured on the flattery:
Finally tonight, there's the old saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well if that is the case, hundreds of students in Japan are flattering President Obama no end. That's because they're busy imitating him, all for a good reason.
After clips of adult students saying “Yes, we can,” reporter Clarissa Ward explained from Tokyo: “This is the Obama workshop at the Kaplan English School in Japan. Every week, as many as 200 students attend” where “they learn the President's speeches line by line, reciting them to their teacher.” That teacher seems to have a preference for those on the left, as Ward relayed how he “has also used speeches by Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy for his classes, but he says his students are particularly inspired by the message of Mr. Obama.”
Indeed, after noting how “Obama is very popular in Japan. During the election, there were Obama T-shirts, cookies, even an Obama burger,” Ward showed a man proclaiming in broken English: “His speech has a passion and his speech is like a song.” The teacher soon recited an Obama line he's memorized -- “To win the war, secure the peace and earn the respect of the world” -- then declared: “At the time when I first heard this, I almost cried.” In response, Ward clapped: “I just have to give you an applause there.”
As quoted above, Ward visited the “Obama workshop at the Kaplan English School in Japan.” Kaplan, an educational services company best-known for SAT-prep courses, is the profit-making division of the Washington Post Company which subsidizes the losses incurred by the flagship newspaper and Newsweek. The corporate Web site, with the Kaplan logo, touts: “Diversified Media & Education.”
Kaplan's Web site for its services in Japan is, not surprisingly, in Japanese, so I'm not clear about the exact control the New York City-based Kaplan has over its operations in Japan and the U.S. site doesn't have anything about Japan.
But the two are clearly affiliated since the Japanese site features the same blue Kaplan logo as does Kaplan's U.S. site. On the Japanese site, next to the Kaplan logo, “Certified Education Provider,” suggesting the Japanese school is an approved provider of Kaplan's lesson plans.
[UPDATE, 5:30 PM EDT March 31: The MRC's Rich Noyes pointed out to me that there is an English version of the Japanese site and it confirms my supposition that “the Japanese school is an approved provider of Kaplan's lesson plans.” The home page in English states: “KAPLAN Japan is operated by Eiko Inc. under the licensing agreement between Eiko Inc. and Kaplan Test Prep International, Inc.” The “Company Overview” page, for the Japanese site in English, explains: “Kaplan, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company, a premier provider of educational services for individuals, schools, and businesses worldwide...”]
This wasn't the first time ABC's World News has devoted air time to overseas infatuation with Obama. My January 22 NewsBusters item, “Kids Around the World on ABC: Obama Means 'Peace' & 'Yes We Can!'” recounted:
ABC's World News on Wednesday night used limited news time to feature a silly piece with soundbites from naive kids around the world sputtering beauty pageant-like simplicities about how President Barack Obama will bring "world peace" and inspires them to say "yes, we can!" Reporter Jim Sciutto touted how "we heard children around the world expressing hope and fascination with the new American President." Viewers heard a boy in Russia yearn for "peace, democracy and friendship" and a girl in the United Arab Emirates assert "he's interested in giving peace to the world and stopping wars," all before a boy from Indonesia promised: "He's going to change the world and make world peace." From Gaza, a kid hoped Obama will "prevent Israel from attacking us."
From Pakistan, Sciutto relayed, "hope for an American President with a Muslim father." A boy then wished "he can make the citizens of the U.S. recognize that we, not all Muslims are terrorists and not all terrorists are Muslims." And what story on foreign reaction would be complete without input from France? A French girl: "I think that he may stop the war in Iraq. At least I hope he will."
Sciutto ended by trumpeting how "that familiar campaign theme has gone global." Girl in South Korea: "Yes, we can." Boy in Italy: "Yes, we can." Barack Obama: "Yes, we can." Girl in France: "Yes, we can."
The story on the Monday, March 30 World News on ABC:
CHARLES GIBSON: Finally tonight, there's the old saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well if that is the case, hundreds of students in Japan are flattering President Obama no end. That's because they're busy imitating him, all for a good reason. ABC's Clarissa Ward reports from Tokyo.CLARISSA WARD: President Barack Obama may not know it-
OBAMA: Yes, we can.
MAN IN JAPAN: Yes, we can.
GROUP IN JAPAN IN UNISON: Yes, we can.
MEN IN JAPAN: Yes, we can.
WARD: -but he is teaching students in Japan how to speak English.
GROUP OF PEOPLE IN JAPAN, IN UNISON: Hello, Chicago. If there is anyone out there-
WARD: Or at least his speeches are.
