President Obama's Press Conference Was Terrible For Political Junkies and Cable News Pundits...

[TomCADem]

...But its not for them or even YOU.

Why did some political "experts" and pundits dislike the speech?

1. President Obama did not talk about the impact of the debate on his poll numbers.
2. President Obama did not bash on Republicans as enemies of the people.
3. President Obama did not hold threaten conservative democrats.
4. President Obama did not show more emotion.
5. President Obama PRAISED some Republicans who seemed like they were willing to work with him.

In other words, there was no political bloodsport. Boring...

BUT guess what? President Obama was not talking to you. Yes, even you, the political junkie who is reading this Board.

President Obama was reaching out to the "independents" who will be turned off if he did #1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. The moment President Obama did the things that the political insiders says that he should do, this will turn off the independents who are only following the debate on a superficial level.

To us, the political junkies, such as Chris Matthews, President Obama is simply saying the same thing we have heard him say. However, President Obama does not need to convince him or you that there is a problem with healthcare. Instead, President Obama is trying to talk to the folks who have been scared by RW talking points into believing that the current situation is not that bad and who may buy into Mitch McConnell's "we have the best healthcare system in the world" claims.

Yes, President Obama is a Democrat and you are an avid Democrat and political junkie. Afterall, you are reading this, aren't you. But, President Obama is not talking to you. President Obama is talking to the people who do not read DU or Free Republic. He was talking to the casual voter who catches some news, but not religiously. President Obama is trying to the normal American who has a general distrust of any politician who will be turned off the moment President Obama starts accusing everyone else who does not agree with him of being evil.

I personally found the press conference very educational. I did not see a mad socialist, or someone planning a "government takeover" of government healthcare. What I saw, was a President who really, really knew his stuff. Now, you may disagree with him, but did President resemble the stereotypes being pushed by the GOP? Sure, President Obama could have called them liars, but I thought it was more credible to simply avoid acting like the stereotypes being pushed by the GOP and the corporate media.

So, not much red meat for us political junkies. But, it was not directed at us. We already believe that healthcare needs to be reformed.

[Prism]

1. It seemed like a reframing

I expected a little more detail, but about a third of the way through it seemed like his purpose wasn't policy wonkishness but a reassertion of the terms of the debate. With the recent poll reports, negative media attention getting ramped up, and increased attacks from all quarters on the reform, the President probably sensed the frames were shifting. I think this conference was his attempt to grab the frame with both hands and yank it back to where he wants it to be.

In that sense, I think he was successful.

[Political Heretic]

2. It's never particularly persuasive when someone tries to speak for me.

:shrug:

How about an end to all the "yous" in your post.

How about I tell you what my 62 year old father, veteran, and partially disabled independent Obama voter thought of the conference? I happened to be sitting in his living room during the middle of it?

He told me he didn't understand why Obama wouldn't call out republican lies, and why he can't wrangle his own party in line (I'm using his words, and in some of these cases I know what I would tell my father to make him understand). He said the conference was "disappointing" and that Obama "didn't say anything."

I asked him what he wanted him to say. He said he wanted to know what "make health care more affordable really means," as in what does "affordable" mean. He's skeptical that what washington decides is "affordable" for poor people like himself won't be "affordable" for him at all. (I'm not as worried about that myself, but I'm telling you what he said).

He was disappointed that there was no "toughness in the speech" (he calls them speeches) and is particularly made about conservative corporate-dems. See, my Dad used to be religious-conservative, as in he was conservative because his religion told him that was what you had to be. When he broke away from that fundamentalism, he found that his own sense of faith was highly liberal, and that poverty, equality, social justice - these are the things dad talks about and speaks about (he is a former pastor).

I tried to prepare him for the fact that the Democratic Party has its problems too, but he's still really disappointed. He thought Democrats were the oppposite of Republicans, and in many instances they're really not.

He hoped Obama would be coming up kicking butt tonight and instead he said, "this all feels like the same canned speech I've heard for the last week any time he's on TV."

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I thought it was underwhelming, but I don't have anything particularly positive or negative to say. The point is, you think you know a lot more about what independents think, and what Democrats think that I believe you actually do.

[TomCADem]

4. So, Your Dad Already Believes The GOP Lies?

And your dad was upset because President Obama didn't pound on them more?

[Uzybone]

3. agreed

those who cannot live without the constant arguing of MSNBC shows would not have enjoyed this. And thats fine, because politics should not be performance theater. Reagan, Clinton and Bush were quite good at the theatrics. I am glad to see a guy who is serious about getting things done.

[4lbs]

5. I agree. The press conference was more for the millions of Americans that DO NOT watch the cable

news channels religiously for 4+ hours each day.

It was for those that probably watch only the major network national news shows (NBC, CBS, ABC) for 30 min per evening, and maybe their local news for 30 mins at late night.

The ones that rarely watch C-SPAN for more than 15 minutes before their eyes glaze over.

[Blue_Roses]

6. BINGO! Thank-you!

Well said! :applause: