Recently Janet Napolitano and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs gave a message to the American people, in response to the latest Al Qaeda attack, that was clouded and too nuanced to fly. Immediately pounced on by the opposition and the media, the message was changed into an admission of systemic failure that was also ineffective and unsatisfactory. This is only the latest of the "message" failures of the Obama White House. From a high powered campaign communications machine to a stumbling, unfocused and badly coordinated media operation, the Obama White Houses' communications operation is clearly dysfunctional.
Although the Obama White House may have a grand unifying message, we aren't hearing it. We are hearing about gaffes, vendettas, "jobs conferences", "Wall Street bankers conferences", "Democratic caucus conferences", "shaming" and "patience." The President is carrying the ball too much and the more exposure he gets the less it seems he is being listened to. Where were the "Wall Street" bankers when he addressed them on Wall Street and at the White House? What foreign policy initiative has characterized our "changed" stance in the world? How many new jobs have the TARP and stimulus package created, and how has that been effectively communicated?
Air Force 1 over New York. Beer in the Rose Garden with Joe Biden, the Massachusetts cop and the Harvard professor. Speeches, interviews, photo ops, "Whitehouse gate crashers," Obama in Egypt, Prague, Copenhagen, Moscow, Oslo, but not Berlin during the celebrations of the fall of the "Berlin Wall"... Disjointed and unfocused images reflecting a possibly unprioritized and scattered Presidency?
Letting Rahm Emanuel wax rhapsodic in the Wall Street Journal about his political skill at using the left to forward a centrist agenda is divisive and politically inept, alienating friends and satisfying enemies. Then dispatching Larry Summers and David Axelrod to appear on Meet the Press to coldly and unfeelingly suggest, that although there is significant unemployment and still no palpable relief in the shattered real estate markets, the Obama economic/legislative plan is succeeding. Meanwhile, Anita Dunn is focusing on a useles and petty fight with Fox News. While in the background the Republicans and Democrats, both "Blue Dogs" and "Progressive", in the House and the Senate are having a four way food fight with each other and the White House doesn't even seem to be able to referee. These are only a few instances of the many, that have diminished the stature of the administration and is diminishing the Presidents' message.
Having an ambitious and progressive agenda is an excellent goal, getting busy and achieving that agenda is also admirable; however, if you can't effectively communicate to the American people how all the pieces fit together in that agenda and benefit them, we all lose.
Ignoring the President should have consequences, visible and prompt, don't put the President into positions where consequences cannot be seen by the American people. If deadlines are going to be set, hold to them or don't set them; if people are being summoned to the White House, make damn sure they're going to be there or don't summon them; credibility is the White Houses'greatest asset, diluting or diminishing that asset is potentially disastrous.
The Republicans are not going to support the President or any part of his agenda. I think the White House knows that now; however, on economic policy the Reagan/DLC inspired "free market, anti-regulation, pro Wall Street" crowd has to go. Not as a sop to populist anger, but as a strong message to the American people that this Administration is not "happy talking" about change, but means it.
Energy policy and Healthcare policy have to be firmly linked and explained to the American people as two parts of a new more competitive and healthier America. Two parts that work together to provide jobs and future national and economic security. That message has been questionable in the minds of the American people, it needs to be reframed and reinforced.
Economic policy has to both provide jobs immediately and reinforce the message that "Wall Street" is going to pay some of the freight. A surcharge on investment and banking profits in the form of uncapping the wage/salary limits on Social Security contributions or a "windfall profits tax," or a combination of the two could be sold to the American people at this time, and would have long term beneficial effects. Jobs are jobs, the private sector is not going to provide them, start planting trees, cleaning up estuaries, rebuilding infrastructure, now! Forget the criticism that these jobs would be make work and budget busting, the American people are more worried about their personal budgets than the National Deficit. By the way, stop talking about retraining and do something about it, it just makes everyone angry and also threatens and diminishes those who are supposedly in need of this hypothetical training. Reframe these issues and in the process start giving people some "Hope."
These are just some suggestions about the content; however, the main point is have a consistent message, stick to it, reinforce it and stop telling people that the economy is better, we don't belive that and until we have jobs, it just sounds unfeeling and condescending.
The White House needs a new communications team. One that will develop a disciplined and coherent communications strategy and one that can protect the President, control and coordinate the message, and get it heard without making the President the "salesman in chief." The President needs to be seen as working, not talking. Doing, not saying, acting not reacting and in charge! Adlai Stevenson and Eugene Mc Carthy didn't get to be President for a reason, don't let the American people confuse thoughtfulness with weakness, they will forgive anything but weakness. Obama is the best chance this country has had for excellent leadership since LBJ, don't let the opportunity slip by because of bad message/image discipline, please...