Obama Presser: No Reported Injuries

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 25, 2009 – 11:03 am

Not an especially scintillating presidential press conference last night, but few are. Hopefully, some teenagers planning to tune in to American Idol were unwittingly served up a lesson in American democracy instead.

Two quick thoughts on a couple of hobby horses.

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos reported on his blog (“George’s Bottom Line”): “The president had a new single screen teleprompter straight in front of him tonight (replacing his usual two screens flanking the podium).  It needs to be adjusted so that Obama isn’t forced to look down rather than right into the camera.”

Still, a big improvement over the side-panel teleprompter in that it allowed the president to address his actual audience — viewers at home — and not simply the press corps in the room.

And what would an Obamaspeech be without a reference to “inherited deficits”? This time, the president accused Republican Members of Congress of having “a short memory,” reminding the GOPers that he “inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit from them.”

Apparently, though, the president’s memory is faulty, too. He forgot that he both served in the Senate for the last four years, and that he served in the majority for the last two. The $1.3 trillion deficit was a result of fiscal policy enacted in the last year, for which the majority party in Congress certainly bears some responsibility (what with their power to pass spending and tax legislation and such).

The president keeps driving that message home and most people believe it, which is a great benefit to him.

I’ll be curious to see how many people tuned in to last night’s event, and how those numbers compare to the first primetime press conference in February. That may offer some indication of the public’s appetite for presidential rhetoric two months into the new Administration.

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White House Feed To Remain Wide Open

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 24, 2009 – 2:29 pm

Politico‘s Jonathan Martin writes today about President Obama’s efforts to communicate his message via non-WH press corps messengers:

The highest-profile moments in the new approach have been well-noted, such as the president giving an interview to progressive radio host Ed Schultz and Obama calling on a reporter from the liberal-leaning Huffington Post at his first news conference.

But those moves are only part of a much larger strategy aimed at communicating directly with audiences the White House believes are more sympathetic to the president’s agenda — and one in which much of the work is being done by Obama’s top advisers.

The strategy includes the president’s recent discussion of his NCAA bracket with ESPN (which became headline news on the network after POTUS went 8-0 with his Saturday picks), last week’s Jay Leno appearance, and his earlier interview with NBC in the Super Bowl pre-game show. Not to mention Michelle Obama’s recent coup — becoming the first non-Oprah human to grace the cover of O magazine (accompanied by Oprah, of course).

One aide refers to Obama’s strategy as “flood the zone.” Consider us flooded. Read More »

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Obama/Geithner Win With Investors

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 23, 2009 – 2:48 pm

Team Obama hit a much-needed home run today with its plan for Public-Private Investment Partnerships to buy up troubled bank loans and inject liquidity into the securitization market. As of this moment, the Dow is up about 5.5%, and most of the talking heads on TV seem to be (a) breathing more comfortably and (b) smiling.

Market participants are reacting to the simple fact that there is a plan — a blueprint for pricing and disposing of the assets that have calcified banks’ and other financial institutions’ balance sheets and scared away investors. This is essentially what the market has been hoping for since the TARP was passed nearly six months ago.

Adding to the glee is that the Obama/Geithner plan is heavy on private sector participation in the pricing, investing in, and managing of the assets. This program doesn’t look like another giant government cash dump — more like some grease on the gears of the private-sector financial system.

One shadow over the program (and over today’s market exuberance) is Congress. Read More »

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Biden the Gridiron Champ

By Vinca LaFleur (WWW)
March 22, 2009 – 7:32 pm

Reviews are in from this weekend’s Gridiron Dinner, and despite some grumbling (too long, too predictable, the president shoulda been there), it sounds like there were plenty of laughs served up — especially from Vice President Joe Biden, who began:

“Axelrod really wanted me to do this on teleprompter — but I told him I’m much better when I wing it. … I know these evenings run long, so I’m going to be brief. Talk about the audacity of hope. … President Obama does send his greetings, though. He can’t be here tonight — because he’s busy getting ready for Easter.  He thinks it’s about him.”

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also won big laughs when he explained to the crowd why the president hadn’t showed up: “He’s just not that into you.”

And Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm made a strong Silly Season debut, asking her Californian counterpart which of his movies best equipped him to be part of the GOP: True Lies or Kindergarten Cop.

For lyrics to the 2009 Gridiron Show click here.  In bipartisan fashion, there are plenty of roasts to go around.

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The Great Uncommunicator?

By Clark S. Judge (WHWG)
March 22, 2009 – 3:02 pm

You know things are getting dicey in Obamaland when the highly regarded Politico runs a full page Friday story titled, “Lesson: Communications Is More Than Eloquence — Obama’s campaign messaging skills not translating to office.”

