They're attempting to tell us Obama's problems are all about style when the obvious truth is that it has everything to do with substance:
President Obama's comments on a plan to build a mosque in the shadow of ground zero are not only giving opponents an opportunity to attack him, but also reveal a messaging problem from the White House, a communications expert said.
"The danger here is an incoherent presidency," said David Morey, vice chairman of the Core Strategy Group who provided communications advice to Obama's 2008 campaign. "Simpler is better and rising above these issues and leading by controlling the dialogue is what the presidency is all about. So I think that's the job they have to do more effectively as they have in the past [in the campaign]."
Obama has faced a torrent of criticism for what was called mixed messages on the controversial plan. On Friday, Obama said Muslims "have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country ... That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances."
The next day, Obama told CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry that he was "not commenting on the wisdom" of the project, just the broader principle that the government should treat "everyone equal, regardless" of religion. Then those comments were clarified by a White House spokesman.
"There is no question they are having messaging problems at the White House," Morey said. "They've lost control of the dialogue and they've gotten pulled down by the extremes on the left and right. They've just not had a coherent set of themes."
New York Times Columnist Maureen Dowd wrote in a recent column that Obama's clarity and successful messaging during the campaign are gone. In place is a "incoherent president," who's "with the banks, he's against the banks. He's leaving Afghanistan, he's staying in Afghanistan. He strains at being a populist, but his head is in the clouds."
His head is in his Marxist/Statist/Progressive/Liberal ideology... and the problem is that America is finally waking up to it.
This has nothing to do with style, nothing to do with an ineffective messaging problem.
The problem (for Obama and the Dems) is the message.
I can see November from my back yard.
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Democrats, Ground Zero Mosque, In The Tank For Obama
Comments (14)
"The problem (for Obama and... (Below threshold)1. Posted by GarandFan | August 18, 2010 1:15 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
"The problem (for Obama and the Dems) is the message."
No it's not! It's all Bush's fault! They can't be wrong! All their teachers have told them the ONLY true way is the socialist way! Never mind the past failures, they'll get it right this time! Just look at all the wonderful results of the last 20 months.
1. Posted by GarandFan | August 18, 2010 1:15 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:15
2. Posted by Roy | August 18, 2010 1:18 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
They're now comparing Obama's communication style to Dubya's - and it's unfavorable? Whoa - a pig just flew by my window!
2. Posted by Roy | August 18, 2010 1:18 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:18
3. Posted by 914 | August 18, 2010 1:22 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
I still perfer Bush's usage of "Nookuler" as opposed to Barry's usage of a teleprompt.
3. Posted by 914 | August 18, 2010 1:22 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:22
4. Posted by Tsar Nicholas II | August 18, 2010 1:22 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
All true, and quite unlike Clinton in the mid-1990's Obama won't suddenly morph into a Republican in order to get reelected.
The problem, however, is that the collection of grievance, idiot and victim groups that automatically will vote for Obama in 2012 is much more fervent and more well funded than in prior years/decades. Even Jimmy Carter got over 40% of the vote and Obama's floor level is higher.
Underestimating the 2012 cycle and overestimating the importance of this November is very dangerous. That's not to say this November is unimportant. Certainly it's important and certainly the Dems in Congress will in whole or at least in large part be excised. But Nov. 2012 is the true fork in the road. Holding the presidency is 100x more crucial than controlling one or both houses of Congress.
4. Posted by Tsar Nicholas II | August 18, 2010 1:22 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:22
5. Posted by alanstorm | August 18, 2010 1:44 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
"...but his head is in the clouds."
Ah, no.
His head appears to be somewhere lower than that.
5. Posted by alanstorm | August 18, 2010 1:44 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:44
6. Posted by Falze | August 18, 2010 1:48 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
"The danger here is an incoherent presidency,"
The danger is and has been an inept president.
