Obama's Short on Details, Long on Optimism

On the downside, Obama's pledge to repair the financial system and prevent its collapse "but only with the maximum protection for taxpayers" should concern investors looking to take long positions in some companies. As the government has invested in financial names like Citigroup (C Quote) and AIG (AIG Quote), share prices have crumbled.

"Additional regulation would be a headwind for financials," says Sparks. "That might cause them to be more conservative in their business plans, and therefore possibly underperform the overall market."

If anything, though, Obama has done a splendid job at tempering expectations, helping investors brace for the worse, Sparks says. "He's not one to overpromise and underdeliver. He's actually trying to do the opposite, suggesting that the outlook is bleak and things will last longer than expected," says Sparks. "He's arguing that the stimulus packaged is an absolutely, necessary first step, but it's not the panacea for all the problems that we're facing."

More bad news for the U.S. economy is expected Friday, when the Labor Department releases the nonfarm payrolls data for December. Economists expect the report to show a decline of 500,000 jobs in the U.S. last month and for the employment rate to rise to 7% from 6.7% in November.

However, Obama's choice to step out in front of the crisis has helped solidify support while adding to the sense of urgency. Even if the payroll data comes in weaker than expected, Pavlik argues that Obama's decision to move quickly has helped the market brace for the worst.