The Power of Emotion: Lesson from the Solicitor General

 This morning on Politico, J. Lester Feder explores the question:

Did Verrilli choke? And does it really matter?

Feder quotes Arnold & Porter's Lisa Blatt, a former assistant to Verrilli:

Blatt said she was primarily surprised that Verrilli "didn't seem that excited to be up there." Given that this is one of the biggest cases in modern history, she said, "I would think it would be a blast to be up there."

Clearly, Verrilli's lack of excitement made just as much if not more of an impact than his actual substance. This is an unfortunate but easily avoidable mistake.

From the Green Room: People remember how they felt when they listen to you even more than the information they learned. 

No matter how unprepared or nervous you are, try to communicate positive emotion. At the very least, people will remember something positive from your presentation.