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38 Million
That's the estimate of how many people watched Obama's acceptance speech last night, according to Nielsen -- and that doesn't include people who watched on PBS or C-Span.
That's more Americans than watched the Olympics opening ceremony, the season finale of American Idol, or the Oscars.
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August 29, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or watched it on the web or listened to it on radio. And has there ever been public watching sites for an party nomination acceptance speech before?
August 29, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
:) thats all i got to say.
August 29, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's heartening news. I find it difficult to believe that anywhere near that number of people will watch McCain "my friend" his way through his acceptance speech.
August 29, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
What I wouldn't give if McCain used the line in stump speech on national TV next week:
"You young people, my friends, I am going to ask you to serve. There are going to be other wars."
Ooooh yeah. I want him to use that one. How many young college republicans will cheer ya think?
August 29, 2008 9:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
What's the over/under on McCain's audience? He'll be going up against NFL opening night, so maybe 12 million?
August 29, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is that true, it is football that night?!
August 29, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, Redskins-Giants that night, but I just checked the time and it's down for 7 p.m. So unless there's lots of pre-game pomp, the game should be ending right around the time McCain begins speaking.
August 29, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
And all the sports bars are sure to switch off the game highlights and drink specials to show McCain's speech. It's opening day - no way in hell McCain is going to compete!
Didn't his people bother to look at what else was happening when they scheduled this? The Dems grabbed the anniversary of Woman's suffrage and MLK's I have a dream, the GOP grabbed the anniversary of Katrina and the NFL season opener!
It's like they were so busy reacting to Obama they lost track of the world around them.
August 29, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
LMAO - "that's not change we can believe in"....
August 30, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
LMAO - "that's not change we can believe in"....
August 30, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
LMAO - "that's not change we can believe in"....
August 30, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention a possible natural disaster...
http://thepajamapundit.com/
August 29, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
And that's if Gustav doesn't take out a major American city at the same time. Would they stop the convention and all fly out to help?
August 30, 2008 7:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
All of my friends watched it on CSPAN. CSPAN was the only way to go for convention coverage.
August 29, 2008 2:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's where I caught most of it. I switched back to see what the talking heads were saying...not half as interesting as the convention speakers. No. Make that 100 to 0 in favor of the convention speakers.
August 31, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Outstanding, especially since the speech (though not as soaring rhetorically as others) was the most effective he has given during this campaign season.
August 29, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can someone come scrape me off the ceiling?
Please?
August 29, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
My friends, we just won this motherfucking election!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 29, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
So you do agree that the cost of Invesco Field was a bargain given the costs of t.v. ads. On this extra cash, got any ideas?
August 29, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are you asking me?
If so, I have no idea why you are.
August 29, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think I ever said anything about the cost of the field - I never thought about it to be honest. But now that it came up - hell yes it was worth it. Did you see that crowd?
August 29, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
SMILE! The idea is that more money is available to the campaign to do as they please, like in funding local offices nationwide, etc.
A full stadium with national attention, great speech, great candidate and 40M viewers make the bean counters happy...... while McCain seeks a Palin! I like these odds.........
August 29, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Boy your point was subtle.
;)
August 29, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know I love you, Tena (darlin' ;-)), but that is exactly the wrong attitude to have.
I refer you to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DrKmpuKhKE
This election has not been won, and can still be lost!
August 29, 2008 8:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly CT! We cannot get too over confident - there are some rough waters ahead, count on it. There are many American's who still don't know what Obama stands for and have not watched any of the coverage.
But hey - for our mind's sake we have to have a few moments to yell "OOOOOOH YEAH!!!! WE'VE GOT IT TOTALLY WRAPPED UP!!!"
(fake it till ya make it baby) :)
August 29, 2008 9:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
In NYC, it was the only game in town. All three nets carried it, plus PBS and NY1 (the local news channel). And even the two independent stations which don't usually show things like that showed the speech.
