There can be no doubt that President Obama is going through a bit of a rough patch right now. As he continues to deal with the Gordian knot of health-care reform, Obama is falling back on his own popularity and influence to move things forward. In an effort to become a more visible part of the process, he’s begun making more television appearances this afternoon in the Rose Garden, in a number of interviews in the past day (he agreed with NewsHour host Jim Lehrer that he owns health-care reform and is proud to be pushing it), and in another prime-time press conference tomorrow night. The problem is that Obama’s star power just doesn’t get him as far as it once did when his term was young. Take that presser tomorrow. When it was originally scheduled for 9 p.m., only CBS signed on to air it. Fox declined outright, meaning Major Garrett will likely once again not be called upon in retribution. ABC and NBC were on the fence, the latter because they planned to air a special episode of America’s Got Talent featuring Susan Boyle. And so the president of the United States, caught in a stare-down with an ephemeral reality-show star, blinked, and decided to move the presser to eight o’clock. That may tell us something about the rut Obama is in now. Then again, maybe he just sympathized with Boyle, a fellow frump.
Most will carry Obama press conference; time shifted after NBC balked [Live Feed/HR]
