The Calvin Hicks Show

Last week, President Barack Obama began a media blitz that included a trip to NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and an exclusive interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. On Tuesday March 24, 2009, President Obama had a prime-time press conference that pre-empted all network shows, so he could discuss the state of the economy and the recession.

Further expanding upon his unique media approaches of the past week,  the President held a Web Town Hall via the Internet on Thursday, March 26, 2009. The webcast, which could be seen on www.whitehouse.gov, as well as through most major news websites, began at 11:30 a.m. EST, and lasted for about 90 minutes. The premise was simple- up until 9:30 a.m. on March 26, 2009, you could go to the White House website, and post a question for the President. The public then had the opportunity to vote on which questions they liked or disliked. From this list, Obama would be addressing the concerns of the people in his Web Town Hall.

“When I was running for president, I promised to open the White House to the American people,” said Obama at the opening of the first ever Presidential Town Hall meeting. “I’ve been working to deliver the changes you sent me here to make.” And with that comment, the questions began, both from online submissions in both text (format)* and video format, as well as from a live audience in the White House.

The meeting was another example of how the President has changed Presidential politics for future generations. As presidential candidate Obama, he first built a powerful political machine by taking advantage of the internet as an invaluable resource to recruit supporters and raise money. As his campaign progressed toward victory, it became obvious that his focus on having a stellar internet campaign with web blasts and e-mail lists had motivated a demographic of voters to become extremely active in the 2008 Presidential Campaign. So, it was only natural for the President to hold the first ever Presidential Web Meeting, as he could thank the Internet and the “Internet Generation” for his ascension to prominence.

The meeting was filled with questions ranging from the economic crisis, to education, and health care, amongst other topics. A few key tidbits from the meeting:

When asked a question about the auto industry, the President promised some announcement “in the next several days” concerning the auto industry. He warned that the U.S. automakers would be expected to make structural changes, or risk losing opportunities for taxpayer bailout money.

The President voiced interest in a plan to take banks out of the Student Loan business, and make the Federal Government and Direct Loans the only method of borrowing money for higher education.

In a question about whether or not marijuana should be legalized to grow the economy, President Obama noted that marijuana discussions were one of the most popular question topics posted by the online audience. “I don’t know what that says about the online audience,” the President joked. “The answer is no, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy.”

For nearly 90 minutes, Obama answered questions. Perhaps this is a new method by which Obama hopes to convey his messages and relieve fears- a two pronged attack, some might say, of a press conference for the Press Corp followed by a Web Town Hall Meeting for the “regular Joes” (not at all to be confused with Joe the Plumber, who did not, by most accounts, pose any questions for the President to answer today).

Once again, it appears this President has the distinction of yet another Presidential first. Just as FDR had his Fireside Chats, and JFK became our first true “Television President”, maybe President Obama will be remembered for his “Webmeetings”. Only time will tell.