But regarding Palin, the more I think about it, the more I am concerned about Palin's baby during the campaign. Trig Palin was born in April with Down Syndrome, which occurs in about 1 in 35 pregnancies in women Palin's age. To have a child with this condition is a challenge for any parent. And Palin is also breast feeding her baby. My concern is how will she be able to be with her baby at this critical time while campaigning across the country? I don't mean to criticize her as a parent and I don't want people to bash her because of it, but I am wondering how she plans to deal with this.
August 29, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wetnurse.
August 29, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
She'll manage. She has a husband, for one thing, and I imagine other family members can chip in to help. I expect it'll be tough, but I have no doubt that they'll be able to make it a heart-warming story.
August 29, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
And the husband is unemployed. Had to "take a leave" because he's in the oil business.
August 29, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I heard he is also a judge for the Miss Alaska Beauty Pageant.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/miss-america-organization-proud-announce/story.aspx?guid={8FF7EC60-3A26-4267-B137-4A394E71B3E3}&dist=hppr
August 29, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure the RNC will pony up the dough to hire anyone needed to help take care of her child.
August 29, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
or maybe NRL....
August 29, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nanny + breast pump. Problem solved.
August 29, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is fair game. Repugs bashed Edwards because Elizabeth was ill. In hindsight, we now know he deserved some bashing, but not for this reason. Why would a woman in her mid-forties with four kids already and who is a governor get pregnant again? Doesn't sound like she is real committed to her present job, much less the other one (and I would say the same thing about a man).
August 30, 2008 7:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
This just proves that Obama is a huge celebrity, am I right?!!1!
Is this thing on?
August 29, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain = toast. Crispy toast. That was a hell of a speech.
August 29, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
"As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day? I'm used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration."
-- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), quoted just last month by Politico.
Two of her children's names are: Trig, and Track!
I guess they found out that Frick, and Frack were already taken.
August 29, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain said a while back all the vp does is attend funerals in the president's name and checks his (prez's) health everyday. Hmmmm.
August 31, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Buckle your seatbelts.
There's going to be a hell of a BUMP!
August 29, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR MCCAIN!!!
August 29, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I want to marry you.
August 29, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does that mean that you have a 1 in 38 million chance of making a dumb VP pick after watching Obama's speech?
August 29, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice
August 29, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.newsweek.com/id/156190
Clinton is a whiner per Palin.
Eric, you or Greg need to make this a post.
August 29, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Word.
August 29, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Totally agree.
August 29, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gee, how many people watched the Super Bowl this past February? 38 million has to be close to that.
August 29, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sarah Palin finished second in the Ms.Alaska beauty pageant.
First place was won by a Grizzly Bear, who also captured the Ms. Congeniality award.
August 29, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha! Score!
August 29, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm still weepy. I will never forget this feeling... and about the McSame's VP, it just tell you straight out that the Republican party is not interested in governing the country period. It's going to be a lots of fun!
August 29, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Something's happening out there. I really think the polls aren't showing it. You feel and sense the evidence and then hear a number like this. Meanwhile, McCain can't fill a 10,000 seat stadium when announcing his veep pick.
http://pufferfish.typepad.com/
August 29, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was there any number released of the crowd size at the Biden unveil?
August 29, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I flipped between C-Span and PBS.
What numbers would be a good estimate for the PBS/C-Span crowd? 2M? 40M is a nice round number.
August 29, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I asked for Charles Babington's address to write him about his horrible assessment of Obama's speech last night, here it is with his reply just above my email.
"thanks for your note."
To: Babington, Charles
Subject: Obama Speech
I have written to your bosses asking that you be fired. Your assessment of the Obama speech was so off base, so outrageous, that I can only surmise that Karl Rove gave you the copy beforehand. You are a disgrace to journalists and the AP.
(name)
CA
August 29, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
But a credit to Ron Fournier. Hunh. Maybe that's his boss?
August 29, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder how many people watched it internationally?
August 29, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Holy fucking shit. Absolutely AMAZING. I am more hopeful than ever.
And Senator McCain, good luck competing with football. You know how many red-blooded Amerricans gots to watch thur football.
