President Addresses Nation Tonight

Barack Obama is going to address the nation tonight.

Whether you get your television signals through cable or satellite or plain old-fashioned rabbit ears, you can see it at 8 p.m. (Eastern). Local channels and cable channels will carry the event live.

Honestly, at this point, I don't know what tonight's event will be. I was under the impression during the weekend that it would be Obama's first presidential press conference. Online TV listings I'm seeing this morning suggest that it will be a "presidential address."

CNN is still calling it a "press conference."

If it is going to be a press conference, that will be another nice change from the previous administration. George W. Bush seldom held press conferences until near the end of his presidency.

Which is it? I don't know if it will be a press conference or a speech from the Oval Office. What I do know, however, is that Obama will be appearing at a "town hall meeting" in Indiana during the noon hour. He is also scheduled to appear at an event in Florida tomorrow.

Of course, a president can do as he chooses. Obama could easily fly back to Washington after the town hall meeting, arrive several hours ahead of time and then give a speech or hold a press conference at the White House. Or he could do the same from a city in Indiana or Florida tonight.

Another thing — of which I'm 99.99% certain — is that Obama will speak about the economic stimulus package. And he will probably urge his listeners to contact their senators — who are expected to vote on the stimulus package tomorrow.

Don't wait for Obama to give you the go-ahead.

Go to the U.S. Senate's website, find the senators from your state and contact them. Use the e-mail link. Send a telegram to their Washington offices. Call them. You can find the information you need at the website.

However you choose to do it, just contact them and tell them they must act immediately.