It’s been hard to miss the steady drumbeat counting down to Obama’s 100th day in office. Yesterday we wrote that while the benchmark itself “is completely arbitrary,” minus the historical significance, the media could still wring some substantial coverage out of the event. Do you agree with that assessment? Is the 100-day marker a meaningless media sideshow or can it be a valid marker of a president’s performance? What sort of coverage would best serve readers and viewers, while capitalizing on the shiny news peg? And how should reporters proceed on day 101?
News Meeting — April 28, 2009 12:13 PM
The Hundred-Day Stretch
Is there value in marking this presidential milestone?
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I enjoyed this exchange between White House press secretary Robert Gibbs and a few reporters on this morning's Air Force one flight to Missouri. (I've tightened it up a bit.):
Q: So you kind of shrugged off the 100 days as a media creation, but is the President using this time to reflect or assess what he's done and think about what he might grade himself?
MR. GIBBS: Oh, I think so, though I've got to tell you, Caren, I don't think he would -- I don't think he waits for some specific milestone in days to reflect on what he's faced or the decisions that he's made or what lies ahead. I think he does that on a fairly regular basis. ...
Q But despite your view that it's an artificial day you are marking it with a town hall and a trip and a news conference tonight. And what's behind that? Is it that you want --
MR. GIBBS: We're playing along with the game. (Laughter.)
Q You're playing along with the game.
Q You're not trying to drive the game?
MR. GIBBS: ... You know, look, you guys create the wave and we'll try to surf it a little bit.
#1 Posted by Clint Hendler, CJR on Wed 29 Apr 2009 at 04:35 PM
But more seriously, folks, I don't see much harm in marking this little milestone. There really are a blizzard of changes that a new administration can affect in relatively short order upon taking office, and choosing an arbitrary--except for the roundness of the number that marks it--date to suss up what's been done isn't a bad idea.
But taking the measure of the administration's progress against its promises shouldn't be a holiday event. Journalists should strive to do it everyday.
#2 Posted by Clint Hendler, CJR on Wed 29 Apr 2009 at 04:49 PM
Amen Mr. Hendler. But I wouldn't count on journalists, especially the broadcast types, "striving to do it everyday". The ratings game precludes real journalism.
As an Obama supporter I don't think the frequent press conferences hurt. They merely serve to show the country that at last we have a thinking substantive president in the White House.
#3 Posted by Jim Saunders, CJR on Fri 1 May 2009 at 12:15 PM