Obama Hopes to Change the Subject

Ernest Istook / January 21, 2010

Trying to move the political spotlight away from the new Senator from Massachusetts and the resultant chaos enveloping health care legislation, President Obama’s team can resort to a time-honored Washington strategy: Change the subject.

By setting his nationally-televised State of the Union speech for next week, President Obama is following that approach. He can shift media attention to a White House-controlled presentation while his party huddles (away from C-SPAN cameras). It’s a diversion from the Humpty-Dumpty-like efforts to reassemble the shattered pieces of health care plans.

Obama had delayed setting a date for the State of the Union in hopes it could be a victory lap for his health care bill. Instead, the January 27th date is now a convenient way to distract attention from that agenda. Especially since the oration will be followed by official release of Obama’s budget plans for his second year in office. And because the speech and budget always involve carefully-orchestrated leaks to win favorable media coverage. (more…)