Say What?

So there's this study from Texas (why, sure they can study things in Texas)(OK, probably not at SMU), and it ran Bush's, Cheney's, Kerry's and Edwards' speeches through a computer because clearly humans weren't smart enough to choose the right folks just by listening. Mostly the study seems just silly, at least as it's presented in the Washington Post. But that article ends with the following particular oddness:

"Voters are most favorable toward those candidates who are the most optimistic," lead author Richard B. Slatcher, a doctoral candidate in psychology, said. "The depressive language that Kerry and Edwards used during the campaign may have contributed negatively to the way in which they were perceived by the public."

So, if you get all Pollyannish and Mission Accomplised-ish, then that's good. The truth is bad.

Sad thing is, it's only going to get worse.