Politico says the problem has many sources.  Messages go from gloomy talk to happy talk and back to gloomy in a matter of days.  Officials carrying the messages give lackluster sometimes laughable performances.  The President has not fully explained the problem to the nation in a nationally televised address.   Democrats in Congress have been sounding off on the Administration much more effectively than have Republicans (although, on that last, talk about low hurdles).

Some of this criticism is obvious.  Some is unfair.  Some misses the point.

The obvious part is the almost manic-depressive swing in White House prognoses about the economy.  The President oversold the crisis to sell his stimulus plan.  Then he or his aides may have read Hoover Institution John Taylor’s recently published analysis, probably the best single piece yet written on the crisis, Getting Off Track.  I reviewed Taylor’s arguments in an earlier post, but his most telling point is that hyperventilating gloom from the White House in 2008 and now has itself played a major role in tanking investment and freezing the capital markets.  Whether as a result of reading Taylor or not, the President last week tried to smile up the economic news.  But as soon as he did, his vice president blurted out yet another comparison of today with the Great Depression (The Obama White House may soon be copying the Bush White House in more ways than Guantanamo policy, housing its vice president for most of the term in an “undisclosed location”). Read More »

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TMZ Tracks Down Special Olympics Kingpin

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 20, 2009 – 4:21 pm

Special Olympics competitor Kolan McConiughey has offered President Obama a perfect public relations opportunity: He’s challenged the president to a bowling match.

According to celebrity news site TMZ, McConiughey has bowled three perfect games (scoring 300) and averages 266, compared with Obama’s 129 (and my own high score of 11 — I can only imagine what the president would think of me).

Hopefully someone at the White House is listening because this is a slam-dunk (sorry).

Invite McConiughey down for a few games. Reiterate that while Obama intended no harm with his remark, he’s settling the issue the way an honest gentleman would — with a bowling duel. Let the press see the president get his butt whooped. Say something nice about how this should dispel any stereotype about the talent of Special Olympics athletes.

Everyone wins!

It’s worth noting that the Special Olympics organization has been extremely cordial to President Obama in its public statements. Seeing the presidential gaffe as a “teaching moment for our country,” Special Olympics is generating some positive press play out of the situation. Good for them.

Now the president ought to use the stature of his office to enhance their efforts.

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Overexposure

By Mark W. Davis (WHWG)
March 20, 2009 – 10:12 am

President Obama apologized to Nancy Reagan for a wisecrack about seances.  He apologized for last night’s thoughtless “Special Olympics” jibe on the Tonight Show.  He has also “taken responsibility” for the AIG fiasco.  Earlier, he took responsibility and apologized for several missteps in the appointment process.

There is a lesson here for every corporate executive.  Apology is an act of a mature leader.  President Obama scores points by separating himself from the finger-pointing, blame-culture of Washington.

There is, unfortunately, another lesson as well.  Apology is not a good thing for a leader to do on a regular basis.

By contrast, President Kennedy famously apologized once: For the Bay of Pigs.  President Reagan made one notably apology: For Iran-Contra.  Presidential apologies work because they are rare.  Most presidents use them as sparingly as reserve chutes.

Mr. Obama’s promiscuous apologies not only run the risk of  him not being taking seriously when he has something truly grave to apologize for (which eventually happens to all presidents).  His style also points to an emerging problem with his presidency.

He is grossly overexposed.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see him next to Big Bird on Sesame Street, or making a guest appearance on American Idol.  His ubiquitous appearances will cheapen the currency of his rhetoric as surely as the Fed’s dumping of a trillion dollars will cheapen the greenback.

Worse, there is no strategy to the president’s appearances.  He seems addicted to the adulation of crowds.  It is a good thing for a president to get out of the closed circle of the White House.  But there should be a more obvious point to his travels.

At a time when the world is at the precipice of a cosmic meltdown, all we really wants to see now is Mr. Obama in the White House, shirt-sleeves rolled up, working on the economic crisis.

If he continues down this path, overexposure will blur out his contrasts and fade him into irrelevance.

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Obama Strikes Out on Leno

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 19, 2009 – 11:03 pm

President Obama rolled an ugly gutter ball during his Tonight Show appearance. ABC’s Jake Tapper explains:

The first appearance by a sitting president on “The Tonight Show” may well end up being the last.

President Obama, in his taping with Jay Leno Thursday afternoon, attempted to yuk it up with the funnyman, and ended up insulting the disabled.

Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he’s gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley.

He bowled a 129, the president said.

“That’s very good, Mr. President,” Leno said sarcastically.

It’s “like the Special Olympics or something,” the president said.

When asked about the remark, the White House said the president did not intend to offend.

“The president made an off-hand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics,” White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said. “He thinks the Special Olympics is a wonderful program that gives an opportunity for people with disabilities from around the world.”

Ordinarily Obama might look to Vice President Biden to say something even more ridiculous or offensive to take attention away from this blunder. But it turns out Biden is already on record about the Special Olympics, in a good way.

In February, Biden attended the Winter Special Olympics in Boise, Idaho. He announced the appointment of a new Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. And he said:

Look, this is a movement. What started off as an avenue and an outlet and a recognition for athletes has turned into a worldwide movement. This is about to change the attitude, change the attitude of governments, change the attitude of individuals.

Looks like they know the first individual to target.

UPDATE: The president’s apology and Special Olympics’ response here via AP. (It includes a nice little “Cheer up, fella!” concluding paragraph.)

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George W. Bush Keeping Writers Employed

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 19, 2009 – 2:27 pm

Former president Bush (sigh) in the news again today, as an announcement was made about his upcoming book, tentatively called Decision Points.

The memoir will not be a chronological history of Bush’s life and experiences in the Oval Office. Rather, it will highlight significant decisions he made personally and politically. According to the publisher’s press release:

Mr. Bush will write candidly about, among other topics, his decision to run for the presidency; how he chose his closest advisors, including Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and Condoleezza Rice; the terrorist attacks of 9/11; the decisions to send American troops to Afghanistan and Iraq; the response to Hurricane Katrina; his commitment to fight AIDS around the world; the formation of his stem cell research policy; his relationships with his father, mother, siblings, and wife; his decision to quit drinking; and how he found faith.

Obviously I’m just swimming in Kool Aid, but I think the book is especially intriguing in that it crosses the line between political memoir and leadership strategy guide. I can see this appealing as much to CEOs as to history and politics buffs. (A fitting genre for the MBA president.)

Mike Allen tells us that Bush is, unsurprisingly, taking a very disciplined approach to writing the book — cranking out a couple thousand words a day during set office times. (He’s obviously not a professional writer.)

And he’s relying on the aid of wunderkind Chris Michel, the former 27 year-old director of speechwriting who served just prior to the current 27 year-old director of speechwriting.

With this book news, and Tuesday’s first foray onto the post-White House speech circuit, President Bush is proving once again that writers are even more valuable to presidents out of office than in.

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It’s My Fault … That These Other Losers Screwed Up

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 19, 2009 – 9:51 am

Nice bit of rhetoric from President Obama in Costa Mesa last night, as reported in today’s Mike Allen Playbook. On the AIG situation (sorry, “outrage”), Obama said:

Listen, I’ll take responsibility. I’m the president. So — we didn’t draft these contracts. And we’ve got a lot on our plate. But it is appropriate when you’re in charge to make sure that stuff doesn’t happen like this. So we’re going to do everything we can to fix it. So for everybody in Washington who’s busy scrambling trying to figure out how to blame somebody else, just go ahead and talk to me. Because it’s my job to make sure that we fix these messes, even if I don’t make them.

This is perfect on two levels. First, Americans love that kind of bravado from their leaders. “The buck stops here,” someone once said. Don’t go fussing with deciding who to blame; just blame me and let’s move on. Grrrr.

Second, the president manages to accept responsibility while making it clear he didn’t actually have anything to do with the issue. “Didn’t draft these contracts.” “Fix these messes, even if I don’t create them.”

In other words, “I would like you to credit me for taking responsibility for this issue, without actually blaming me for being responsible.” Masterful.

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The Luck of the Irish

By Vinca LaFleur (WWW)
March 18, 2009 – 4:28 pm

OBAMA-IRELANDFurther on the perils of executive teleprompting — the Irish Prime Minister was embarrassed yesterday as he launched into his remarks at the White House St. Patrick’s Day reception, only to discover, to his mortification, that he was reading the President’s speech.

President Obama tried to help him recover, saying as he stepped to the mike, “First, I’d like to say thank you to President Obama…”

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Calgary, Take Me Away

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 18, 2009 – 1:23 pm

calgaryFormer president George W. Bush (still gets me choked up) gave his first post-White House speech yesterday, regaling invited guests in Alberta (the Texas of Canada) with stories about being president, about not being president, and about all the big topics you would expect in a GWB speech (Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo, oil).

