Two big events will dominate the news on Wednesday. Apple is announcing a much anticipated new tablet computer, and President Obama is giving his biggest annual policy address, the State of the Union.

Which is most important? Let’s break it down:

	Apple tablet	State of the Union	Advantage
Leader	President of the fanboys	President of the free world	SOTU
Media coverage	The entire blogosphere	TV networks and newspapers	Push
Attendees	Geeks	Congressmen and bureaucrats	Tablet
Audience reach	Global adults 18 to 55	US adults 35 to 99	Tablet
Introduction	Cool music, dim lights	Shouting sergeant at arms	SOTU
Reactions	Oohs and aahs	Applause	Push
Lasting impact	Potential remaking of the entire content marketplace and consumer entertainment experience.	Medium-range agenda setting for things that Congress probably won’t get done anyway.	Tablet

Final score: Tablet 3, Obama 2.

More seriously, that last comparison is really the one that counts. The Apple tablet, if you believe any of the hype, has the potential to blow up and rebuild the content universe. Consumers will benefit, and content providers who take advantage may find a piece of a new business model they are desperately seeking.

The State of the Union may announce some significant policies and legislative initiatives. But what matters more in the long run than any government program is the capacity for disruptive innovation to directly improve quality of life and information, which results in innovation, productivity gains and organic, lasting economic growth.

What do you think?

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