Obama 'Overexposed': The Media's New New Obsession

So, for weeks and weeks and weeks, the White House has been inundated with a clarion call from the media: "Why have you not fixed the economy yet? You better explain it soon! Oh My God, look at the Dow Jones! It falls, because of you, and your lack of a solution." So, President Barack Obama went on the Tonight Show, and did an interview with 60 Minutes, and will do another news conference tonight. These appearances will help Obama advance an explanation of his bank bailout program, and offer reporters a chance to publicly question the president. One would think that this would be a good thing. But NO! God, no! Doesn't Obama realize that he's risking over-exposure, with all the explaining and answering questions and being a public figure? How dare he?

That's the recent message that's been advancing through the press. After Obama appeared on a rival network's late night show, CBS's Chris Wragge was given to wonderment: "The Obama blitz, the President's appearing everywhere, but is his media tour taking attention away from his message?" Because clearly, the last thing a "message" needs is a series of sessions that allows it to be clearly elucidated!

No less a media figure than Meghan McCain -- who writes Daily Beast overshares about her dating life and who strategically leverages the reputations of better known conservative pundits for attention, masking it as an informed critique, and who briefly milked some body-snark outrage until it got boring -- thinks Obama is over-exposed, too, and she's available for live cable news hits to talk about it, if you want, talk to her people!

It's not a recent thing, either! Why, Steven Stark was worried about Obama's overexposure all the way back in early March:

Barack Obama is ubiquitous. In his first six weeks in office, he's given an inaugural address, a State of the Union-like speech to a joint-session of Congress (since new presidents don't really report on the state of the union), and an hour-long press conference. He's also made several campaign trips and has been a daily fixture on magazine covers and the news shows. He's talking to us all the time.

Yes, he's an intriguing and appealing figure. But you don't have to go out on a limb to surmise that he may be risking overexposure -- which often leads to failure.

That makes total sense! What is with all of these public appearances and opportunities to hold the White House accountable? Why does Obama keep forcing people to put him on the cover of their magazines? Obama needs to stop risking failure through overexposure! Naturally, once he does, everyone can complain about how he's risking failure through a lack of transparency.

But what does Mike Lupica think about all of this?

Sometimes, though, it seems the bubble is about to burst, and that he is about to become the first American President to suffer from overexposure before his first 100 days are up, that he is trying way too hard. Lately, he leaves the impression that he is on television more than Chris Matthews.

Okay! That's what Mike Lupica, a sports journalist from a canceled show on ESPN2 thinks about the phenomenon of "overexposure."

Interestingly, the public doesn't seem to share the opinion of these media meme-makers, as Chuck Todd and company note this morning:

The new polls out in the last few days all seem to agree on one thing: AIG has not hurt Obama personally. Instead, it has hurt Washington, Wall Street, and some views on the economic fixes -- but not the president. The lesson the White House will take from these polls? They aren't risking over-exposure; they probably believe that had the president NOT done this six-day media blitz, he would have been more singed on AIG than he was. But he was out there talking all week about it and wasn't hunkered down at the White House. Look back at this last week and realize this will be a lesson the Obama White House learns.

I think the real issue here is that the media is counting on Obama to continue to pay off according to the "Franklin Mint Model," and all this product he's putting on the street is really threatening to dilute the value of everyone's "FIRST ONE HUNDRED DAYS" commemorative editions. What an attention whore!

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to [e-mail] -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Comments

[ReesieKitty]

I think Obama is smart enough to know that a lot more Americans watch Jay Leno or The View than watch Presidential State of the Union addresses, etc. Trying to spin direct communication with the public as a bad thing is not just ridiculous, its pathetic.

