Media Overexposes 'Obama Is Overexposed' Complaint

[babylonsister]

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/475178/media_overexposes_obama_is_overexposed_complaint

Media Overexposes 'Obama Is Overexposed' Complaint
posted by Leslie Savan on 09/19/2009


To push health care reform, President Obama will appear on five Sunday talk shows (on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Univision) and on Letterman Monday; this, after last week's speech to Congress and his 60 Minutes and CNBC appearances. And, as they did in March and in May and in July, the media are in fretting that, lord love a duck, Barack Obama is "overexposed." If he keeps this up, he's going to block our view of all the tea-party folk screaming "You lie!" in their "I'm With Joe Wilson" T-shirts.

"We've never had a president with this all-consuming need to be on television 24/7," raged Rush Limbaugh. "This is like Castro!" A Kansas City Star writer was more concerned about Obama's hold on the nation's bubblegum grannies, asking, "Will Barack Obama be the next Ricky Martin?"

Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski concurred. "I'm worrying he's making a mistake," she said, while her guest, The New York Times's Mark Leibovich, proffered that maybe Obama is "showing off" and, citing the Univision appearance, asked, "How do you say 'overexposure' in Spanish?"

Later in the same show, the refreshing Gail Collins zeroed in on her colleagues' own overexposure. Sure, the Times columnist said, Obama seems ubiquitous to us in the media because "we watch every one" of his appearances, but "the average American" might catch only one out of those half dozen upcoming shows, and then maybe only a few clips.

Which reminds me of the ad world's "Rule of Seven." Consumers, according to this rough formula, are more likely to buy a product after they've been exposed to an ad at least seven times.

snip//

For the political right and the corporate media--especially those three- or four-hour-a-day radio and cable TV hosts--whining that Obama hits the screens too much, or is in general "doing too much," is their way of telling him to be more like a Republican president than a Democratic one: To do nothing on health care, economic justice, student loans, or whatever the issue may be. Oh, they tell the president, make the occasional speech that we can hype as do-or-die, but then obey the status quo lobby's instructions: Shut up and don't annoy the scaaarrry Republicans. (Hey, Max Baucus--BOO!)

But wasn't it just last week that Obama was criticized, and rightly so, for underexposing himself during that crucial month of August when, as Frank Rich wrote, the crazies were "poisoning the national discourse while the president bided his time"? And in fairness, some talking heads aren't buying the "overexposed" canard. "We live in 24-hour news cycles now," former McCain media consultant Mark McKinnon told ABC, "and if the president isn't filling the vacuum, his opponents will be."

snip//

Could it be that the sight of this attractive, adroit, reasonable, and unflappable black man hurts GOP peepers? It's probably a lot like seeing the girl who beat you out of prom queen in homeroom every day. He's a constant reminder of their own political and ideological collapse, and it's just too much that he goes about his job with far more worldwide acceptance than poor old George W. Bush.

[SpiralHawk]

1. Corporate media claptrap - no wonder no one respects them

The 'overexposure' bullshit is what we have come to expect from them: doodley squat in the way of real reporting, made up controversies to serve the Corporate Borg.

[PA Democrat]

2. It is as if the corporate media in their zeal to air anti-Obama talking points

doesn't seem to care that they have wandered into the territory of the blatantly absurd.

On Friday, MSNBC had on a right wing pundit by the name of Amanda Carpenter and her explanation as to why it was a bad idea for the President to do all the talk shows today was so outlandish that even Nora O'Donnell was left shaking her head in disbelief. Ms. Carpenter said she was concerned that Obama would "mess up" and make some type of statement that would be a distraction (similar to the Skip Gates incident) to the health care debate.

Yeah, right. As if the right wing really wants to have an honest debate on health care. I guess that's why they sent out those rational, reasonable people to all of the town halls- to have an honest debate on the subject.

[GoCubsGo]

9. Mind-boggling!

Amanda Carpenter is "concerned" that Obama will mess up. LOL!!! Yeah, right. She WISHES he would

[Cha]

12. Yeah, stupid projecting..and in the process ..she Messed

Up.

[NYC Liberal]

3. Bush lived in a bubble and look how that worked out.

Remember during the campaign when McCain claimed Obama was a "celebrity" -- and ran that ad showing him with huge crowds to support it? Basically, being popular and having tons of support = bad.

So now the right-wingers are trying to spread the meme that Obama actually being seen and heard is a "bad" thing. Yeah right.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Yeah....Huge Crowds are only good for Teabaggers and Palin.....

But if their are pro-Obama crowds; that's bad.

They really do think that we do not see them for what they are....
which shows they know nothing.

[Cha]

13. I hate the corporatemediawhores who promote this Orwellian

Shite.

[vaberella]

4. Obama and his Admin is to America the way Menudo was for Latin America.

Oh and Haiti---they were uber popular in Haiti. :rofl:

[Deja Q]

5. Rush Limbo speaks of himself, not of President Obama.

Just how low can he go, anyway?

Rush, if you hate it here, quit your job and get the flying fuck OUT of this country. You're a despicable wet wanker.

[Clio the Leo]

6. Sucks to be them.

But they can change party affiliation at any time ......... the cool kids club is always accepting applications.

[TomCADem]

7. Its Kind Of Hard To Argue That The President Should Exercise Leadership

When he is out there giving more press conferences than Bush had done in 8 years.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. I thought the same thing

"Being out there" is what he does best.

[Cha]

11. I love that Leslie Savan has written this..

The corporatemediawhores and the repubs want him hidden aways in a White House closet.

But, I don't agree that he was underexposed in August.

I think the teabagged over shot their wad and then along comes PO to save the day.

[GivePeaceAchance]

14. I was unsure about that at first but now it's essential he's on TV as regular as possible...

Every time he's away from the TV right wing media is trying to dismantle his message. Plus the right have to get used to the idea of an african american because he's going to be around a while. I also liked Ventura's defense of his regular appearances he's public official they should be on TV regular so we know what they are up to. Over exposure could onlyb be a negative if he was trying to sell a record, so in this instance their argument it really doesn't apply.

[fugop]

15. Insanity continues

Yep, he's getting overexposed, all right. So much so that he's plummeted back UP to 53% approval in Gallup.

I don't put as much stock in polls as the almighty media, but I find it hilarious that every time they start screeching how he's overexposed, he's in front of the people too much, blah blah blah, his numbers seems to improve. Welcome to the media's Bizzaro World again.

[BlueIdaho]

16. The drugster thinks our President is overexposed?

This fat bastard is on the air - what - 15 hours a week 52 weeks a year and the PRESIDENT is overexposed?

Hilarious.

[rocktivity]

17. When he doesn't media blitz, he's too scared or reclusive. When he does, he's overexposed.

The real problem is that he's exposing himself to media other them than the corporate one.

:boring:
rocktivity