How Obama Can Win Over The Media

MarketWatch Media Columnist Explains What Obama Must Do To Become America's "Communicator-In-Chief"

(MarketWatch)  Rick Stengel, the managing editor of Time magazine, didn't hesitate when I asked him what advice he would have for the nation's next president.

It was around 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, and Stengel was weaving his way through the throng at the CNN Grill, an election-night party thrown by Time Warner, which was attended by... everyone in town, or so it seemed.

"There has to be a new era of transparency," Stengel told me, raising his voice to be heard over the din.

I asked Stengel what the next president's priority should be.

"Communicator-in-Chief," Stengel said animatedly. "That's his main job."

Speaking for the media, who have been frustrated by outgoing President George W. Bush's infrequent public pronouncements over his eight years, Stengel urged Obama to be a constant presence in our lives.

"The more press conferences, the better," Stengel said, suggesting one a week. "The new president should also post his daily schedule online." Stengel said he looked forward to the day when there was so much transparency that Americans even knew with whom the president had lunch each day.

Obama, up close

I met Obama in October 2006 in Phoenix at a magazine conference. This was before he formally declared himself a candidate for the White House.

He had just finished playing tennis and was still wearing his tennis whites as he entered a private dining room to greet reporters in an informal manner. Magazine publisher Jason Binn had organized one of his patented well-attended dinners for the media and somehow managed to lure Obama there for a meet-and-greet.

Obama clearly enjoyed meeting people and making small talk. But I thought I got a glimpse of a slightly churlish Obama, too, when I asked him, rather bluntly, if he was worried about peaking in popularity with the media any time soon.

He cocked his head and took in my question, looking displeased at being buttonholed in such a friendly setting.

"No," he declared, throwing cold water on my theory. He then explained that he was confident he could continue to do well.

At the time, Obama had failed to thrill the gathering in Arizona. Maybe he was jet-lagged after taking a long flight from Washington. Maybe he was preoccupied with a looming doubles match on the tennis court. Who knows?

Guarded

Obama showed himself to be a guarded, private man on the campaign trail. Befitting his Harvard Law School pedigree, he chooses his words very carefully. He seemed to agonize when he had to speak off the cuff during his debates with his opponent on the campaign trail, Sen. John McCain, and wasn't at his best when he had to wing it.

I'd advise our new president to loosen up a bit when he deals with the media from this point on. The easiest way to get potential antagonists on your side is to smile and make light jokes. But Obama sometimes acts uneasily, as if he's about to sit down and take the LSAT.

Everyone in the media will be watching Obama, waiting for him to trip up and look bad.

It's nothing personal against him. But as I have written in this space before, the media love nothing more than to build you up, and then knock you down. This phenomenon takes place in every strata of life, from politics and business to sports and entertainment.

Media coverage

The worst thing Obama can do right off the bat is gain a reputation for complaining about his coverage in the media.

He should accept it, much as he did during the campaign against Sen. Hillary Clinton, then versus McCain. Obama took the high road, time and again, and it paid off.

The Washington media will appreciate it when he grants interviews and holds press conferences. But Obama will thrive in the spotlight when he shows that he's in charge -- not the pesky reporters.

Photo-ops

Obama would be smart to take advantage of his popularity now and create more goodwill.

He would be wise to go to the New York Stock Exchange and ring the opening bell one morning. Not only would he show Wall Street he is on its side, but the gesture would be an undeniable publicity bonanza as well.

As Bush knows from his own experience, Obama won't always have the media in the palm of his hand. He should take advantage of every opportunity.

[bricko]

Oops, did I land on the Onion....wow, just wow is all I can say aay about the headline....

This should even gather at least a head shake from the ususal Marxists on the board.

They have thrown all in and are helping work this trickle up poverty thing.

[fulmer1]

I didn''t realize CBS had been taken over by "The Onion."

[alejadrian]

Funniest headline eva. Unintentional division.

[deathofusa]

ha ha ha. Obama win the media? I thought Obama OWNED the media the way they covered everything up for him.

[tibu987]

Here is how Obama can win over the people that voted for him.

