Obama to deliver weekly address via YouTube
For the first time ever, the president's weekly address to the nation will be delivered via video as well as radio.
President-elect Barack Obama, the Washington Post reported, will begin by taping this week's Democratic address at his transition office in Chicago on Friday, and the video will be posted on Saturday to Obama's transition site, Change.gov, via YouTube. Other members of the Obama administration will post online videos as well.
On Thursday evening, Obama's transition team co-chair Valerie Jarrett posted a YouTube video, shown below, to the site explaining the lobbying restrictions for Obama's transition team.
The tradition of the president addressing the public directly via radio dates back to President Franklin Roosevelt's "fireside chats" in the 1930s. Archived audio recordings of all of President George Bush's weekly radio addresses can be found at the White House Web site.
Delivering the radio addresses via online video is a logical step for the first president elected in the era of YouTube. The Obama campaign uploaded more than 1,800 videos to its YouTube page.
Stephanie Condon is a staff writer for CNET News focused on the intersection of technology and politics. She is based in Washington, D.C. E-mail Stephanie. 
I just hope people understand, that if they are employed by a company that is struggling, and the "head hunter" notices YouTube use, .... the check mark might be put beside their name.
time to redefine "surfing" - if your financial analyst was "caught" reading the WSJ, i dont think you'd have a problem.
Dinosaur.
And nice modern manifestation of the fireside chat.
I'm a youngster of 27 and never listen to the radio. I will without a doubt listen to youtubed broadcasts, yes, during my work day. I remember the press covering some supposedly important statements McCain made over the radio 6-7 months ago and thinking how behind he is if he thinks statements of such a level are to be made on such a fading medium.
Considering the youth vote helped Obama get elected, I can totally see how he's trying to keep the involved in his administration. Dance with the one who brung ya! Good job!
Dance with the one who brung ya! I like that.
JFK said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can dor for your country"
BO says Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country can do for you!
America was once known as the "Land of Opportunity", and is quickly being known as the land of free government sh*t!
Heavily tax the hard working people and give to the fat, dumb and lazy!
- by iceman721 November 23, 2008 11:32 AM PST
- Its about time that a President puts action with words. I remember Clinton talking all the time about how important technology is and how it should be used to the fullest extent and embraced. Once Bush was elected the emphasis on effective use of technology seemed to fade away. This is an excellent step to bringing it back to the forefront.
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(16 Comments)I think the government should have a website or a section of You Tube to show Senate Debate on bills or committee meetings (when there are no security concerns) that show us what our elected officials are actually doing. I'm sure some of them wouldn't like their constituents being able to log on and see them missing on key votes or debates of concern to them! That would be instant accountability.