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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Reasoning and Clarity is 69. The grade is held to 45, 30 above Signal. Reasoning rests on 2 conclusions, too few to hold the grade down. 45 / 100, held down by Signal
Signal
15 / 100
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Relevance
–
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Reasoning
93 / 100
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Respect
–
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Clarity
100 / 100
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A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.
Claims 15% Anecdote 67% Positioning 16% Procedure 2%
Structure · 12 steps
Claims · 6
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Claims · 35 words I, like many others, were shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, who served in this body from 1995 to 2003, when he left to begin serving in the Senate.1 Anecdote · 45 words I wrote in the introduction to my memoir that I am a child of blessed experiences, generally southern, proudly Black. All of my experiences have not been pleasant, but I have considered all of them to be blessings, and so it was with Lindsey Graham. Anecdote Positioning · 19 words My relationships with Lindsey were sometimes partisan and passionate, mostly productive on behalf of the people of South Carolina. Positioning Claims · 17 words For more than three decades, we served the people of the Palmetto State together here in Congress.2 Positioning · 36 words Throughout that time, we maintained a relationship grounded in mutual respect, even when our political differences were significant. His commitment to public service and the people he represented will remain an enduring part of his legacy. Positioning Anecdote · 218 words I shall never forget playing a round of golf with Lindsey Graham in one of South Carolina’s many beautiful golf courses, and I raised an issue with him that I thought was very significant. I said to him that South Carolina, which I considered to be one of, if not the most, historic States in our Nation, was without a heritage corridor, and I thought that one was in order for the State. Lindsey said he agreed with me, but I said to him: Lindsey, this bill that I have introduced to create the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor will never become law with my name on it. Things had gotten a bit too partisan back in 1994, 1995, and 1996. I asked him to put his name on it. He said to me: I don’t want to take your legislation. I said to him: You are not taking it. I am giving it to you. Then he said: I don’t know if I understand what it is all about. I said to him: When the bill is called, invite me to speak on it, and he did. South Carolina got that heritage corridor.3 It has now got two more since, 4 and in every one of those heritage corridors, I worked with Lindsey Graham to make it happen. Anecdote Claims · 20 words South Carolina now has three national parks.5 We had only one national monument, 6 but now we have three national parks. Anecdote · 49 words The monument I worked with his predecessor to get, but with the last two national parks, I worked with Lindsey Graham to do it quietly. We didn’t have press conferences. We just sat down with each other or we got in the golf cart together to make it happen. Anecdote Positioning · 18 words That is the way it was with Lindsey Graham, someone who was passionate but productive and sometimes pleasant--sometimes. Positioning Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 10 words I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson). Procedure
At a glance
Lost points for Anecdote ×33 Positioning ×4 Procedure ×2 Little substance Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 15
39 of 39 deductions are Signal
Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I wrote in the introduction to my memoir that I am a child of blessed experiences, generally southern, proudly Black.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “All of my experiences have not been pleasant,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “but I have considered all of them to be blessings,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “and so it was with Lindsey Graham.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “My relationships with Lindsey were sometimes partisan and passionate, mostly productive on behalf of the people of South Carolina.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “Throughout that time, we maintained a relationship grounded in mutual respect, even when our political differences were significant.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “His commitment to public service and the people he represented will remain an enduring part of his legacy.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I shall never forget playing a round of golf with Lindsey Graham in one of South Carolina’s many beautiful golf courses,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “and I raised an issue with him that I thought was very significant.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I said to him that South Carolina,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “which I considered to be one of,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “if not the most, historic States in our Nation, was without a heritage corridor,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “and I thought that one was in order for the State.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “Lindsey said he agreed with me,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “but I said to him:” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “Lindsey, this bill that I have introduced to create the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor will never become law with my name on it.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “Things had gotten a bit too partisan back in 1994, 1995,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “and 1996.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I asked him to put his name on it.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “He said to me:” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I don’t want to take your legislation.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I said to him:” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “You are not taking it.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I am giving it to you.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “Then he said:” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I don’t know if I understand what it is all about.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I said to him:” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “When the bill is called, invite me to speak on it,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “and he did.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “South Carolina got that heritage corridor.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “It has now got two more since,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “and in every one of those heritage corridors, I worked with Lindsey Graham to make it happen.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “The monument I worked with his predecessor to get,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “but with the last two national parks, I worked with Lindsey Graham to do it quietly.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “We didn’t have press conferences.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “We just sat down with each other or we got in the golf cart together to make it happen.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “That is the way it was with Lindsey Graham, someone who was passionate but productive and sometimes pleasant--sometimes.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “Wilson).” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · no score
Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.
Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.
Reasoning · 93
0 of 39 deductions are Reasoning
Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.
Nothing lost points.
Conclusions found · 2
Conclusion “My relationships with Lindsey were sometimes partisan and passionate, mostly productive on behalf of the people of South Carolina.”
Because “For more than three decades, we served the people of the Palmetto State together here in Congress.”
“Throughout that time, we maintained a relationship grounded in mutual respect, even when our political differences were significant.”
“South Carolina got that heritage corridor.”
“and in every one of those heritage corridors, I worked with Lindsey Graham to make it happen.”
“but with the last two national parks, I worked with Lindsey Graham to do it quietly.”
Conclusion “That is the way it was with Lindsey Graham, someone who was passionate but productive and sometimes pleasant--sometimes.”
Because “South Carolina got that heritage corridor.”
“It has now got two more since,”
“and in every one of those heritage corridors, I worked with Lindsey Graham to make it happen.”
“but with the last two national parks, I worked with Lindsey Graham to do it quietly.”
“We didn’t have press conferences.”
“We just sat down with each other or we got in the golf cart together to make it happen.”
Respect · no score
Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.
Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.
Clarity · 100
0 of 39 deductions are Clarity
Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.
Nothing lost points.
Claims · 6
This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.
1 “served in this body from 1995 to 2003, when he left to begin serving in the Senate” Lindsey Graham served in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003, when he left to serve in the Senate. search 2 “For more than three decades, we served the people of the Palmetto State together here in Congress” James Clyburn and Lindsey Graham together served South Carolina’s constituents in Congress for more than three decades. search 3 “South Carolina got that heritage corridor” The South Carolina National Heritage Corridor was established after Clyburn introduced legislation and Graham carried the bill. search 4 “It has now got two more since” South Carolina has received two additional national heritage corridors since the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor was established. search 5 “South Carolina now has three national parks” South Carolina has three national parks. search 6 “We had only one national monument” South Carolina has one national monument. search
