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Nielsen: Nearly 25 Million Watched Obama Interview Last Night
This goes without saying at this point, but public interest in the Obama presidency really is extraordinary:
Barack Obama's first television interview as president-elect was a ratings hit for CBS news program "60 Minutes," drawing its highest viewership since 1999, the U.S. network said Monday.The interview was seen by 24.5 million viewers, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
That's roughly one-fifth the number who actually voted, for anyone who's keeping score.
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You mean somebody actually missed it?
November 17, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was so pissed about how the refs handled the final play of the Steelers game, I destroyed my tv.
November 17, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was so happy with the Badgers win Saturday and the Packers win and the Vikings loss on Sunday, I forgot to watch 60min
November 17, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I only caught the last 8 minutes of the game (8 and some change minutes of the 4th qtr, that is), but wow. Just couldn't believe it.
Anyway...I really feared I was getting ahead of myself because to me, I've considered Obama as president since his overseas trip. Seriously. And it freaked me out, because I didn't want to get ahead of myself, but I've completely tuned out Shrub and wonder why anyone bothers to cover him.
November 17, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ja, I missed it, but watched it today on the web :)
November 17, 2008 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Many of his greatest fans don't watch any TV at all…
November 17, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
The media should be soooooo grateful that the Obamas will be in the White House for the next eight years (pardon my optimism).
November 17, 2008 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
In a very real way, you could say that Obama's jobs program has already begun. He's trying to save America's journalistic institutions, which clearly aren't what they used to be. Hell, everyone's been saying that print is dead, but look what happened after Obama won.
November 17, 2008 5:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is money for the entertainment industry.
People watch him on television giving TV shows high ratings. Obama sells magazines (Time, Newsweek, USWeekly, People, etc). He sells books. Obama affects pop culture from music to art to fashion.
Obama has become an icon.
November 17, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
A favicon.
November 17, 2008 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I missed it and haven't seen it yet = is it good?
November 17, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's worth watching, if only for the part where he blows off Steve Kroft when he asks whether Hillary will be Secretary of State or how many Republicans will be in the Cabinet. That's in part one, I think. But if you just want puppy talk, that's part three. :)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/16/60minutes/main4607893.shtml
November 17, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I also enjoyed Steve fidgeting when Obama deflected the topic away from Michelle's mother and instead asked Steve about his own mother-in-law and their relationship.
November 17, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yeah. Obama was his usual funny self and said it with a light touch, but I was almost embarrassed for Croft. I was thinking, "Dude, that's one MIL reference away from being TMI about your family relationship. Pump the breaks."
November 17, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
thanks for the link.
November 17, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's OUTSTANDING!
November 17, 2008 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe you. He's President Awesome Cool. ;)
November 17, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
This reminds me of the quip (can't remember which comedian it was) made last week about the crowd in front of the White House during President-elect Obama's visit and how it's a new phenomenon for the Secret Service to have to deal with large, loud and POSITIVE crowds gathering wherever the President goes after the last eight years.
I guess the same goes for the media broadcasts. I mean, I'm a policy wonk at heart but admit I almost always changed the channel when President Bush started speaking. Even the possibility of comedic gaffes wasn't enough to undergo that kind of torture. It's refreshing to hear the President-elect speak about something and think "wait a minute, that MAKES SENSE!" very refreshing. I guess I'm not the only one.
November 17, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
O too funny.
November 17, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
My gibberish to reality translator gave up a State of the Union speech or two ago. A 100% spin message just burned it out. It has to have at least some truth to work with.
Now I'm getting the truth straight up. No chaser. It's a little disorientating. I feel... umm... informed, secure, happy, involved, challenged, anxious, TREATED LIKE AN ADULT.
Yea. Like I said. Real disorienting.
November 17, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Positive crowds? Wow, what a concept. And I'm not being facetious here--it's just hard to imagine.
November 17, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bushit was UNCONSTITUIONALLY APPOINTED. That means we do NOT call him "Presidnet" unless we are anti-rule of law.
November 18, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barack Obama? Who's that?
November 17, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he's the guy that ran over Larry Johnson's dog or something.
November 17, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did you hear that John McCain was a POW?
November 18, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
While watching last night I thought about how I used to have to switch the station whenever I saw Bush speak. I can't imagine anyone having that same sort of reaction watching Obama.
November 17, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't it amazing? It's like someone turned the lights on.
November 17, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, the lights are on AND someone's home!
His driveway goes all the way out to the street!
He's not one taco short of a combination plate!
etc.
November 17, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I travel a fair amount internationally for work and used to get condolences and sympathetic comments when Bush was on TV making a total fool of himself. For the most part Europeans felt sorry for us having such a moron as President and didn't take it out on us personally.
As soon as Obama was elected, normally staid and sober business acquaintances were effusively congratulatory and made it clear they were happy for us as a country.
Like night and day! I no longer have to ba ashamed of my President!
November 17, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
For the most part Europeans felt sorry for us having such a moron as President and didn't take it out on us personally.
LOL, that was so funny. I am a naturalized American, and whenever I travel to my country of birth, people empathize with me for having GWB as my president. [Clinton is still a very popular figure even now.] Also.
November 17, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
READ the Constitution: he is NOT president.
November 18, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, I don't have to imagine. Trust me, there are plenty who have this reaction with Obama. They don't like having their assumptions challenged. I'm hoping it will wear off with time, but honestly I'm not that optimistic.
November 17, 2008 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Over and over watching the interview, I had to say:
I love this man!!!
November 17, 2008 5:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I could stay up all night watching them. I am taking a day of vacation for the Inauguration - It's a Tuesday. Michelle is magnificent. I'm sure Marian Robinson, Michelle's mother, is equally wonderful.
November 17, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
last friday night, some chatterbunny snootily told tweety how lame she thought it was that obama would employ youtube for his saturday weekly talk. besides, 'how many people are likely to watch it'. i just checked -- so far, 760k and counting....
that's more people than watch hardball. heh.
November 17, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
This goes without saying . . . .
_____
It a thing "goes without saying," one doesn't say it.
November 18, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
We're all of us saying it, though, have you noticed?
November 18, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
We have waited so long for this intelligent, caring man, one could venture to say that just that alone explains our huddling around the television on Sunday.
November 18, 2008 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink