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Wall to Wall Coverage of Nothing New
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office is one of the hallmark uses of the President’s ability to communicate something directly to the American people with the full trappings of the office. Traditionally it has been used to convey the most serious of matters. Hoover was the first of the modern era to do so, on radio of course. FDR’s famous “fireside chats” technically fit the definition. But it was Truman who made the first televised address to the nation from the White House, to all 44K that had TVs at the time, at least. JFK informing the nation of the Cuban missile crisis, Nixon resigning, Ford pardoning Nixon, Carter’s infamous “malaise” speech, George HW Bush announcing military intervention in Panama and Kuwait, Clinton on the Lewinsky scandal, Obama on healthcare reform and the Iraq drawdown, and dozens more. Reagan’s speech the evening of the Challenger disaster is my first real political memory of paying attention to a president, and a formative experience in breaking news and the role of president as leader of the country in times of trial.
The practice has fallen out of favor somewhat for various reasons. Aids to President Obama frequently cited their preference to have a more dynamic setting, as they felt sitting at the Resolute desk hindered his speaking style and personal charisma. But there are more than stylistic reasons for the address losing its impact…