6. Posted by Falze | August 18, 2010 1:48 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:48
7. Posted by JLawson | August 18, 2010 1:52 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Tsar - I think I disagree about your premise that the 'grievance, idiot, and victim' groups are more powerful than before. I think if anything, they're more vocal... but actively weaker.
Consider - one of the big advantages that the left had was Journolist - the meme transmittal service that made sure everyone was on the same page pushing all their various garbage at the same time. A message is much stronger politically when the recipient is getting it in a synchronized manner from multiple sources - when that syncronization fails, the message becomes so much random noise and is easily disregarded.
And there's also the problem that the 'progressive' ideas that Obama's run on (and have been taken to a destructive extreme) have REALLY disenchanted a lot of people who would otherwise be inclined to vote for him again. They VISIBLY haven't worked, and have (arguably) made things worse than they'd have been otherwise. People have noticed - and it's going to get worse. There's only so many times Obama can promise to make things better before they HAVE to start getting better - and I think he ran that string out a long time back.
One guy in the shop who was a very vocal Obama supporter is now rabidly against Democrats - his toddler son is deaf and requires certain medical devices ( a cochlear implant) that (according to him) would not even be touched by Obamacare - but his current insurance covers. As far as he's concerned, he was screwed and rolled by the Dems and it'll be (his words) a "Cold fucking day in hell before I ever vote for a Democrat again".
I told him before the election to take a good look at the candidate - but he was too caught up in the Obama excitement to listen.
There've been a LOT of people waking up and looking that what they've done - they won't be fooled again by the 'g,i & v' crowd. The Dems are in real trouble, and they're only compounding it.
7. Posted by JLawson | August 18, 2010 1:52 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:52
8. Posted by GarandFan | August 18, 2010 1:53 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Speaking of Dems and their "message", look who just got religion.
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/08/18/frank-abolish-fannie-and-freddie/comment-page-1/#comment-3810475
Barney Frank is a RACIST! Just wait until Maxine Waters hears about this interview.
8. Posted by GarandFan | August 18, 2010 1:53 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 13:53
9. Posted by Hank | August 18, 2010 2:28 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"...controlling the dialogue is what the presidency is all about. So I think that's the job they have to do more effectively as they have in the past [in the campaign]."
The campaign was about "promises" and lofty ideals. Being President is about leadership and making decisions. And unfortunately for Obama the teleprompter is not always available.
He voted "present" so many times for a reason.
That doesn't work anymore.
9. Posted by Hank | August 18, 2010 2:28 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 14:28
10. Posted by Gayle Miller | August 18, 2010 3:07 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
The problem is not one of style, nor is it one of substance. Obama has neither! And his one ephemeral link to any kind of style is Moooooochelle! So any way you look at it, he is screwed.
10. Posted by Gayle Miller | August 18, 2010 3:07 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 15:07
11. Posted by gary gulrud | August 18, 2010 5:47 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
There is no point to continuing this sham-not to diminish Black pride-we are all losing and the prospects for positive change are zero.
Resign!
11. Posted by gary gulrud | August 18, 2010 5:47 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 17:47
12. Posted by John S | August 18, 2010 6:03 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
"...the job they have to do more effectively as they have in the past [in the campaign]..."
The campaign was effectiv because the MSM covered his ass at every opportunity. News coverage became so ridiculously one-sided I stopped watching after July 2008. And Obama still has his TelePrompTer, but it doesn't have the answers he needs to lead.
12. Posted by John S | August 18, 2010 6:03 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2010 18:03
13. Posted by olsoljer | August 19, 2010 9:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
#5 - Did you mean to say "His head disappears somewhere lower than that."?
13. Posted by olsoljer | August 19, 2010 9:50 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2010 09:50
14. Posted by Brian Richard Allen | August 20, 2010 5:13 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
.... I can see November from my back yard ....
Me, too.
And November 2012!
PALIN/BOLTON/2012!
14. Posted by Brian Richard Allen | August 20, 2010 5:13 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 20, 2010 05:13