If there's a conflict between Obama's speech and the Packer game, WTMJ wants to show the football game.

"Steve Wexler, vice president of radio and TV operations for Journal Broadcast Group, said Thursday that WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) had asked that both Obama's speech and the football game be made available to NBC affiliates across the country. That way, each station can make a decision on which event to broadcast. In the case of the Milwaukee market, Wexler said WTMJ would show the game. The president's speech would be carried on a secondary digital channel, he said."

It's an NBC game, and NBC is interacting with the White House, but here in Wisconsin, we want to watch the game.

I don't know about New Orleans, but Packer fans want the game. At least give us the choice! Does the leader have to take over all the channels? What kind of message is that, in America? Give us choice. And give us football.

You know, a football game merits watching, play by play, in real time. A speech... we can read it quickly later. Like during half time.

From a blogger's perspective, I prefer the text because I can cut and paste and do commentary. Now, that's a reason why Obama should prefer to impose the real-time experience on us. We have to wait to pull it apart. Except we don't really. We live-blog. We tweet. This urge to control, by claiming all the channels, making us sit through the whole thing... it doesn't really work anymore. It doesn't work for the people who want to jump all over the President's words and critique them, and it doesn't work for people who would prefer different entertainments. There are always other channels on cable. There's the internet. Video games. Video on Demand. You can't really commandeer our attention.

But you can mess with a football game we're excited about seeing at a particular time.

IN THE COMMENTS: Meade said:

Obama is a Bears fan (purportedly).

Hey! And remember when he had the Packers to the White House — because they won the Super Bowl — and he kind of snubbed them?

More Meade:

If Obama succeeds in his Packers/Saints blackout, I propose we take direct action.

TO THE ROTUNDA!

UPDATE: "White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer told The Associated Press the speech would be completed in time. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m." New controversy: What about the "pregame festivities"? "The NFL and NBC are planning a kickoff concert and other pregame activities to mark the opening of the NFL season."