No, I'm not being a stereotypical ass. I know plenty of Vermonters and New Hampshirites exactly like that. =P
August 29, 2008 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I never realized how shrewd and smart John McCain could be. In selecting Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as his running mate he dared the Democrats to make the case, as they have, that she’s not qualified because she “lacks foreign policy experience.” He understands that when the media decides to investigate Governor Palin they will be forced to conclude that she actually has more foreign policy experience than Oilbama. Sarah was in Germany visiting wounded troops long before Oilbama sought to speak at the Brandenburg Gate. She is a Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard and those troops have been in combat. Sarah Palin is way more qualified to be Commander in Cheif than Oilbama.
August 29, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you take pride in being an idiot?
August 29, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
yes. yes he does. and he's got his republican party membership card to prove it.
August 29, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Zing!
August 29, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
The whole population of Alaska would fit into one of our cities.
Chicago 2,836,658
Whole state of Alaska 670,053
There is a whole lot of moose to govern up there.
August 29, 2008 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Man, you are a moron, aren't you? Did she send those guard troops into harm's way? Did she make military decisions? She just happened to be holding a title when Bush sent them off to an unnecessary war. But even if she had actually been involved, that would just show her judgement to be as bad as McSame's and the Shrub's.
August 30, 2008 7:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just out of curiosity, why does it not include the numbers who viewed PBS or CSPAN?
August 29, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It takes longer for PBS and C-SPAN to have their ratings aggregated and reported.
August 29, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's not true my friend. They didn't pay for Nielsen to rate them.
August 31, 2008 1:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder if there are no ratings on C-SPAN and PBS because both networks are non-profits. The reason that ratings are collected is to help the networks set advertising rates. Most of the advertising on PBS and C-SPAN is the pro bono community-service stuff.
August 29, 2008 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are correct. National ratings are only done for commercial networks. Hence, no PBS show is ever in the Nielson list. Even epics like "The Civil War".
August 29, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
But what about CSPAN? That is only avail on cable (although they also live feed on the internet). Can the cable company see how many cable boxes were tuned to CSPAN?
August 29, 2008 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder if PBS and CSPAN have their numbers. Everyone I know were watching CSPAN all evening. So it's possible that 50-million or more watched Obama's speech. Yeah, we will definitely be seeing a big bump in the polls.
McCain's speech today, in comparison, was just pathetic. He needs to fire his campaign manager for letting him look so bad. It looked like they made the VP decision last night after Obama's speech.
August 29, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I read that the 38 million number referred to households. With the number of watching parties promoted by MoveOn and others, that number could really be 45 or 50 million, still not counting CSPAN.
August 30, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
the speech went out to the people and the pundits had to shut up and get schooled. they want the speech to go away but it was seen and heard.
August 29, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
SNORT! That's really funny!
August 29, 2008 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Supposed to be a reply to Mr. Troll BillC above.
August 29, 2008 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I want to know if she's an Admiral in the Alaskan Navy and a pilot in the Alaskan Air Force, too.
August 29, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
And how does she look in an Alaskan flight suit?
August 29, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
And was she a POW? That'll get her out of this influence scandal.
August 30, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see what's funny -- it comes from being the Chief Exec of Alaska.
Expect to hear this argument a lot from the GOP side -- and it will be convincing to some.
August 29, 2008 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm so glad. As we've seen time and time again- all Obama needs is a direct one-on-one time with the American voter and to think he made a direct connection with 40mil viewers is great.
McLame, meanwhile, is parading a dog and pony show. GOP ticket now is a joke with two faces.
August 29, 2008 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's audience will Palin comparison.
Yeah, I'm gonna work this pun like all autumn.
August 29, 2008 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not having cable or satellite, I watched PBS and the demconvention stream. Tried the C-SPAN stream, but it was pretty much unwatchable. I'd say between 40 and 50 million would be a safe estimate.
August 29, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it was a pretty good speech!
August 29, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a speech. It had John McCain in tears - check out this youtube video from John McCain celebrating his 72nd birthday and commiserating about Obama's amazing speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jFW14t8Pio
August 29, 2008 7:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
DEMBIL C I KNOW THAT U R 1 OF THE RACIST,DIVISIVE,FEARMONGERIN GOP TROLL,BUT WHERE DID U GET YOUR EDUCATION FROM IF I MAY ASK,WHUT SCHOOL DID YOUR PARENTS SEND U TO!!!!
