White House in the business of "selling" the President like never before
From selecting who'll show up in the backdrop to how they're dressed (for instance asking people to take off their ties when George W. was making a speech promoting his economic plan) to actually designing the whole backdrop, this White House has hired experts from the TV industry for just that according to this New York Times story (registration required):
George W. Bush's "Top Gun" landing on the deck of the carrier Abraham Lincoln will be remembered as one of the most audacious moments of presidential theater in American history. But it was only the latest example of how the Bush administration, going far beyond the foundations in stagecraft set by the Reagan White House, is using the powers of television and technology to promote a presidency like never before.
Officials of past Democratic and Republican administrations marvel at how the White House does not seem to miss an opportunity to showcase Mr. Bush in dramatic and perfectly lighted settings. It is all by design: the White House has stocked its communications operation with people from network television who have expertise in lighting, camera angles and the importance of backdrops.