Protestors, of course, made an appearance. As the Toronto Star reports: “Nearly 300 protesters heckled and berated those who stood in a long line to get into the tightly guarded Telus Convention Centre…. ‘He shouldn’t be here,’ said Tyler Kinch, one of the protesters outside of the [venue.] ‘The Canadian government shouldn’t let in a war criminal.'”

Normal people, on the other hand, seemed quite pleased with Mr. Bush: “[E]ven those who disagreed with Bush said the man knew how to give a good speech. ‘It was entertaining. He was a very affable guy, very friendly,’ said Peter Yates, a Calgary lawyer. Yates, a dual citizen who registered to vote in 2004 because he was so upset about the Bush administration, said the former president never backed down from his positions.”

Those positions? According to the Globe and Mail, Bush repeated his “Wall Street got drunk” line and discussed the hangover that hit last fall. Looking forward, he said, “It’s the risk-takers, not the government, that is going to pull us out of this recession.” (What’s a George Bush speech without a [sic]?)

On Iraq, the president sounded more convinced than ever that he made the right choice: “The world is better off, and the Iraqis are better off, without Saddam Hussein, no ifs, ands or buts.”

On energy: “We need oil and gas, and it’s politically incorrect to say these days, but it’s the truth.”

And when it comes to his successor, President Bush honors the Oval Office code of silence: “I want the President to succeed…. I love my country a lot more than I love politics…. I’m not going to spend my time criticizing him. There are plenty of critics in that arena.”

The remarks were about 45 minutes long, followed by Q and A. An informed source tells me the president spoke mainly from notes honed over three or four speech drafts.

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ABC News: Iraqi Optimism Surges

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 16, 2009 – 11:29 am

ABC News is out today with some pretty striking results from its survey of Iraqis’ opinions about life in their country:

While deep difficulties remain, the advances are remarkable. Eighty-four percent of Iraqis now rate security in their own area positively, nearly double its August 2007 level. Seventy-eight percent say their protection from crime is good, more than double its low. Three-quarters say they can go where they want safely – triple what it’s been.

This new optimism is rooted in a sense of safety, made possible by the successful surge strategy implemented over the last couple of years. Iraqis don’t necessarily see it that way, though:

Just 27 percent are confident in U.S. forces (albeit nearly double its low). Just 30 percent say U.S. and coalition forces have done a good job carrying out their responsibilities in Iraq. Still fewer, 18 percent, have a positive opinion of the United States overall. Barely over a third think the election of Barack Obama will help their country.

There are obviously opinion-shaping forces at work beyond what we would consider to be facts, including national pride. But even if we were prone to hurt feelings, there is a strong indicator of hope: “[A] new high, 64 percent of Iraqis, now call democracy their preferred form of government.”

Even with all the caveats about the reliability of polling data (and especially polling data in a war-torn country), this is still a very encouraging trend.

Despite his previous opposition to the war and the surge, President Obama has made small steps toward viewing Iraq as a success. These perceived improvements in the lives of Iraqis should give him more authority to make that case, and bolster confidence that long-term success in Afghanistan is possible.

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WaPo on Obama’s Inheritance

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 14, 2009 – 11:57 am

The Washington Post reports on President Obama’s “inherited” tic in an article today. It begins:

In his inaugural address, President Obama proclaimed “an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.”

It hasn’t taken long for the recriminations to return — or for the Obama administration to begin talking about the unwelcome “inheritance” of its predecessor.

I’ve previously discussed the issue here, here, and here — noting that while the president most frequently abuses the term, it sometimes seeps into Republican rhetoric, too.

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Jon Stewart is NOT Edward R. Murrow

By Ed Walsh (WHWG)
March 13, 2009 – 1:08 pm

Much of the media and blogosphere have proclaimed today “Jon Stewart Day” in honor of the Daily Show host’s skewering of CNBC’s Jim Cramer last night.

Commentators have made a habit of slobbering over Stewart in the last few years – promoting him as the antidote to boring old news, the guy who’s able to reach out to short-attention-spanned GenYers with an offbeat look at world events. All the while Stewart (to his credit) begs off such praise, reminding everyone that his is not a real news show.

That’s fine, but today I was disheartened to see James Fallows at The Atlantic christen Stewart “Edward R. Murrow.”

Fallows is a former presidential speechwriter (Carter), so obviously a very bright man. His Atlantic articles are must-reads and always enlightening. And his blog is pretty solid. So why go temporarily nuts in the Stewart mania?

Let’s remember one thing: Jon Stewart’s act of speaking truth to power (if you define CNBC as power) is rooted in pique. Read More »

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