[petey64]

I think lucite was closest to nailing this, there are too many reporters and bloggers out there and hp's are part of the problem as well, i've read quite a few posts about this article and a large portion of them are just excuses for the chosen one and by the way nobody was whining about that term when he was running for office, but now it's supposed to be offensive, but the fact remains he seems to be doing the same things that Arnold did in California in trying desperately to take his message to the people only to be smacked down by the press and the politicians, he will change course only when he will let his ego go away and he gets an advisor or two that are level headed enough to see through this "look at me i'm on tv attitude", Reagan was the absolute master of this, he would answer question getting on airplanes getting off airplanes walking from one place to another, never ever making the job of a reporter easy because the reporter will eventually turn on you or anyone else they cannot be trusted.

[socaldude]

He might be getting smacked down by politicians and pundits, but the people of this country are still with him. And he knows it. It's only desperate if no one is listening (Repugs).

[Pablo175]

He's going on the "View" tomorrow.

[shanester]

Seeing Ed Henry get b*itch slapped last night by Mr Obama was priceless!!

He looked like such a fool trying to play "gotcha" journalism

The Repulicans and the press are clrealy frustrated by somebody who's smarter then they are and always one step ahead..

I love it!!

[treebu]

Very quickly- I think that every time we talk about main stream media - we should use quotation marks to show they are alleged media , like the ABC "Nightly News" or New York Post "newspaper" etc.

[sposton]

Obama is one of the greatest communicators in history, probably one of the smartest presidents in US history but none of that will help him if doesn't deal better with the financial crisis. When it becomes apparent that this current strategy is flawed, he will have spent his good will capital and will become a lame duck president sooner than any president in history. The nation will still need leadership more than ever but we will be in a political gridlock, unable to do anything. The only path left will be emergency measures. It is ironic that the person we elected to replace the guy who posed the greatest threat to our constitutional system will himself reach out for all those Bush's emergency tools still around.

[considerthis]

I suppose you base this conclusions on some facts. However, I don't know what they are or may be.

[BethS]

A perfect financial solution to a problem never before experienced you say? A flawed strategy? It is, at least, a stategy. I am sure the strategy also has contingency plans, because as you say, Obama is one of the smartest presidents in US history. Unlike the last president, we now have a president who thinks things through with detailed plans of action. Look at his campaign for reference. Too bad the Repuglicans didn't have a plan for defeat.

[mendelcrosses]

The Irony is that Obama is a better communicator than any MSM journalist can boast. So why should they expect him to let them communicate his story ,policy and strategy for him?

All this overexposure stories are coded language for He is not letting Business as usual,u know where Karl Rove tell people how to vote,what to think,etc.

[mendelcrosses]

Durring the primary,Team Obama was accused of hidding him from media scrutiny even though he was out there more than any other conntestant knowing he had more ground than anyone of the house hold names to cover.

Then now the same MSM complains about him being over exposed?
So what do they want from him? To only come out when they(MSM) says so?

It would seem CNN believes they nation should be listening to meghan McCain talking about not having enough dates rather than to the president talking about the problems the nation is undergoing and how he is working to fix them.

It would sound to me that the assurances the nation needs can only come from listening to the president.

[Clavis]

If the media weren't stupid and corrupt, they might be able to do a good job instead of clucking like chickens...

[wallyone]

I like the fact that Obama's exposure conveys the message that he is just a man, not superman. I like deflating the myth that the head of state is something other than a great politician.
I have always admired the parliamentary system in the British Commonwealth countries that kept the Queen as the (admittedly expensive) head of state so that the Prime Ministers could be treated as politicians without undue deference to the office. They are GRILLED by the opposing party on a regular basis, and booed for incomplete or misleading answers.

[Greg Bell]

They are miffed with him because he doesn't want to go through the "usual suspects" to get his message out. They want to tell his story the way they want to tell it, and he's not cooperating. With his high poll numbers, apparently the public doesn't want to listen to all the talking head's nonsense either.

