“The 44th President of the United States, please welcome President Barack Obama.” -Jay Leno (NBC's Tonight Show)

Hello, I’m Charlotte Bellis, and you’re watching Newsy.com. That was video from NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

U.S. President Barack Obama’s appearance on the show marked the first of its kind by a sitting president, discussing issues ranging from the presidential puppy to the economic crisis.

ABC And FOX News ask whether the talk show visit is a good idea in the midst of a recession:
“They’ve been for a week now in the midst of a total distraction…” -Dana Perino (ABC News)
“With the NCAA bracket stuff, with his St. Patrick’s day parties, going on Leno, with trying to push his healthcare and energy stuff, while the financial crisis burns. At some point some people are gonna say ‘Hey why isn’t he focusing on the actual crisis here?’” (FOX News)

CNBC suggests the American people are not as critical:

“I don’t think the American people think of it quite that way. They realize a president can do more than one thing at a time. But the way this president is gonna get judged is by the results that he produces.” (CNBC)

CNN brings us the President’s own defense against that criticism:

“Somebody was saying the other day I shouldn’t be on Leno… I can’t handle that and the economy at the same time. Hah!” -U.S. President Barack Obama (CNN)

Obama’s “Leno” visit was not his only recently televised appearance, and the American people aren’t the only ones to whom the President is making public appeals.

In another presidential first, the President taped what some call a “message of peace” for distribution among television stations in Iran.

The UK’s Telegraph calls it Obama’s “Presidential charm offensive,” bringing us the video:

“My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States, Iran and the international community.” (Telegraph)

MSNBC talked to a retired military officer who offers his interpretation of the video’s meaning, calling it a PR campaign:

“This is basically the conclusion of part of a campaign promise by the American president that says we’re gonna change the way in which we deal with Iran. It’s also a message to moderate Arab regimes and people in Europe that we’re really doing something. This is not gonna have a positive effect on exactly what takes place. That’s all gonna be done in secret.” (MSNBC)

In the coming week, President Obama will continue his campaign of public appeal with a news conference Tuesday and a taped interview with CBS 60 Minutes.

What did you think of Obama’s appearance on the Tonight Show and his video message to Iran? Are televised public appeals an effective way to communicate?