CNN's pre-midterm advice for Obama: "Channel Ronald Reagan," and catapult the propaganda

[Amerigo Vespucci]

10 things Obama must do in 10 weeks
By Kristi Keck, CNN
August 23, 2010 4:09 a.m. EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/08/23/obama.midterms/index.html?hpt=C1

(CNN) -- President Obama is facing criticism that his message has gone off track at a crucial time for his party and administration. With the midterm elections just 10 weeks away, the president's approval ratings are at their lowest. Analysts are predicting big wins for Republicans in November.

Ten weeks is an eternity in politics, and Republican and Democratic strategists say there are some key things Obama can do in the final stretch to restore the confidence of the American people and minimize expected losses for his party.

1. Simplify the message

Candidate Obama inspired voters in the 2008 election with a simple message of hope and change. Halfway through his term, the president now faces the complex reality of governing.

Despite the administration's full plate, strategists say Obama needs to return to the focus and discipline that helped him win the presidency.
Coming Tuesday
10 things Republicans can do in the 10 weeks before Election Day

"That means less Professor Obama, more President Obama. It means fewer distinctions and shorter paragraphs," said David Morey, a communications expert who advised Obama's 2008 campaign.

"What should the message be? There should be three messages: Jobs, jobs, jobs," he added.

Christopher Arterton, professor of political management at George Washington University, advised Obama to drop the soaring rhetoric and focus on more low-level policy stops.

"It's a question of every day doing something on the economy and making sure that the news headlines are related to that," he said.

2. Channel Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan, known as the "great communicator," put communications front-and-center, Morey said.

"He focused and simplified the message. He communicated it. He built a consensus. He defined America's role in the world, and that's the challenge here," he said.

Once Obama has honed his message, he should take it directly to the people in news conferences, said Morey, vice chairman of the Core Strategy Group.

"Nobody was better at that. I'm not sure why somebody with that intellect and those communications talents should be so tightly scripted."

3. Propagandize the truth

"There is a great hunger for leaders who can rise above the political pettiness and tell the truth," Morey said, pointing to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as an example.

Christie, a Republican, defeated Democrat Gov. Jon Corzine last year, becoming the first Republican governor of the state since 1997.

Since then, Christie has slashed the state's budget and proved he doesn't answer to his party alone. So far, the voters like him for it. A Quinnipiac survey released last week shows 61 percent of independents approve of how he's handling his job.

[SpiralHawk]

1. CNN: "Channel Ronald Reagan's Dead Republicon Astrologer."

"If Obama would just hire a good Trance Medium to channel the sPiriT of Ronald 'Chickenhwk' Reagan's Dead Republicon Astrologer, he could whip this Perception Puppy like a dead horse. The trick (smirk) would be to employ Republicon-style occultism."

- CNN (R)

[SpiralHawk]

5. "Fling poo." - Ronald Reagan's Dead Republicon Astrologer*

"My advice to the Obamaster is to employ Republicon strategery and fling poo all over the frikkin place, cuz some of it will stick. Poo flinging is a tried and true Republicon Family Pharisee Values stratergy, and it can work for Obama, too..."

- Ronald Reagans's Dead Republicon Astrologer*


* Channeled by a dashing & intrepid (but anonymous) DUer, from the vast netherworld of Republicon occultism.

[Lasher]

2. Sure, chase after a fading myth that was created by Republican propaganda in the late nineties.

For anyone who cares to look at the actual polling data, the facts show that Reagan was definitely not the most popular post-war president, and during many comparable periods he was among the most unpopular.

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1192

Prior to 1999, there was only one time that Saint Ronnie of Reagan ranked was above #20 by scholars among all 43 US presidents. Now thanks to The Worst President in Living Memory who governed in his style, people have been reminded of what a disaster Saint Ronnie really was. The most recent scholar survey put him back down to #18, lower than Clinton and Obama, with plenty of room to go toward the bottom with Junior.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States#Scholar_survey_results

The "Great Communicator" was totally lost without a script.

http://thereaganyears.tripod.com/publicrelations.htm

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. I'm disappointed that it's become such a consistent piece of "advice"...

...I didn't read this for the first time on Salon. It seems like everywhere I turn these days, some pundit is encouraging Obama to be more like Reagan.

How about just letting him be like the guy we elected?

:grr:

[Lasher]

6. That's Republican pundits telling him to be a Republican

Also neoliberal Democrats and independents who still like some of Saint Ronnie's concepts despite the disaster they created during the GWB years.

[CBGLuthier]

3. Channeling Ronald Reagan?

Should he divorce his wife, cut off his legs, hire Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager to hunt down John Cassavetes and kill him, or start working with chimps?

[spanone]

7. cnn no longer exists in my world, ala faux

[OHdem10]

8. Channel Obama.

[SpiralHawk]

9. "Necromancy is like totally wicked eeeeeevul and shit." - RepublFundies (R)

"Therefore, CNN's channeling advice is, um, worser than Fox's advice or whatever."

- RepubliFundies (R)