09.29.2008 11:41 am
Thinking vs. knowing
Post-Dispatch multimedia designer Erica Smith created word clouds based on the candidates statements during Friday night’s debate.
The clouds graphically represent the frequency with which specific words are used. The larger the word, the more often it was used by the speaker.
You can find the word cloud for Arizona Sen. John McCain here.
The word cloud for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is here.
John G. Carlton is an editorial writer who covers health care, science, the environment and public utilities. Before joining the editorial page, "Doc" was the newspaper's medical writer for four years. He has also worked at newspapers in Connecticut and New York. He's fond of heavy sarcasm and light anti-tank weapons. He lives in west St. Louis County with his wife, Martha Madigan, their daughter Ana and an overly enthusiastic Australian Shepherd dog, Savannah. 
Obama link doesn’t work.
Erica Smith, who created these word clouds, notes that “economy” only shows up in Obama’s cloud, while 9/11 only shows up with McCain.
I just made a fix a moment before you posted, Nick. It’s working now from my computer. Please try again and let me know if it’s still down on yours.
Fixed now, thanks. I thought perhaps the lack of an Obama word cloud was a sinister plot by the Post to torpedo Obama’s campaign.
Funny that the word cloud doesn’t mention “Jim” or “Tom” the two other names that Obama called John - couldn’t he remember who he was debating?
He’s a little young for that, besides not being able to remember the name of the fallen soldier on his wristband.