NOT SURROUND HIMSELF WITH TOO MANY PEOPLE FROM THE CHICAGO MACHINE. EMANUEL IS ONE TOO MANY.

[bookmo]

The Harvard Center for Public Leadership (headed by David Gergen) released a report just before the election that every newsperson should read.

2/3 of the respondents didn''t trust the press coverage of the 2008 presidential election.
89% said journalists focused on "trivial" issues
77% think the press is politically biased.
82% said the press has "too much influence on who Americans vote for."

Those are much bigger numbers than McCain or Obama got and one might even say they are a landslide of public opinion.

Rather than opining on how Obama can win over the press, the press had better start thinking about how it can win back the American public.

This report was released October 31, but I found only ONE paper that published it...and did not hear it even mentioned on any news program, not even by Mr. Gergen sadly.

The right-wing ideologues are out in force! If Obama fails, the country suffers. Why not cut him some slack. Look at all the votes he got! America wants change and it obvious that America needs it, like yesterday!

[allzwell]

Sore losers!!! LOL! The whole country is glad to be rid of ya''s.

[mrtruth4u]

THIS HAS TO BE A JOKE !!! WIN OVER THE MEDIA? the media should be ashamed of how they acted. WE HARDLY KNOW ANY FACTS ABOUT THIS GUY. THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING THAT ANYONE KNOWS ABOUT HIS PAST. WHY? BECAUSE THE MEDIA REFUSED TO DIG DEEP ENOUGH LIKE THEY DID ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PANTIES SARAH PALIN WEARS TO WHAT SHE DID FROM HER CHILDHOOD TO THE PRESENT. TRY TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT OBAMMA''s LIFE GROWING UP. THERE IS A HUGE GAP OF NOTHING WE KNOW ABOUT HIM, OTHER THAN BITS AND PIECES OF AYERS, PREACHER ???WYGHT, AND ALL THE OTHER CHICAGO THUGS HE HUNG WITH. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL SEE THE "CHICKENS COMING HOME TO ROOST" AS HIS DAYS AS PRES. GO ON. THEN WE CAN THANK ALL OF THE STUPID PEOPLE FOR NOT CHECKING THIS GUY OUT WITH FACTS BEFORE VOTING FOR HIM!! GOD HELP US!!!

[desertrat200]

First the press kisses his shoes, now they want us to believe he needs to win over the press?
What sublime idiot wrote this tripe?
Jeez.

[jlt14]

The only problem he is going to have is the task of removing the lips of the media from his hindquarters.

[caldodge]

Next on CBS News: "How Obama can win over blacks and left-wing professors"

Wait, is this The Onion? This is funny stuff!

[downthemidl]

LMAO infinity.

[jlt14]

THe only problem the "President-Elect" will face is trying to remove the lips of the media from his hindquarters.

[jlt14]

THe only problem the "President-Elect" will face is trying to remove the lips of the media from his hindquarters.

[jlt14]

Are these people serious? The only problem "President-Elect Obama" will have is trying to remove the lips of the media from his hindquarters.

The first press conference was all we needed to see. No one - NO ONE- even snickered at that facetious, arrogant "President-Elect" seal!

[jlt14]

Are these people serious? The only problem "President-Elect Obama" will have is trying to remove the lips of the media from his hindquarters.

The first press conference was all we needed to see. No one - NO ONE- even snickered at that facetious, arrogant "President-Elect" seal!

[platteman]

Had any Republican nominee ever said something like the great obama did about Nancy Regan, all of you in the liberal media, CBS, NBC, CNN, NYT, MSNBC,ABC would have jumped all over them faster than flies to horse poop. Yet you all give him a pass and don''t say or react to what he said while trashing Nancy Regan and many times he invoked the name of Ronald Regan. All of you suck.

[cdfoxtrot5]

If it''s true President Obama won over the media, it''s because he''s a breath of fresh air after the embarrassing english language disaster that was George Bush. Plus, Obama actually gives press conferences, unlike the moron-in-chief who only gave them when he absolutely had to, to win a vote, or gain public acceptance of yet another bone-headed initiative.