His inspirational and rhythmic delivery of rhetoric can no longer remain his primary utility for reaching the public audience. Just think about how much longer the press conference would have been if he took even half as many pauses as he did while on the campaign trail. President Obama is in for a rude awakening. He must learn a second way of engaging the public verbally or prepare for the ultimate disappointment of his supporters and critics.

David, what address did you listen to? The current economic meltdown isn't a time for an easy-going, relaxed rhythm. The President I heard was direct, even forceful in his delivery. Here is a man who is knowledgeable about the issues and is determined to do something about them.

"Now, my administration inherited a deficit of over $1 trillion, but because we also inherited the most profound economic emergency since the Great Depression, doing little or nothing at all will result in even greater deficits, even greater job loss, even greater loss of income, and even greater loss of confidence.

"Those are deficits that could turn a crisis into a catastrophe, and I refuse to let that happen. As long as I hold this office, I will do whatever it takes to put this economy back on track and put this country back to work."

While I think Obama may have seem a bit rushed, I don't think the severity of the issues that affect all Americans caters to a "measured, colloquial rhythm" as you suggest. As Ronald Reagan would say "There you go again."

Thank God we have someone who is doing something about the economic calamity and not just sounding good about it.

Even one afflicted with oral flatulence can have days when "words" don't come out as well as one would like.

This flatulent person is truly NO exception.

It has been obvious that you are conservative. You are a clearly biased conservative (I've heard your little right rant on WYPR).

I saw a brilliant mind trying to bring along, not people like you, but Americans who have lost their jobs and others who are fearful. Secret right whiners like you do not really matter.

Stop pretending to be a mainstream commentator and continue listening to Rush Limbauagh. You're another reason I don't bother with the 'so called liberal media'.

You clearly are biased and should find another job.

The first part of recovery: I am a conservative. Admit what you are and stop pretending.

With all due respect, I think this kind of analysis misses the point. Granted, it was a television news conference. But Obama is not campaigning for president anymore. Instead, he is trying to speak in a sobering way with the American public. His style has never been in the Bill Clinton 'feel-your-pain' mien. And after years of wmd lies, "I screwed up" is refreshing to hear, even if it is not JFK elegant.

It's true, the presidents you mentioned gave great speeches, but so did Castro and other dictators. The reason Roosevelt and others are remembered fondly is because of their accomplishments. In the end, Obama will be rightly judged by what he accomplishes. Nothing he said tonight made me believe he has lost that focus.

I do agree with you about the A-Rod question. Love the blog.

I know you are a columnist, and it's your job to make quick judgments, but take it easy on the guy. I thought he did a pretty good job of explaining a complicated and pretty scary situation.

Was Obama supposed to tap into the souls of every man, woman, and child when answering specific questions about legislation? I guess I really don't see how it could have gone any differently.

It's important to point out that he's not up for re-election until 2012. He doesn't have to inspire; he just has to get his point across.

And as a final note: "But he didn't have his TV game together enough to make us believe."
That's just a bad sentence. "TV game together enough" is sloppy, and why are you saying "us" on your own blog critique?

Sorry, maybe I was just too quick to elevate this to the pantheon of great Baltimore Sun blogs like "The Schmuck Stops Here" and "Midnight Sun."

Z
I was very impressed w President Obama, think you got it wrong in your assumption about what the country in crisis wants from their new president. Your stress on theatrics was devoid of factual definition of the issues. I believe the public will be more in tune w Pres Obama than your review.

We want competence and judgment and a glimse of how the new president defines the problems we face. That Barack Obama, as antidote to the lazy mind and adminstration of Geo W Bush. tonite let us see how he defines the issues and his commitment to action.

I thought he parried the idiotic Republican talking pts of the stimulus vs spending meme and even got down to throttling the Amy Shyles false history of the New Deal.

I too was appalled by the WaPo reporter using prime time ? to A-Roid- idiotic waste of time indicative of Washington's disconnect w the crisis.

He rambled way too long to answer questions. Usually I forgot what the question was, which is perhaps a reason he did that.

I don't know why this was even televised cause he was mainly speaking to the press. It wasn't a Presidential address to the nation, or state of the union type speech, that we footage of past Presidents to compare. This was nothing more than just a press conference.

Eventually everyone is going to come to terms with the fact that Barack Obama is not the savior of mankind, but just another politician. He might turn out to be a decent president, but he has done nothing to earn his place upon the perch so many have put him on and it's a little frustrating to see people, especially in the media, come to accept his being human after building him up for most of the past two years while tearing his opponents down.

Those of us who voted with our heads weren't fooled by his campaign rhetoric, the way he delivered it, or what he looked like, and we're being vindicated now for staying sober while everyone else was pounding Obama shots during the entire campaign season.