OBAMA: Hope in the face of uncertainty.
MAN IN JAPAN: Hope in the face of -- uncertainty.
WARD: This is the Obama workshop at the Kaplan English School in Japan. Every week, as many as 200 students attend.
TEACHER: Earlier this evening.
WARD: They learn the President's speeches line by line, reciting them to their teacher, Makoto Ishiwata.
ISHIWATA: You're very careful, okay, but let's make it smoother.
WARD: Ishiwata has also used speeches by Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy for his classes, but he says his students are particularly inspired by the message of Mr. Obama.
Obama: Through hard work and perseverance-
GROUP IN JAPAN, IN UNISON: Through hard work and perseverance.
GROUP SHOUTING: Obama! Obama!
WARD: It's no secret that President Obama is very popular in Japan. During the election, there were Obama T-shirts, cookies, even an Obama burger. Obama's speeches have been a huge success here in Japan. The series has sold more than 600,000 copies. Every book comes with a DVD and, most importantly, a glossary to explain terms like “stop-gap measures” to Japanese readers. The students at Kaplan say that while President Obama's vocabulary can be tough, his delivery makes him easy to understand.
STUDENT IN JAPAN: His speech has a passion and his speech is like a song.
WARD: Ishiwata knows almost all of Mr. Obama's speeches by heart, down to the cadence and hand gestures.
ISHIWATA, TO WARD: “To win the war, secure the peace and earn the respect of the world.” At the time when I first heard this, I almost cried.
WARD, CLAPPING: I just have to give you an applause there.
It's a challenge for the students, but they are enjoying learning from both of their teachers. Clarissa Ward, ABC News, Tokyo.
ABCNews.com video of the story.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
WWHMTSD?
March 30, 2009 - 19:57 ET by UnsaneHis Majesty The Shahinshah, simply put, is Christ to the MSM.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
Awesome!!!
March 30, 2009 - 20:11 ET by botgi can hear them all now!!
"UHH, uhh, UUh, Uhhh, Uhhh,....."
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend,------------inside a dog it's too dark to read" ---Groucho
Darn it Bruce!
March 30, 2009 - 20:14 ET by RukusYou beat me to it! I think the Japanese already know uh, er, um, etc. LOL!
Gary
"Things can only bother you if you let them bother you" -My Dad
Obamaese!
March 30, 2009 - 20:16 ET by blazermaniacIf you listen to Obama, you would swear that only the Japanese could understand him. He doesn't make too much sense in English.
English?
March 30, 2009 - 20:22 ET by RukusI thought he spoke teleprompterese. : )
Gary
"Things can only bother you if you let them bother you" -My Dad
well Uncle Gary
March 30, 2009 - 20:21 ET by botgit really was closer to "T"-Ball than softball
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend,------------inside a dog it's too dark to read" ---Groucho
LOL!
March 30, 2009 - 20:23 ET by RukusSwing and a miss!!
Gary
"Things can only bother you if you let them bother you" -My Dad
Huh. Interesting.
March 30, 2009 - 20:32 ET by BondPlainBondI thought "ummmmm" and "errrrrr" were already international sounds.
Whatcha know about that!
Yuppers
March 30, 2009 - 20:34 ET by BondPlainBondbotg and Rukus
*thumbs up*
BarackSpeak
March 30, 2009 - 20:38 ET by ekslibBarackSpeak will be taught at the Global Speakers' Summit in Capetown, South Africa next month.
http://tinyurl.com/b...
"Rhetoric Taken to Another Level: Appreciating and Learning from BarackSpeak"
Here's the summary of the session:
(This is not a satire. It only seems like one.)
"Most people sit in awe of what Obama is able to do with the words he speaks to massive audiences. Dr. Janelle Barlow, C.S.P. will analyze Obama’s rhetoric to break down the useable components of his speaking style. Janelle will also demonstrate how actual CEO speeches can benefit from REWRITING INTO BARACKSPEAK."
Me no Grock.
March 30, 2009 - 20:45 ET by BlondeI am, however, puking.
I hope he fails, too.
Sort of like the missionaries of days gone by
March 30, 2009 - 20:41 ET by karelingReligious conversion--oops, I mean political indoctrination under the guise of teaching English.
Or is there a difference in this case?
Imitation is not the exactly
March 30, 2009 - 20:44 ET by freecitizenImitation is not exactly the highest form of flattery when it is compulsory.
Excellent point!
