Think Progress

Obama’s speech watched by 38 million viewers.

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) acceptance speech last night reached a quarter of America’s households, according to Nielsen Media Research. In all, with over 38 million viewers, “more people watched Obama speak than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final ‘American Idol’ or the Academy Awards this year.” The AP notes that “Obama’s audience might be higher,” since Nielsen didn’t estimate how many people watched on PBS or C-SPAN.



81 Responses to “Obama’s speech watched by 38 million viewers.”

  1. texaslady says:

    Because we all wanted to hear how changes would be affected and Obama addressed them all superbly. I was blown away when Joe Scarbourough was admiring Obama’s speech. Anyone who still doesn’t know what Obama is about was not listening.


  2. texaslady says:

    No, mccain people just whine that Obama is giving more of “their” money to people who don’t want to work. Won’t even listen when you tell them bush’s government has more people than any other previous administration. Can you tell I had a very heated conversation with a mccain idiot ?


  3. stateofthedivision says:

    How Carlylish of Nielsen to not include PBS or CSPAN. The Pennsylvania Avenue PEU (private equity underwriter) strikes again!

    http://www.carlyle.com/Portfolio/item7462.html


  4. Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre says:

    And opposing Obama/Biden we have POW/PTA…


  5. Max-1 says:

    Hoppy Troll(aka Bunny2),
    We’ll do a head count for your McCain’t…
    … If it’s not rained out, K?

    .


  6. stateofthedivision says:

    That slighest ray of light is growing stronger…


  7. Shayne says:

    Come on Bunny tell us all about the genius that is Sara Palin. Between her and McCain their IQs don’t total triple digits. She went to college not on a scholarship but on money she won as a runner up in a beauty pageant, Miss Whateverthenameofthathicktownis.

    Wow that’s impressive.


  8. blip_blap says:

    With those kind of numbers Obama should agree to wear a NASCAR-style suit covered in endorsements. This in turn could generate much wealth for challenging in the swing states.

    And more seriously, the Neilsen numbers don’t cover internet streaming or NPR listeners online and on the radio.


  9. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    So why does the counting company ignore PBS and CSPAN. I guess it has something to do with advertisers not caring who watches those channels. I would bet that the number is half again as many people because everyone I know watched it on CSPAN. I know I did. I couldn’t even stand listening to MSNBC. If all they had was Rachel and Keith, I might have stuck with MSNBC. But I couldn’t stand listening to Buchanan, Tweety and some of the other talking heads on MSNBC and chose to go commercial and babble free on CSPAN. The only downside was I was still watching the Fox feed and I really did have to say that they were pretty biased as to how they filmed it up to Gore and Obama’s speeches. During those two speeches there was no way to pan to a bored face and stay there. And there is no way they could manipulate the applause and yelling because looking at the crowd, no one would believe that the applause was tepid during either speech.


  10. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    texaslady Says:
    Because we all wanted to hear how changes would be affected and Obama addressed them all superbly. I was blown away when Joe Scarbourough was admiring Obama’s speech. Anyone who still doesn’t know what Obama is about was not listening.

    You mean like Bunny and all the other TP trolls?


  11. Shayne says:

    McCain is so clueless that he thinks any woman is the same as Hillary Clinton. Dumber than a box of rocks.


  12. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    #Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:
    And opposing Obama/Biden we have POW/PTA…

    Perfect!


  13. MCMetal says:

    Bunny2 Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    Still doesn’t come close to The Superbowl!

    August 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Still gonna’ dwarf McDepends’ viewership , which will rival the Arena Bowl ……..


  14. Marie says:

    Last night was an occasion to remember, treasure and be proud.

    The prayers of Hagee and others who asked God for a deluge of biblical proportions to rain on OBama may have gotten their GPS map wrong — it looks like Hurrican Gustav may hit landfall on Tuesday.

    I would never want to see disaster and hardship for anyone, and I hope that the storm is not as bad as predicted. But if weather screws up the repugnican convention, it would serve them right.


  15. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    #Bunny2 Says:
    So why watch.

    To stimulate the few remaining brain cells you still have functioning? I know the ending for the GOP but I am going to watch their convention just to see if I can learn something, at least I will if I can stay awake.