I do not agree with you. President Obama delivered his messages very well. If the Republican Party would get off their old behinds and realize what Americans are really going through then they would understand why President Obama's stimulus package should be signed as soon as possible. People like McCain worry about generations ahead when we need to worry about the current issues at hand.

I got exactly the opposite feeling from this speech. I saw the President correct a reporter on a concept that's often misunderstood, namely consumer spending. I saw a President who talks respectfully off the cuff, who understands the concepts he's talking about and a President who is in charge, listening and acting.
This is so refreshing!

What was up with The Washington Post using its one shot to ask that question about Alex Rodriguez...
Thank God someone else caught this, I thought I was hallucinating. While we're at it, what does Obama think of the new season of Lost?
Seriously, could there have been a bigger waste of an opportunity to ask a meaningful question in a time when there are a lot of meaningful things to discuss?

Hi jw, This is one of my favorite comments ever: "What does Obama think of the new season of Lost?" I wish I had thought of that. But, you know, I couldn't help thinking as I watched, "If anyone wants a one snapshot moment that speaks to how superficial and pop-frivolous the press has become in the last 30 years, this is it." For most people of my generation the Post was the paper that defined seriousness of purpose in covering national politics. Not Monday night.

"It has been obvious that you are conservative. You are a clearly biased conservative (I've heard your little right rant on WYPR).

I saw a brilliant mind trying to bring along, not people like you, but Americans who have lost their jobs and others who are fearful. Secret right whiners like you do not really matter.

Stop pretending to be a mainstream commentator and continue listening to Rush Limbauagh. You're another reason I don't bother with the 'so called liberal media'.

You clearly are biased and should find another job.

The first part of recovery: I am a conservative. Admit what you are and stop pretending."

lolololololololahahahahaahaa
you think this guy is a conservative!!!
that is heeelarious!

When a president evokes any comparison whatsoever, even a qualified one, to the "uptight and defensive" Richard Nixon 'tis time for a style makeover.

That was one of the succinct, intelligible press conferences that we have seen from a U.S. President in about a decade. I think all your years of listening to George W. Bush has made you tone deaf...or are you just intellectually challenged?

Also please remember that he was making on the spot answers to reporters' questions, not delivering a stump speech that had been honed, polished and fully rehearsed. If a lack of rhythm is the only knock, I'd have to call it successful presentation.

I was fully engaged by the news conference and happily relieved to have a President that can speak coherently with a firm grasp of the issues and facts.

You must be a clown if you were looking for fast talking charisma during a press confrence at this critical time.

His depth of knowledge, foriegn leaders, the economy and his ability to speak to multiple questions at one time is somethinh W. couldn't have come close to even after eight looong years in the White House.

You only comment I agree with was about thaty rediculous question about A-Rod.

Barack Obama is "The Wizard of Uhs"

Boring ! Boring ! Long-winded ! Tedious ! Campaign Part Deux !

What''s up with the WaPo and a puff question? Are you kidding? This lightweight had nothing but candy cane questions for the last two years

When the fraud can't depend on the teleprompter, it is hard for him to keep the sonorous cadence that seems to hypnotize the ignorant.

I think the article here is spot on, I congratulate the author. The fact of the matter is that the press and you Liberals have done nothing but fawn over this mans speaking abilities and he has proven that without a teleprompter, he is stumbling, bumbling, tongue-tied moron. Perhaps Bush mangled the English language but we never said he was a great orator, unlike you Liberals have said about "The One". His so called stimulus plan is nothing but pork spending and won't create nor save ANY jobs. Then what will you lemmings say? My guess is that you will continue to make excuse's for this empty suit who STILL hasn't proved he's eligible for POTUS. When the walls come crumbling down, those of us who were grownups and knew a sharlaton when we saw one will sit back content in the knowledge that Liberals have proved once again that thinking with one's heart instead of one's head is ruinious to our nation.

Looks like some of you people are finally recognizing what we conservatives have known for close to 2 years now - this man is a fraud. He started his political career as the front man for just another Chicago political machine, and incredibly made it all the way to the top, much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, he actually thinks he is as good as he was being presented by his people, but he can't vote "present" anymore. He is occupying the seat where the buck stops, and he is not up to the task.

There are only so many ways to rephrase the same points. President Obama did it as best he could. He outlined his plan and emphasized the importance surrounding an immediate action on our current crisis successfully. Some of his explanations were simply common sense responces and where some would complain about the simplicity of his words, one must realize that someone with his education has to put serious effort into dumbing down what he is saying so that the majority of the American people can understand it. Something our former president never had to put effort into doing.

My only criticism was how the telepromters were set up. President Obama was forced to continuously wave his head side to side during his initial speach. Those teleprompters are transparent for a reason. I thought the camera people at the White House of all places would get something like that right.

I also found it funny how the saved the question from FOX news till later, perhaps hoping that they wouldn't get to it. It was obvious how that question attempted to back the President into a corner, unfortunately that "journalist" failed in doing so.