Most people knew what George Bush's views were. That's why we are being considered successful in Iraq right now. That's why he was successfully able to avoid embryonic stem cell funding, to get stimulus checks passed, to get tax cuts, etc. etc. etc. He made his case. And, like it or not, when he wanted the TARP he got it. George Bush got LOTS of stuff.
Obama is over-estimating a President's ability to get things accomplished just by appearing on TV. He's going to lose his sheen real fast by thinking of himself as a movie star.