  16. Shayne says:

    Bunny2 Says:
    No, I didn’t watch. It’s like the ending of ‘Titanic’. You know the ending, and it isn’t pretty. So why watch.

    Yeah, you wouldn’t understand anyway. He uses big words. He’s a constitutional scholar who graduated first in his Harvard Law class and editor of the Law Review. Those big words wouldn’t mean anything to you mouth breeders anyway.


  17. tokin librul says:

    38 Million people?

    Good news for AT&T.

    It reached more viewers than the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final “American Idol” or the Academy Awards this year, the Associated Press notes. That’s ENTER-phuukin-TAINMENT!!!


  18. blip_blap says:

    What’s a mouth breeder?


  19. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Apparently George McCain couldn’t give away enough tickets to fill a 12,000 person stadium to announce his VP. Pathetic.


  20. Shayne says:

    Funny that for today’s announcement they said the place seated 10,000 and they were still trying to give away tickets today. Then when it aired they said there was 15,000 there but of course they didn’t even scan the building so that we could see how many empty seats were in the building that held 10,000.


  21. Marie says:

    For a non-sporting event — a political event – this was surely a remarkable night for TV viewership.

    In Chicago, the Cubs were playing and so were the Bears.


  22. MCMetal says:

    Bunny2 Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    Dr. Hussein Matt Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    And the 28%ers that still support herr dubyah and the GOPigs called him racist names throughout the entire speech.

    August 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    No, I didn’t watch. It’s like the ending of ‘Titanic’. You know the ending, and it isn’t pretty. So why watch.

    August 29th, 2008 at 5:31 pm

    And you believe a “pretty ending” is one with a senile old fool with a dilapidated face and a hideous yellow smile through bad dentures while delivering a badly articulated speech ?

    Aren’t you pushing the boundaries of the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” , a bit far here ?


  23. Shayne says:

    Behind the anchors at MSNBC they had a big guy with two McCain posters blocking out all the protesters against McCain.


  24. Marie says:

    With McCain’s reputation as a womanizer, I think Cindy should be sure to stay at McCain’s side during the campaign.
    Remember he cheated on Carol to have an affair with her.


  25. Shayne says:

    Bunny2 Says:
    She did it all on her own. You have to admire that. Wait, I forgot where I was. If the goverment would have given her everything she has today, she would be acceptable!

    Did what, NOT get an academic sholarship. Now being smart enough to get money from a university means your sucking off the public. Do you think those scolarships go to people who don’t do the work. Have you ever even applied to a college you knuckle dragging imbecile.


  26. texaslady says:

    Oh come on bunny2…admit it you wish your guy could garner up 85,000 people to listen. Obama words were, EVERYONE needs to work and pay their own way, fathers need to be around and help raise children, aka guns aren’t needed to hunt with.
    Obama had down to earth commonsense information. repubs are sick that Obama hit every note on key.


  27. DidHeJustSayThat says:

    “So why does the counting company ignore PBS and CSPAN?”

    I found coverage on PBS Tues night. The inanity of the commentariat on the cable channels was driving me crazy.

    What’s worse, are the clowns who actually believed we could expect anything less from the Patriarch of the party and Sen. Clinton – Will they upstage Barack Obama, Bill is soooo mad at Barack – Hillary…?

    Do you know when you don’t know?


  28. MCMetal says:

    Bunny2 Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    Shayne Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    Come on Bunny tell us all about the genius that is Sara Palin. Between her and McCain their IQs don’t total triple digits. She went to college not on a scholarship but on money she won as a runner up in a beauty pageant, Miss Whateverthenameofthathicktownis.

    Wow that’s impressive.

    August 29th, 2008 at 5:30 pm

    She did it all on her own. You have to admire that. Wait, I forgot where I was. If the goverment would have given her everything she has today, she would be acceptable!

    August 29th, 2008 at 5:36 pm

    You want to admire a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho ?

    Typical GOP/Chimpy apologist loser ; lowering the bar so much , an ant has no trouble raising it ………

    BTW

    That degree will come in handy for work on FAUX Comedy Channel , come November 5th……..


  29. Shayne says:

    blip_blap Says:

    What’s a mouth breeder?

    Somebody with a brain the size as a fish.


