Is “Sputnik Moment” for real?

 

By Nur Özkan Erbay—Jan 27, 2011

The President opened a new chapter in nation’s future using the term “Sputnik Moment” in Tuesday night’s State of the Union Address. By analyzing the performance of last two years of the White House’s engagement and communication strategies, it is easy to conclude that the Obama Administration’s technology driven changes have already enabled them to attain a “Sputnik Moment”.

President Obama employed the term to highlight on the idea of “winning the future” for America. He established a connection between this metaphor and new perception that all Americans need to stand for. President Obama carried his message in by using his exceptional oratorical and communicative ability throughout the SOTU week. Thus, he inspired people with his story. He conveyed it through every possible venue and enabled people to see and hear his message.

The Obama Administration is well known for using almost every tool that the new media world has to offer. The President’s messages are conveyed instantly via the White House web site, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook even and MySpace. Thus, the President’s messages were strengthened and reached the largest audience in the internet world before and after the State of the Union Address. Two days after the SOTU, the President made a live online interview via YouTube and answered a wide range of questions on his policy vision that he explained Tuesday night. He was also asked some personal questions such as what he would give the first lady as a Valentine’s Day gift. According to the CNN report, “The 40-minute interview was part of a White House communications offensive in support of this week’s State of the Union speech, with a series of events in which top administration officials spoke directly to Americans about administration policies set out in the address Tuesday night.” High level White House Officials also answered social media users questions live from the White House web site.

The night of his third State of the Union speech, President Obama executed a carefully calculated and balanced rhetoric. As the economy still dominates the public agenda, the American Public was expecting and willing to hear a more concrete set of proposals on how Obama was planning to deal with the 1.3 trillion dollar deficit, more than 14 trillion in national debt and the above 9 percent unemployment rate.

Even though, he tried to imbue motivation and unification to the nation by using a constructive and an inspiring tune as expected, he preferred to generate the nation’s enthusiasm with providing light substance on the contentious policy issues and easing expectations. Throughout the address he endeavored to put an emphasis on bipartisanship and to go and think beyond the ordinary political rivalry in the heart of Capitol Hill. He neither put too much emphasis on Social Security Reform and the future of the Medicaid and Medicare, nor the decisive policy shift toward gun control after Tucson Shooting.

The tune of the speech was strengthened by the visual ambience in the House Chamber, and the moment of glad-handing. Cheers and applause resonated through the House Floor as the President made his way down the aisle. His speech lasted more than hour and was interrupted by applause more than 80 times. He used the word “jobs” 25, “Work” 20, “Education” 11, “Innovation” and “internet” each six times out of the 6936 words of his speech. In contrast to his previous speech, instead of underlining ongoing the economic recession and disputed social reform, he glorified the significant importance and need of innovation, infrastructure, new job creation and technology for Americans.  After the address Member of the House  were clamoring for President Obama’s autograph on their State of the Union Program as he made his way out of the House Chamber. The President and his team intended to reach broader audience and it worked.

The speech drew 43 million viewers from 11 television networks, compared to 48 million last year, and the record number of 52 million in 2009. The stock market rose after the President’s speech. In a poll conducted by CNN, 68 percent of Americans said that they think Obama’s plan will succeed in improving the economy and 77 percent said that Obama’s policies will move the country in the right direction. The overall reaction to President’s SOTU address was 84 percent total positive compared to 78 percent last year.

In the end, the State of the Union carried out successfully with the President’s passionate and flawless oratory, and the White House’s effective communication strategy. It seems that a “Sputnik Moment” has already been achieved.