Obama Speech Media Effects

President Obama’s speech Tuesday night answered multiple questions about the potentially imminent military action against Syria. One key point reiterated throughout President Obama’s address was his instance that there would be “no boots on the ground” in Syria. He stressed the fact that there would be no open ended military action, like in Afghanistan or Iraq, and promised that this limited strike would be a one-time occurrence. The speech had a cognitive message effect on the audience. According to a CNN online instant poll, a majority of Americans favor the plan Obama outlined in his speech Tuesday night. Sixty-one percent of American’s said they support the president’s position on Syria. Although the survey also showed that the speech didn't change many minds on whether a U.S. air strikes against Syria would accomplish anything productive for the United States. The poll showed thirty percent of speech-watchers answered yes before the address, while the number only raised six percent, to a measly 36%, after.