  30. DidHeJustSayThat says:

    Marie Says:

    With McCain’s reputation as a womanizer, I think Cindy should be sure to stay at McCain’s side during the campaign.
    Remember he cheated on Carol to have an affair with her.
    ————

    That’s just gross! Besides, McCain cheated and left his first wife back at the turn of the century (20th) – and he’s POW so its cool!


  31. texaslady says:

    So, besides being female, what exactly is Palin bringing to the agenda? Her contacts with indicted and investigated cronies? I really would like to see a female President but it sure isn’t this one.


  32. upside99 says:

    blip_blap Says:

    What’s a mouth breeder?

    That is a definition of Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Ted Haggard and Jeff Gannon. The GOP Poster Boyz.


  33. texaslady says:

    Marie – mccain’s got alot more against him than an affair, all his votes against raising min wage, against anything for women, sending troops to war without body armor, it goes on and on.


  34. texaslady says:

    My conservative friend argues that because the “masses” are for Obama it must be bad for the country because we all know the masses have been dumbed down. By well, that would be No Child Left Behind guy, now wouldn’t it ?


  35. misshusseinmolly says:

    Bunny2 Says
    August 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Still doesn’t come close to The Superbowl!
    _____________________________________________________________

    If it had, the McCain camp would have just sneered about Obama’s “rock star” or “celebrity” status. Sometimes you just can’t win.

    I was thrilled that many people tuned in. Political conventions have dropped dramatically in popularity in the past few elections, and I suspect this has to do with the fact that they have gone from true conventions where real party business is taken care of (complete with real debates, floor fights, and roll calls), to being carefully choreographed infomercials. And yes — this has happened with BOTH parties.

    But 38 million people cared enough to tune in to hear what Obama would say. Imagine that — 38 million people listening to the candidate himself instead of relying on pundits, tabloids, and spin doctors for information. This is encouraging.

    I hope 38 million people tune in to hear McCain as well.


  36. upside99 says:

    bunny and bill krystol are of the same category; they think all speeches at the DNC were ‘generic’. No one else thought so, but they did. What a pair they make.

    Heh Heh


  37. Zooey says:

    MCMetal Says:

    You want to admire a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho ?
    August 29th, 2008 at 5:41 pm

    Hey, don’t be dissing my school. ;)

    Yick, what an “honor.”


  38. McWars says:

    Bunny2 Says:

    Still doesn’t come close to The Superbowl!

    What if Obama included the cure for 90% of cancers in his speech?

    Where would BUNNY2 stand?

    HE..WELL HEHE DIDN”T CURE PROSTATE CANCER!! SO IT DOESN’T MEEN ANYTHEENG!


  39. MCMetal says:

    Zooey Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    MCMetal Says:

    You want to admire a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho ?
    August 29th, 2008 at 5:41 pm

    Hey, don’t be dissing my school. ;)

    Yick, what an “honor.”

    August 29th, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    I’m not dissing anyone’s school , sweetness.

    I’m merely stating the obvious fact that a journalism degree from Idaho’s state University pales in comparison to any degree from any Ivy League school ; and this BunnyPellets turd is trying to bad-mouth/minimize Obama’s academic achievement(s)……..


  40. texaslady says:

    Strange I heard all the answers to the questions bunny didn’t hear. Most of all how to put more people to work which will generate MORE taxes to pay for education, healthcare. In two years bunny and my conservative friends will be pretending they were all for Obama all along.
    Oh, by the way, Obama did specify his intention to pull our troops out of Iraq to where Osama Bin Laden is living and go after him as should have happened 3 times in the last few years.


  41. Zooey says:

    MCMetal Says:

    I’m not dissing anyone’s school , sweetness.
    August 29th, 2008 at 5:56 pm

    I know, MCMetal. :)


  42. McWars says:

    It’s CRUCIAL for PBS viewers of the convention to be tallied — I was one of them — because NBC preempted each day of the convention with sports. PBS had earlier coverage at 8PM (EST) while NBC didn’t pick it up until 10. Who the hell would want to watch TV until 1AM if they can catch it earlier on PBS?


  43. upside99 says:

    I asked this on another thread today, but will ask it here, too:

    Can the trolls HONESTLY say that Palin was the best choice for McDepends?

