NYT: As 100th Day Nears, Obama Takes Hoopla and Runs With It

[Pirate Smile]

As 100th Day Nears, Obama Takes Hoopla and Runs With It



WASHINGTON — When it comes to the whole 100 Days hoopla, President Obama and his team were against it before they were for it.
To hear the White House tell it, Mr. Obama never much cared for the idea of marking his 100th day in office, next Wednesday. A trumped-up journalistic convention, senior aides called it. (O.K., they have a point.)
“Not a ton different than the 99th,” declared Mr. Obama’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs. “A Hallmark holiday,” said a senior adviser, David Axelrod.

But even as they professed their disdain for the pseudomilestone, Mr. Obama’s advisers have quietly embraced it. Through a meticulously planned schedule — a town-hall-style meeting in St. Louis on Wednesday, followed by a prime-time news conference — and sophisticated management of the news media, the White House is harnessing the insatiable public appetite for all things Obama and turning the 100 Days moment to the president’s advantage.

-snip-
But now that the 100th day is upon the White House, it makes political sense for the administration to engage. Polls (yes, the 100th Day polls are out — who cares if Friday was only the 95th day?) show that roughly two-thirds of the public approves of the job Mr. Obama is doing. So there is no reason for the White House to run away from the occasion.

Instead, Mr. Obama’s advisers are trying to “manage it,” in the words of one senior official, by putting forth their most effective pitch man — the president — to deliver a progress report to the nation. Mr. Obama will make the case that while he has begun tackling the most challenging problems facing the nation, there is still much work to be done.

-snip-
The Obama 100 Days hype seems unparalleled. The news media learned long before Inauguration Day that the Obamas sell. Now universities, advocacy groups, public relations firms, even comedians are getting into the 100th Day act.
“Nobel Laureates Critique First 100 Days,” came one e-mail pitch, offering up interviews. The National Jewish Democratic Council will hold a conference call Monday to discuss “the Jewish perspective” on the occasion. In Manhattan, the humorist Andy Borowitz is the featured entertainer at the 92nd Street Y’s 100th Day event. Human Rights Watch issued a report Friday on Mr. Obama’s “100-Day record on counterterrorism reform.” New York University held a conference. Politico published a glossy magazine.
Can 100th Day mugs be far behind?



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/us/politics/25memo.html?_r=1&hp

[FrenchieCat]

1. That's why this man deserves to be President.....

Cause he knows how to "handle" events, as opposed to events "handling" him.

He understands that if he left it up to the lying media
that could become a dangerous proposition. Better he does it himself.

This is great, and mentioned it here... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8368879

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. He's doing a righteous job & nobody can find fault . The media is perplexed

[firedupdem]

3. Perfect! He jumps out ahead of them. They have to report on

the things he's actively doing instead of spinning the narrative they wish to push. Go President Obama! I'm so glad we got this man and his team elected.

:fistbump:

[FrenchieCat]

4. Ooh...the media must be pissed!

:rofl: