He could have scheduled another prime-time address to the nation. Or faced off against a so-serious journalist on “Meet the Press.”
Instead, Barack Obama will take his case to Jay Leno tonight at 10:35 p.m., talking a bit more informally to the public via “The Tonight Show.”
He will be the first sitting president to sit on the couch of the 54-year-old late-night chat fest, a spot worn bare over the years by actors plugging their latest movies or comedians hoping to break into showbiz’s big leagues.
“There’s something about going on ‘The Tonight Show’ that might be a little bit soothing to people. Like a fireside chat, not as intense an experience as a news interview,” said Conan O’Brien, in Denver this week promoting his June 1 takeover of “Tonight.” The show airs here on Channel 9.
Of course, Obama will field tough questions on “60 Minutes” Sunday and has called a prime-time news conference for Tuesday. But tonight’s attempt to boost his economic-recovery plan is a carefully calculated political move, not just entertainment. The late-night shows have become campaign stops for politicians seeking cachet with the kind of voters who stay up past the late news.
And there’s a lot at stake here. Americans are worried, and confidence in the president’s talents is wavering. A Pew Research poll last week docked his approval ratings 5 points over a month. In CNN’s poll, he dipped 12 points from early February.
If Obama can roll with Jay’s barbs, crack a few jokes and still come off as a commanding commander in chief, his economic programs could get two thumbs up.
If he comes off Nixon-stuffy or McCain-stiff, he could bomb as badly as Mike Myers’ last flick.
Either way, the appearance signals a leap in the continued blending of politics and entertainment. Leno, David Letterman, Jon Stewart and Oprah Winfrey all have their clout, according to Poynter Institute journalism values scholar Bob Steele.
“It’s not journalism as we have defined it, but it’s a piece of the conversation,” he says.
The risk is that Leno might ask hard questions as Letterman did of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But Obama is good at such moments.
“He’s always been seen, especially by young viewers, as being a hip kind of guy. ‘The Tonight Show’ is the perfect place for a hip kind of guy,” said Denver political analyst Katy Atkinson. Late-night TV “is also, sad to say, where people under 30 get their news.”
NBC’s “Tonight” has been the national gathering place since the 1950s, and Leno has continued the show’s ratings dominance. Although it averages less than half the ratings of successful prime-time hours, “Tonight” remains topical thanks to its monologue, always its centerpiece.
Leno is by no means a tough interviewer; he’s more Regis Philbin than Tim Russert. Expect him to cajole, not grill. His challenge will be to serve as an appropriate intermediary between the leader of the free world and regular folks — not too studied, not too ignorant. Obama must seem relaxed, conversant with pop culture, while delivering grim news.
“One of the key tenants of new media is create a conversation between you and the audience.” said Rick Ritter, who advises Colorado candidates. “The difficulty is, government doesn’t lend itself to two-way conversations.”
“The Tonight Show” puts the president one step closer to that. “Things are pretty serious right now. There’s a lot of anxiety,” Conan O’Brien said.
“President Obama could go on one of those news shows and very seriously talk about AIG and the bailout and very seriously talk about the American auto industry. But it might be his people are rightly thinking, ‘Let’s let him go someplace where he can be a little lighter about the situation.’
“Actually, there might be a chance everybody needs a break. Barack Obama probably needs a break. Go someplace where there can be a few laughs; you can still make your point,” O’Brien said.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
