[tjinaz]

Despite its popularity it is not universal and clearly not a news show. You go ask typical mr and mrs middle America they will not acknowledge it. The really odd thing about this is that Obama owns the typical Daily show crowd. He was not going to gain any votes by doing that. The only reason I can see it to mobilize the base. Get the people that back him out to vote. It is effective with the younger group but I don't see the baby boomers that grew up with Cronkite and Rather buying into it.

This is the basis of my branding comment. Serious times call for serious measures, much of the older and non hip younger crowds will see his going on a comedy show and not the news outlets as not taking this seriously and "damaging his brand". He is the president of the US and supposedly leader of the free world, and his chosen venue to elevate his cause to the people just prior to a potentially game changing election is to go on a cable comedy show? Hardly the preferred outlet for such a lofty position.

For the record... I dont watch any news show. I usually go online and read CNN, MSNBC, BBC and Drudge. Figure you average all of them out and you get a reasonable amount of facts included with the bias then make your own decisions.