Obama Criticized for Dour Rhetoric on Economy

As the debate over the President Obama's economic stimulus proposal has heated up, Obama's rhetoric on the proposal has grown more urgent, and more pessimistic. Obama has said that the stimulus must be passed to avoid an economic "catastrophe," and warned that if the bill is not passed quickly, the nation "might not recover" from the eventual economic collapse. Now, a former aide to President George W. Bush, Brad Blakeman, says that President Obama's gloomy arguments in favor of the bill have crossed the line of presidential good taste.

"It's not presidential. An American leader needs to be hopeful and optimistic - and truthful. Everything he says is parsed; everything he says is searched for deep meaning. When he goes to 'DefCon 5' on the economy and says that we're on the brink of catastrophe, it's absolutely insane."

Pollster Frank Luntz agrees. He points out that Obama's optimistic campaign rhetoric of hope and change could work against him if he continues to speak in opposite terms in office. ""Mr. Hope has to be careful not to become Dr. Doom," Luntz said. "Mr. Obama...was elected because people thought he was the solution. There's only so much negativity they will tolerate from him before they will feel betrayed."

The change from President Obama's soaring and inspirational campaign rhetoric has been stark. The shift has been made all the more necessary, however, by opinion polls that show the public support for his economic rescue plan dwindling. It takes any new president some time to adjust his campaign message to the reality of governing. Obama, however, has made a complete turnaround in his outlook, and in a very short time. His tone may change once the stimulus bill is passed. But even so, his increasingly dour rhetoric on the economy may have taken some of the hope-filled shine off of his image.