Obama and the Confidence Game: NYTimes

Quoted via NYTimes:

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Confidence is the name of the game for a new president trying to calibrate his message to match the moment, searching for a way to inspire a recession-weary country and convey hope that better times are ahead. It is a tricky balance to strike. If he sounds too gloomy, he could further depress a nation desperate for any sign of progress. If he sounds too optimistic, he risks looking as if he’s trying to pull something over on the nation, a different sort of Confidence Man.

“You don’t want to overlook the misery and not look like you’re in touch with the challenges they’re facing,” said Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff. “On the other hand, you’ve got to give them a sense that there’s a light on the horizon that you’re pointing to and it’s visible.” more