Impossible to know. FCC Chairman Genachowski is indeed a friend of the president, but this merger faced challenges on a several other fronts (e.g. the FTC and the DOJ).
Also consider that McDowell, the lead Republican on the FCC and a Bush appointee, didn't say much publicly about the merger and what he did say was less than a full throated endorsement.
It's also rather a bad time to approve a deal that--based on any half-way independent analysis--would have resulted in large numbers of layoffs. AT&T claiming otherwise was a total farce.
Also consider that McDowell, the lead Republican on the FCC and a Bush appointee, didn't say much publicly about the merger and what he did say was less than a full throated endorsement.
It's also rather a bad time to approve a deal that--based on any half-way independent analysis--would have resulted in large numbers of layoffs. AT&T claiming otherwise was a total farce.