It’s been just over 60 days since the inauguration, but expectations of President Obama could not be any higher. The pundit-ocracy has been in a state of obsession, with calls for immediate action and demands of quick results in repairing the economy. Yet no particular dollar figure or policy implementation has successfully assuaged the media’s anxiety.
Listening to the mainstream press for an extended period of time could convince anyone that the president has not lived up to the role of economic saviour. Furthermore, he hasn’t managed to end world hunger or bring peace to all nations with the snap of his fingers. What pundits have failed to recognize is that the White House has been incremental in their plans for relieving distressed financial institutions of their “toxic” burdens: funnelling billions of dollars to banks via the federal bailout program, carrying out a stimulus package which has already gone into effect, and structuring, with meticulous detail, a workable budget to reduce the deficit. On top of all the economic policies put forth, a number of significant executive decisions have been signed into law, some overturning Bush’s controversial bans. One would think that this was sufficient for such a young presidency. Apparently, not so.
In light of his alleged ineffectiveness as a leader, President Obama has taken to the cameras in order to broadcast his plans to a much larger audience. He’s been on a whirlwind tour, starting off last week in Los Angeles, where he addressed a packed town hall audience with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger during the day and chatted with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show at night. On Sunday, he was interviewed on 60 Minutes. On Tuesday night, he held a second press conference at the White House. During the presidential campaign, then-candidate Obama was criticized for speaking in a too “professorial” manner, but in these times, does it really hurt Americans (or the country’s image) to have a president that is knowledgeable and self-assured in discussing the economy?
No doubt, there will be some in the press that disapprove of his demeanour or oratorical style, but the aim of these appearances was to convey confidence and carefully explain the complexities of economic policy to average citizens. This steady salesman-like approach was epitomized at Tuesday night’s press conference, where the president pushed for optimism and hope, and emphasized the need for comprehensive policies that address the top domestic concerns.
The outcome of the administration’s actions to stabilize the economy and stifle rising unemployment has yet to be seen in full scope, but what has been delivered thus far has been significant. Obama’s decision to take his arguments to primetime television was a good one. It’s an excellent advertising tool for the White House, promoting openness and accountability, and it benefits the TV programs by giving their producers some of the highest ratings in years. The message tug-of-war will likely play on, as the media tries to ingrain inaccurate perceptions of the president into the public consciousness. But Obama has style, substance, and strong approval ratings on his side.