March 30, 2009 - 21:31 ET by GalvanicAnd as someone else posted, translating some of his off-the-cuff monologues would be quite a challenge, since we're not sure ourselves what he said.
And if they're ready for a more advanced challenge, they ought to tackle some of the gibberish uttered by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
Makes me wonder
March 30, 2009 - 20:54 ET by RD KingAre they using the ebonics, obamonics or the Tarzan method?
Every week, as many as 200
March 30, 2009 - 20:59 ET by KevroyEvery week, as many as 200 students attend” where “they learn the
President's speeches line by line, reciting them to their teacher.”
This will soon be required for all elementary students in the US. Better that they start young, so they will be well prepared for their compulsory community service in later years.
Tennis Match Effect
March 30, 2009 - 21:05 ET by slickwillie2001I see a generation of Japanese thinking that in speaking Engrish you must wag your head back and forth like Mister Ed saying 'no'. Only of course the Bamster is more like the other end of the horse.
LOL!
March 30, 2009 - 21:10 ET by Rukus"Only of course the Bamster is more like the other end of the horse."
And he spews the same as said end. : )
Gary
"Things can only bother you if you let them bother you" -My Dad
But they learn with CAUTION!
March 30, 2009 - 21:41 ET by GalvanicRecital students are checked daily by qualified lingui-physicians; those students who have experienced a "thrill up their legs" must immediately drop the Obama course and return to the anime sweat shops. Their names are also sent to MSNBC.
WARD: They learn the
March 30, 2009 - 22:12 ET by TN MomWARD: They learn the President's speeches line by line, reciting them to their teacher, Makoto Ishiwata.
ABC's Charles Gibson and 'reporter' Clarissa Ward failed to make mention of President TelePrompter, er, constant use of a teleprompter and/or acknowledge the actual speech writer!
So I guess by using SOBama
March 31, 2009 - 00:03 ET by Delsato learn English, there are alot of Japanese school children going around saying er, ah, ah, um, er, ah, um, um?
I read Japanese!
March 31, 2009 - 01:37 ET by PewahI went to the Japanese Kaplan site and then clicked on a link that said "about kaplan" (kapuran nitsuite) and on that page was a very prominent link that turned out to be dead. By shortening the URL address I accessed a page in Japanese that told all about the global educational activities that The Washington Post Company conducts. Stuff like test preparations (SAT, TOEFL, GMAT, GRE), English classes, etc.
The interesting thing to me was the list of companies held by this corporation; The Washington Post, Newsweek, Kaplan, and Slate. It's no wonder that they have institutionalized the reciting of Obama's speeches...look at the family they belong to.
The irony for me here is that one of my kids will soon be teaching English in Tokyo. He is going to blow some minds when they find out that some Americans think that Obama is anything but the messiah.
I lived in Japan for two years
March 31, 2009 - 03:30 ET by chaosmongerI lived in Japan for two years when I was in the Navy and the Japanese love a lot of things US. Even when they protested us, it was a pleasant protest.
In schools they are taught formal English, which in the real world does them little good. So they want to learn US conversational English, which is more in line how they want to communicate in the business world.
They hire Americans to teach them English and it's as simple as just basic communicating. Going to American movies, reading US papers or just sitting around and talking for an hour. With this in mind, learning Obama's speaches does little for them as to learn conversational English. If this venture is with the Washington Post Company that makes sense. Most of the Japanese wanting to learn US English, would not go the speach memorization route.
The Japanese are into trendy US things and the new president fits that mold. Most of the Japanese love the US and little has to do with politics. That is why I loved it in Japan. The Japanese never attacked us because of what our government was doing. They loved us just because we were Americans.
I have been working in
March 31, 2009 - 04:14 ET by SlicksterI have been working in Japan for thirty years and most Japanese think obama is a moron but they do get a kick out of his ears.
Isnt it wonderful?
March 31, 2009 - 18:20 ET by misterbee241And on the day Dear Leader Obamalama was born, the rain stopped and the sun came out and spread it's warmth and love all around him. The birds perched on his window and sang songs of welcome to Dear Leader Obamalama. When he cried, the sound of his voice was so sweet it hushed the bird's singing (My apologies to C. Austin Miles). And the three wise kings, Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Charles Gibson, came and knelt at his crib side and left gifts of Marlboros, arugula and Colt 45 malt liquor, having followed his star all the way from the East.
I am so sick of this Obamalama cult rubbish.
"I dont need to read a newspaper to know the world's been shaved by a drunken barber."
Walter Brennan, The Colonel, Meet John Doe, 1941