" 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." 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." end of quotes The CNN Article also includes Maureen Dowd's analysis that Obama has gone off message "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." and "While many poked fun at former President George W. Bush for mispronouncing words and stumbling through sentences, observers note that he rarely had to backtrack on his answers because he employed a simple and direct messaging approach."The Link Although the article goes on to say Obama can get back on track and quotes Morey's advice I believe this is the first time CNN has been so frank and less able to explain what Obama really meant.
"Communicating as a law professor does not work as president. It's not worked," he said. "You're drawing fine distinctions and speaking in long enough paragraphs that they can be misconstrued and taken out of context and frankly, handed to your opposition to exploit. And that's clearly what's going on here [with the Islamic center/mosque comments]." I think this is a very fair criticism of Obama, along with the fact that he feels compelled to weigh in on issues that are not fully developed and/or not within the scope of his work. He has enough issues to address without feeling compelled to give his thoughts on things that he has no decision-making authority on and which do not affect his agenda. p.s. Nice highlighting.
it isn't that his message is incoherent. It is that his message is in direct conflict with what most americans want, and in direct violation of how he campaigned with regard to spending, taxation, and his alleged job creation. He has been wrong on all of those aspects. In short it isn't that we do not uderstand his message it is his message sucks. couple that with the absolute lies about his HRC, Stimulus, and all the other empty promises. this is not hard to figure out. At the most basic levels he sucks as a potus, and much of it is directly because he chose a path based on failed ideology as opposed to one that would actually work.
it is fairly clear to me that when a president comes into office he is met by the people who control things and told how things are going to be done. If he strays from that path he is reminded of what happened to the Kennedy's and even Reagan...
We are in desperate need of a president who really believes in this country and can articulate the reasons why America can and should be great. If Obama really meant what he said at that dinner (and I think he did), then there should be no need for the crab walking and clarifications. I truly miss Ronald Reagan.
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 following day, Obama told Ed Henry, CNN's senior White House correspondent, 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 a White House spokesman clarified those comments. _________________________________________________ There is nothing wrong with what Obama said in the first paragraph but it should have been folllowed woth comments indicating the innappropriateness of the mosque being built there. Obama has to be a leader. We have reached out to the world enough. We give billions of dollars away. As our president, he should be sensitive ot the needs of the american people. He is great at showing sensitivity to others. This is his weakness, he is not a uniter, a leader, or a chief executive. Things that were clear about him as he was running for president. He was playing a part, on prompter, on message, directed like a hollywood movie was being made. This is what we get.
There isn't anything inconsistent between Obama's comments. But, when you want to criticize someone really badly, you seize upon every opportunity no matter how dumb.
