Spin Control

If no amount of spin can overcome a poor performance, is the reverse also true, or can spin overcome good performance by distorting perception.

One botched crisis can make a huge difference in the public's view of a president. As President Obama juggles two acute crises, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and a terrorism plot in Times Square. Whether the country approves of his actions could color the rest of his term.

Audio: NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday 5/8/10, Ari Shapiro.