August 29, 2008 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
DEMBIL C I KNOW THAT U R 1 OF THE RACIST,DIVISIVE,FEARMONGERIN GOP TROLL,BUT WHERE DID U GET YOUR EDUCATION FROM IF I MAY ASK,WHUT SCHOOL DID YOUR PARENTS SEND U TO!!!!
August 29, 2008 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
DEMBIL C I KNOW THAT U R 1 OF THE RACIST,DIVISIVE,FEARMONGERIN GOP TROLL,BUT WHERE DID U GET YOUR EDUCATION FROM IF I MAY ASK,WHUT SCHOOL DID YOUR PARENTS SEND U TO!!!!
August 29, 2008 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
DEMBIL C I KNOW THAT U R 1 OF THE RACIST,DIVISIVE,FEARMONGERIN GOP TROLL,BUT WHERE DID U GET YOUR EDUCATION FROM IF I MAY ASK,WHUT SCHOOL DID YOUR PARENTS SEND U TO!!!!
August 29, 2008 8:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a presidential politics junkie, and have been ever since Boby Kennedy ran for President back in 1968. I was only 15 years old then. And no presidential politician has inspired me since Bobby like Obama has. I think he hit one out of the park Thursday night.
And to think that sombody from Focus on the Family was praying every day that it would rain on Thursday night!!! Can you believe that? Well, even though my heart goes out to whoever ends up getting wacked by Gustav (I live in Florida, where most of my clients went through Charlie; they are still shell-shocked; I can't imagine what it would be like for the people of New Orleans), and I sincerely pray that the storm instead just fizzle, I can't help but notice the irony of Focus on the Family people praying for rain in Denver, and it appears that Gustav instead is going to rain on McGain's parade. Sweet justice may still take place against this Bush-hugging turncoat.
Marcus
August 30, 2008 12:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
And that, my dear conradplan/Marcus, is one of those rare examples of "instant karma's gonna get you."
I am THRILLED that so many Americans tuned in to Obama's speech. He gave all of us a hell of a lot to think about... and a great sense of mutual purpose. Was it just my imagination that people on the road seemed nicer, today?
August 30, 2008 2:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I watched on CSPAN with at least 200 people at a nightclub in Minneapolis. There were similar parties all over town including one held by Al Franken's campaign in a large movie theater.
A lot of people I know watched CSPAN to get away from the chattering class -- so I'll take the fact that the numbers don't include CSPAN as even better news.
August 30, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone else see the irony in the following? The Focus On the Family group was allegedly praying for rain on the evening of Obama's speech, which turned out to be absolutely perfect weather, but it now appears that there is a very good chance that Gustav which is bearing down on the Gulf Coast will arrive during the Republican convention (let's all hope for the sake of the residents that it makes a turn out to sea again).
August 30, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone else see the irony in the following? The Focus On the Family group was allegedly praying for rain on the evening of Obama's speech, which turned out to be absolutely perfect weather, but it now appears that there is a very good chance that Gustav which is bearing down on the Gulf Coast will arrive during the Republican convention (let's all hope for the sake of the residents that it makes a turn out to sea again).
August 30, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Get that right it's 45 MILLION. PBS estimates AT LEAST 4 million views.
August 31, 2008 1:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain said a while back all the vp does is attend funerals in the president's name and checks his (prez's) health everyday. Hmmmm.
August 31, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
- Brian Sullivan, a national committeeman from Minnesota who lost the 2002 gubernatorial nomination to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, echoed appreciation for Bush's conservative views on social issues, including his opposition to abortion rights.
"On some issues, he's been probably the most articulate and powerful pro-life president we've had," Sullivan said. "More than Reagan."-.
I copied this from a Yahoo news report. It proves unequivocably that some Republicans have lost touch with reality. Only in an alternative universe could George W. Bush be remotely described as articulate, let alone "the most articulate" anything.
I'm sorry for the people in coastal Mississippi and Louisiana. Their resilience will be challenged yet again, and America will stand behind them as always. The only other regret I have is the loss of photo ops with Dubya and grandpa.
September 1, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink