January 19, 1955 // President Eisenhower Hosts 1st Televised Presidential Press Conference

On this day in history, January 19th, 1955, President Eisenhower hosted the first televised press conference.

He began by saying, “Well, I see we’re trying a new experiment this morning, I hope that doesn’t prove to be a disturbing influence.” The questions from the press that day were about foreign relations with China and about the budget. [1] Little has changed.

The ‘experiment’ has become a vital way of how presidents communicate directly with citizens. Since 1955, most of the day-to-day press briefings have been done by press secretaries. However, important updates: war (LBJ) [2]; resignation (Nixon) [3]; the Iranian hostage crisis (Carter) [4]; court proceedings (Clinton) [5]; or about the use of stem cells (George W. Bush), [6] presidents have spoken directly to American citizens.

Televised presidential press conferences have changed how Americans expect to get the news from their president. Prior to 1955, newspapers and print media were the primary way that Americans received the news. After 1955, more Americans expected to hear from the president on-camera. Audiences, and citizens, quickly realized that hearing the tone of the president’s voice and being able to observe his facial expressions allowed them not just to gather information but to connect with the person giving the update. [7]

How leaders connect with citizens as technology evolves is a fascinating history. From heralds delivered on horseback to printed news to newspapers to televised broadcasts to Twitter; leaders have adapted their communication to stay current to be effective in leading their people.

It’s fascinating to think about how God communicates with His people. The Bible shows that from Creation God has ensured that His people were not just informed about Him but could experience Him personally.

In the beginning God walked with Adam and Eve and there was no barrier to their hearing, seeing, or experiencing Him. However after the sin of man, God was not visible or audible to man. Yet in His grace, God gave man His Word and enabled His people to experience His presence. “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb 1:2) and through the incarnation of the Son Jesus “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived among humanity so they could learn from His teaching but also experience Him up close and personally in the flesh.

And the death of Christ did not further separate man from God, in fact “the curtain of the temple was torn in two,” (Mat. 27:51) so that all who believe in the Risen Christ may hear and know the presence of God for all eternity.

A couple of years ago, I heard a sermon from one of the Southlands pastors, Joel Baker, out of John 1. Having a masters degree in linguistics, he discussed the importance not just of the words, but the modality of how those words are communicated. He asked the congregation about the seriousness of someone’s message if they were to: email you vs. Instagram direct message you vs.text you vs. call you vs. showing up on your doorstep. The audience all agreed that the urgency of showing up at your doorstep meant that the person was empahtically serious and had the most urgent type of message.

Jesus showed up on our doorstep of our lives with the most important message of all time: that by repenting and believing in Him, we would hear His voice and experience Him forever. The Lord did not need technology – He in His flesh became the message.

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Footnotes:

History is His Story

January 19, 1955 // President Eisenhower Hosts 1st Televised Presidential Press Conference

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