Media writer examines “Why has Obama become boring TV?”
July 22 press conference/New York Times photo
Americans are increasingly tuning out when President Barack Obama goes on television to address them.
“Why has Obama become boring TV?” Felix Gillette of the New York Observer asks in his media column. He notes that Nielsen ratings show a decline in viewers for each of Obama’s four press conferences:
- February: 49.4 million viewers. Topic: stimulus plan.
- March: 40.3 million viewers. Topic: economic recovery.
- April: 28.8 million viewers. Topic: first hundred days.
- July: 24.6 million viewers. Topic: health care.
Gillette asks several political pundits to explain the decline. Among the theories, he reports:
Nicolle Wallace, the former director of communications for the White House under George W. Bush, told The Observer that she thought the president’s plunging television ratings were a symptom of other problems.
“The unpopularity of his policies is catching up with him,” Ms. Wallace wrote to The Observer via email. “He is and will probably remain very personally popular. People like him and people historically root for their president. But the country didn’t change its basic values and fundamental philosophies last November. They were intrigued by Obama and furious at the party in power. Obama has misread his ‘mandate.’ The public doesn’t want the federal government to run American companies, hire and fire CEOs or take over their health care.”
David Gergen and Pat Buchanan both told Gillette that Obama goes on TV too often:
Gergen: “People can get a little numb. By comparison, Franklin Roosevelt, a superb communicator, had three fireside chats in his first six months. History suggests that even the best communicators, if they go too often, wear out their welcome.”
Buchanan: “Nixon would always tell me that he was a great admirer of the Gauls. The sense of reserve — of distance between the head of state and the people — is something that provides a magnetism and an attraction.”
Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980. 
It’s mostly an over exposure problem, coupled with a waning of folks who were irrationally exuberant for him during and right after the election. President Obama remains a human being and not a deity, regardless of how well he speaks. One thing he did that I did not care for at all was his “Tonight Show” appearance, I thought that was a something a sitting President should not do.
His head is too big for my screen to watch him. Please Mr. President- stay off the tv and hide like Cheney for about 3 and a half years.
The story misses the obvious — Americans are tuning Obama out because they increasingly don’t believe anything he says. You can only do the “As I have consistently stated” line and then lie through your teeth a couple of times before people start to catch on. The Axlerod PR team hasn’t figured that out yet.
Never mind that his “news” conferences never produce any news. He simply repeats the same thing he’s said dozens of times in other venues. Americans are also growing tired of his “Let me be clear…” shtick. When you repeatedly have to walk back your own statements, you’ve lost.
Maybe they could have Obama and Palin “making whoppie”to each other.That would be must-see TV!!!!Share the”wealth”!!!
Because he’s a boring person. Reading his Master’s mandates from a teleprompter is not interesting. But then again was Pol Pot, Mao, or any other Communist/Socialists interesting before? The guy isn’t even a legitimate President. Just a vetted plant to polish us off. The Revolution Won’t be Televised.
A goon like the previous four goons before him. Reagan lied about everything. Bush I lied about everything. Clinton lied about everything. Bush II lied about everything. Obama is lying about everything.
President Obama is an exceptionally good speech reader —
there’s a reason they call him “The TelePrompTer Jesus”
But more and more people are likely thinking, “He’s lying … I know
he’s lying … He knows he’s lying … The press knows he’s lying
… and no matter how earnestly he scowls & reads that TelePrompTer,
we still recognize that he’s lying.”
===
“Look, let me explain something you don’t understand…..”
Over, and over, and over, and over again.
He wanted the job, he got it. We will back in 3 years and let him know how he did.
At least he can string together consecutive coherent sentences, unlike the creature who occupied the White House before him.
You people who take the stand that all politicians are lying about everything: There is something wrong with you.