Whatever Happened To Oval Office Addresses?

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Since 1980, not including Obama's Presidency, 12 OOAs on average have been given per POTUS. Reagan gave 16, Bush 41 gave 11, Clinton gave 13, and Bush 43 gave 6. Thy have ranged, in topic, from disasters to detailing your economic plans to solem occasions of war. Obama has given 1; for the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill. He didn't give one on Gabby Giffords' shooting, not on the death of OBL, not on the Debt Ceiling talks, not on the lowering of our Credit Rating, not on the threat of Iran, and not on the Fiscal Cliff, and for some reason not on the Sandy Hooks Massacre. Why have their frequency fallen so much during the Obama Administration?

[politicallefty]

I actually had thought about that a couple days ago myself. I don't know, but it's a good question.

[Paul Kemp]

It's clearly because he's un-American.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I think its because each president is an individual with individual personalities.  Obama likes to be out with the people instead of behind the desk.  I applaud him for that.  I think he should do more oval office addresses, but I do like the fact that he will get out there with the people.  He seems to be a very personable man and someone you could easily have lunch and a beer with.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Oval Office Addresses are formal, which Obama generally isn't, and they don't allow for the audience to applaud on cue which he likes.  He'd much rather give a formal address before a joint session of Congress than in the solitude of the Oval Office.

[Blue3]

Obama probably wants to reserve its use for huge, nationwide disasters... (or for declarations of war, which thankfully there haven't been). The only reason he didn't for Sandy is probably because it was too close to the election.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Obama probably wants to reserve its use for huge, nationwide disasters... (or for declarations of war, which thankfully there haven't been). The only reason he didn't for Sandy is probably because it was too close to the election.

I think the Sandy Hooks School Shooting deserved it....

[retromike22]

I like that Obama talks from a location as opposed to from the Oval Office. Instead of talking to a camera, he's talking to the people directly affected by the situation.

[Paul Kemp]

Obama probably wants to reserve its use for huge, nationwide disasters... (or for declarations of war, which thankfully there haven't been). The only reason he didn't for Sandy is probably because it was too close to the election.

I think the Sandy Hooks School Shooting deserved it....

Not sure him appearing teary eyed all alone would've been a great look.

[Blue3]

Obama probably wants to reserve its use for huge, nationwide disasters... (or for declarations of war, which thankfully there haven't been). The only reason he didn't for Sandy is probably because it was too close to the election.

I think the Sandy Hooks School Shooting deserved it....

I don't think so. When I think of Oval Office, I think of war. Or some kind of decisive response. Some kind of action.

If he has a decisive response to the school shooting,  then perhaps he could announce it from the Oval Office. But it does seem a bit  ivory-tower-ish.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Obama hates baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.....along with kids and America in general.  K?  Thx.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Obama hates baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.....along with kids and America in general.  K?  Thx.

Well, baseball is not America's game any more.  It's probably Michelle that is anti-hot dog and apple pie, and Obama loves Chevrolet when they lose money making electric vehicles.