Like a certain fictional news anchor, Martin O’Malley might read just about anything that’s on the TelePrompTer.
There was a strange moment in the Maryland governor’s “state of the state” address on Thursday. Nearing the end of his speech, O’Malley seemed to read the word “conclusion” directly off the TelePrompTer. See for yourself.
Reporter Justin Snow noted the moment on Twitter, prompting Democratic spokeswoman Lis Smith to point out that O’Malley has a habit of relying a bit too much on the device.
It was an apparent blunder worthy of Ron Burgundy, Will Ferrell’s whiskey-loving character in “Anchorman” who also had a bit of a TelePrompTer crutch.
A potential presidential candidate, O’Malley might be inviting the type of mockery that’s been aimed at President Obama for years. Republicans, O’Malley may soon discover, never tire of TelePrompTer jokes.
But an aide told the Washington Post that it was deliberate on O’Malley’s part. He is said to have picked up the technique from a Catholic priest in Annapolis, Md. to give audiences an indication that the speech is nearing its end. The Post noted that O’Malley said the word “conclusion” twice at the end of his speech at the 2012 Maine Democratic Convention (fast forward to the 20:20 mark here).
This post has been updated.
