President Biden will address the nation to discuss our response to Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel and Russia's ongoing brutal war against Ukraine.
This speech will be delivered from the Oval Office at 8:00 pm ET.
-- Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on President Biden's Oval Office Address
An Oval Office address is among the most solemn settings for a speech made by a US President.
The format is often delivered to announce a significant new policy initiative or during times of national emergency.
John F. Kennedy's 1962 news of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Gerald Ford pardoning of Richard Nixon.
Jimmy Carter's 1979 "Malaise" speech.
Ronald Reagan's speech following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
George W. Bush's address on the evening of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Following Joe Biden's wartime visit to Tel Aviv, he is taking this rare step to address his fellow citizens and the world on how invested the United States is in the outcome of Israel's war with Hamas and Ukraine's war with Russia.
The address will mark the second time Biden has delivered formal remarks from the Oval Office since becoming President.
Reports suggest Biden's speech will argue that supporting Ukraine and Israel is a matter of US national security when the world is at an inflection point and democratic stability is threatened across the globe.
Presidents have used an Oval Office address to communicate with the American people and move public opinion directly.
The Oval Office address is traditionally delivered with the President sitting at the Resolute desk speaking to the camera.
Some argue that the traditional Oval Office address is falling out of favor in our modern, over-stimulated, defused communications environment.
I disagree.
Since the tactic of an Oval Office address is used infrequently and because an evening address allows for a full day of news coverage, few tactics can match its punch.
The address also was part of a week-long communications effort involving a 60 Minutes interview, a bold trip to meet with members of Israel's War Cabinet, a rare appearance in the press cabin at the back of Air Force One, and now a primetime Oval Office address.
Few of us, well none of us really, will ever have the communications power of a US president, but we can undoubtedly learn and execute like a US President.
Three actionable lessons of an Oval Office address:
First, you need to sort out the comms strategy at the start of the event or activity.
For Team Biden, the strategy is that the world is at an inflection point, and America has a vital role to play. Full stop. So, all of Team Biden's comms and activity this week reinforced this perspective.
Second, you need to identify a mix of tactics to be executed.
As psychologist BF Skinner discovered, when working with rats in a laboratory, the rats were more motivated by unpredictable food rewards than by predictable ones.
So, like rats in a lab, humans respond well to unpredictable and different communications. Executing various comms tactics grabs attention in a way that a steady pay-off never could.
For Team Biden, they are executing high-low communications tactics - from a solemn Oval Office address to wearing a light blue casual sweater and having a media scrum on the back of a plane.
Third, your communications needs to be consistent.
The best practitioners look at daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual communications.
Since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, Team Biden has communicated daily this week in a way that reinforces the world is at an inflection point strategy.
Successful comms is a vibe. A mindset. A way of life.
You can perform inflection point communications as a US President or a startup entrepreneur.
Be mindful of the three actionable ideas; you will be well on your way to success in communications.
If you need help with communications, Caracal is here to help.
Caracal believes successful communications requires intelligence, strategy, engagement, and education.
Caracal is here to help you succeed in today's interconnected business environment.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
