What is a 'talking point'?

Answer 1

Talking points are essentially items that a spokesperson or elected official is instructed to say to the public and media.

For example, you and I are approached about Yahoo! Answers. We'd get together beforehand, with PR folks usually, and talk about what we were going to say.

It shows itself in politics, from time to time. Several politicians will use the EXACT same words. They knew their talking points but were too obvious about it.

Answer 2

Talking points are ideas which may or may not be factual, usually compiled in a short list with summaries of a speaker's agenda for public or private engagements. Public relations professionals, for example, sometimes prepare "talking points memos" for their clients to help them more effectively conform public presentations with this advice.

A political think tank will strategize the most effective informational attack on a target topic and launch talking points from media personalities to saturate discourse in order to frame a debate in their favor, standardizing the responses of sympathizers to their unique cause while simultaneously co-opting the language used by those discussing the specific subject. When used politically in this way, the typical purpose of a talking point is to propagandize, specifically using the technique of argumentum ad nauseam, i.e. continuous repetition within media outlets until accepted as fact.

Examples
Two examples from the 2004 U.S. presidential election include Democrats' constant assertion that George W. Bush is the first president since Herbert Hoover to see a loss of jobs during his administration and Republicans' assertion that John Kerry is a "flip-flopper".

Perhaps the most famous and effective talking point in American politics comes from the 1988 presidential election, in which supporters of Republican George H.W. Bush continuously called Democrat Michael Dukakis a "card-carrying member of the ACLU."

In Canadian politics, the label "Yesterday's Man" successfully haunted Liberal leader John Turner for two elections.

Answer 3

Talking points are ideas which may or may not be factual, usually compiled in a short list with summaries of a speaker's agenda for public or private engagements. Public relations professionals, for example, sometimes prepare "talking points memos" for their clients to help them more effectively conform public presentations with this advice.

A political think tank will strategize the most effective informational attack on a target topic and launch talking points from media personalities to saturate discourse in order to frame a debate in their favor, standardizing the responses of sympathizers to their unique cause while simultaneously co-opting the language used by those discussing the specific subject. When used politically in this way, the typical purpose of a talking point is to propagandize, specifically using the technique of argumentum ad nauseam, i.e. continuous repetition within media outlets until accepted as fact.

Examples
Two examples from the 2004 U.S. presidential election include Democrats' constant assertion that George W. Bush is the first president since Herbert Hoover to see a loss of jobs during his administration and Republicans' assertion that John Kerry is a "flip-flopper".

Perhaps the most famous and effective talking point in American politics comes from the 1988 presidential election, in which supporters of Republican George H.W. Bush continuously called Democrat Michael Dukakis a "card-carrying member of the ACLU."

A talking points memo is a memorandum released by a parent or leadership organization for the purposes of creating a coherent unified message within the organization, emphasizing the same subjects for discussion. It exists primarily in politics but finds use in many areas with media exposure, including broadcast news coverage and corporate public relations.

Answer 4

you see it in politics a lot.

Its when the PR guys and the politicians get together and agree on what they should say about a topic, what specific phrases and ideas put the best spin on something. Then they send out this list to everyone involved, so they all say the same thing.

It can make political discussions pretty boring and canned, and frustrating for reporters and the public.

Answer 5

It means just what it says. Talking points are subjects for discussion... points to talk about... it's as simple as that.

Answer 6

Something controversial that's a hot subject at that time.