CNN's coverage of his press conference was decidedly more negative than MSNBC's. Well, just listen to the way he answered Chuck Todd vs. Ed Henry then ask yourself if EITHER network is covering him honestly? The truth probably lies somewhere in between. And CNBC must have whiplash judging by the way they're covering him. Until last week when the market jumped 500 points on Geithner's announcing the details of his toxic assets plan, Obama was the devil incarnate. Now that Wall Street sees a sweet deal ahead, they are bending over backward to present HIS side of every argument. I can't take any of these jokers seriously. I will watch and listen to the President, myself, and make my own judgments. He's only overexposed, at this point, if you don't want him to succeed in implementing his AND OUR agenda. He's not fighting to do anything that he didn't promise during the campaign - keep your eye on the prize, everything else is just noizzzzzzz­zzzzzzzzzz­zzzzzzzzzz­zzzzzzzzzz­zzzzzz.

[Zyzzygowski]

Part of the difficulty is that the press (media) must write something, anything, to fill column inches, and unfortunately it is easier to throw stones than it is to deliver a sound reasoned arguement against, or for, the policies set forth by any individual.

OK, talk about the Presidents exposure, but do not leave out an honest and detailed discussion of his policies.

But, you know what? Part of the problem is us, we like News nuggets, short and brief, vice deep meaty explanations of the issues.

Pogo was, and is, correct.

"We have found the enemy, and it is us."

[justsomeguywhocameby]

I like "news nuggets", would you like that with GOP or DEM sauce?

[Marnie1]

Probably on reason for Duhbya's unwillingness to speak to and with the American voter is because he knew damn well he wasn't elected by them. And of course he is one of the most elite of the elite in the US being both the scion of a wealthy, politically powerful family, and was and is a quintessential son-of-a-rich wastrel.

Probably, one of many reasons Obama does speak to and with the American voter is that he is beholden to us for his election to the position of POTUS and because he grew up as an American voter and relates to the rest of us on that level.

Why do the RepoTaliban and their "news" talking heads have a problem with that? Because they have invaginated themselves in their own perverted logic and can't find their way out.

[ConnieInCleveland]

It's harder to spin him, if we see him. Kudos to President Obama! The spinners are busy, but the people are listening to what President Obama is saying. I'm so sick of spinners. They spun us into this mess, by letting President Bush go unchecked. Nothing to see here, move along, was their theme for the day. Look how that turned out. They have owners who choose the spin we hear. We elected President Obama, I want to hear what he says, not what they spin in MSM.

[lucite]

I could not agree with you more. Where were the spinners and the pundits when Bush/Cheney and their administration sold the American public an illegal war? I never get enough of Obama, I love listening to him. He is on to something and the news media still don't get it.

[ConnieInCleveland]

Oh, they get it. That's why they are trying to spin it. They don't want people to hear what he has to say. They are overly critiquing him, trying to get him to second guess his message. They want to spin. It's what they do.

[peppermint]

Is that all you got? Bush and Cheney are no longer relevant but it's so hard to let go isn't it? This is all on Obama's watch now, however the left wants to spin it.

You love listening to a total bore? He was so monotone and repetitive last night that I started surfing the channels and lo and behold, there was nothing else on!!! Talk about your 1984 syndrome. It was stunning that Fox Channel had to forgo American Idol for this lame news conference. Nothing he said was new, only when pressed for an actual answer about AIG did he show any emotion. He's still an empty suit with or without his teleprompter.

[Dupree]

Excellent and Informative Article!!!! The media is upset and running scared because when the real deal is front and center...they can not spin the story to fit their own agenda to paint a picture of the president that is not consistent with who he actually is. We see his human side...as they try to paint him otherwise. We see his intelligence as they try to paint him "needing a teleprompter" and turn non-issues into a story...we who watch this president...knows better. They resent the fact that this president...goes around their circle ...and go directly to the public ...reducing their imput to the scope and scale of irrelevancy.

Keep up the good work...Mr. President. And you personally help shape our views about you instead of the twisted and ambulance chasing media who would turn a scratch on a finger into a major surgery.