Will Congressmen Have to Write Letters To Themselves, Too?

Carol Platt Liebau | September 02, 2009 5:32 PM

Fresh on the heels of news that The White House is asking that schoolchildren see an address from President Obama (before writing letters to themselves detailing how they will help the President -- not the country, the President) is the announcement that Obama will also be addressing Congress in a televised speech, one day later. Insert your own joke here about relative maturity levels, childishness, etc.

Obviously, the President is trying to reset the debate on health care and other matters after a terrible August. What will be interesting is to see whether it works.

It seems that he's banking on personal likability to carry the day. Is this sound judgment, or hubris? After all, he's already talked plenty -- and even after after his blitz of speeches and appearances on health care, support for it (and for him) continued to fall.

The President has so far commanded a higher personal popularity than his policies have. The question is whether prolonged exposure to him -- and he does seem intent on inserting himself into every facet of American's lives -- will elevate the popularity of his policies, or decrease his personal popularity.

So far, the outlook for The White House hasn't been great.