    I am sure they will all say YES, with a straight face.

    Heh Heh

    I, for one, feel it was a great choice ……. for the Dems. And we will see when the new polls come ou over the next few weeks.


  44. texaslady says:

    There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. Obama answered all my questions and some I didn’t even know I had. This is the first time in 8 years I actually have hope for America.


  45. texaslady says:

    McWars doesn’t matter the tally for last night, just let everyone that watched go and vote. rover can’t erase every vote if they are overwhelming. Do I think the tricks are in the works to cheat us again, oh yeah.


  46. McWars says:

    Wow, Zooey, I’m glad you’re attending a good state school. You’ll have yourself a good job when you graduate.


  47. Zooey says:

    McWars Says:

    It’s CRUCIAL for PBS viewers of the convention to be tallied — I was one of them — because NBC preempted each day of the convention with sports. PBS had earlier coverage at 8PM (EST) while NBC didn’t pick it up until 10. Who the hell would want to watch TV until 1AM if they can catch it earlier on PBS?
    August 29th, 2008 at 6:01 pm

    I agree. Since I don’t have TV at home, I went to our local indy theater to watch it on PBS — with over 200 other people.

    WAY more than 38 million people watched Obama’s speech.


  48. McWars says:

    You bet, texaslady. I have to get to my local library and cast that vote. That’s what counts. I want you to make your mark in November, too!


  49. Zooey says:

    Thanks, McWars. I love it. :)


  50. MCMetal says:

    McStupid should have nominated “Mini Me” , Verne Troyer , for his VP ; at least that would have been some fun……..

    And he and McDepends are about the same height ……..


  51. texaslady says:

    There will be three marks from this household, two from here and one still in Iraq 4th tour. But at least alive.


  52. stateofthedivision says:

    I never thought about the height aspect. McCain may look downright Presidential next to a shorter, conservative, oil woman. As you say, she needs to learn her lines. Can’t have John pumping his fists in frustration.


  53. leftcoast says:

    It would seem some here saw Obama’s speech as short on specifics. Of course it was not, but if his speech had been too long on specifics they’d complain that he was boring. 44 minutes for most folks is quite long enough when trying to maintain attention.
    Last night’s speech was a balance of objectives: energize the 84,000 supporters, outline his vision for America to the 38 million viewer, and bring some specifics to the table.
    Some complain here that Obama is just a great orator. Suffering for 8 years of hearing Bush murder the dictionary and feeling embarrassed as a nation for Bush’s inarticulate and borish mannerisms, it is a complete delight to hear Obama. America is on the world stage and it is a leader among nations. It’s time we had a president who can articulate that position.


  54. ralph the wonder llama says:

    Bunny2 Says:

    No, I didn’t watch. It’s like the ending of ‘Titanic’. You know the ending, and it isn’t pretty. So why watch.

    My guess is Bunny won
    t be watching the election returns on Nov. 4 for the same reason.

    By the way, did this troll really say,

    I didn’t want to sit through forty five minutes of the same things I have heard fron his previous speeches. He is an incredible orator. The best I have ever seen! I was hoping that today I would hear the specefics of his “change”.

    So, Bunny, how were you expecting to hear the specefics of his “change” if you didn’t bother to listen to the speech?

    I’ll say this for you — you sure do make a good right-winger. Cover your ears and then blame others because you haven’t heard hat they’re saying.


  55. texaslady says:

    Wonder if the repub convention will be as classy as the Democrats, way above sling mud just stating the facts.


  56. chiefeditor says:

    Well, it was a pretty good speech — check out the MP3 highlights.


  57. nanlichi says:

    Last night was a proud night for America. My sons and I watched the speech and saluted the next President of the United States with full hearts and a feeling of pride.

    There will always be the bitter, mean and negative losers around us and we can deal with them. We will have wrested control from the treasonous bastards of the Bush administration and now need to set America back on course.

    You all have a great holiday weekend. Even you, silly rabbit.


  58. upside99 says:

    I have a feeling that the Repugs will have to stack the deck and have Faux dummy up the figures to get the RNC above 20 million.


  59. stateofthedivision says:

    Republican Conventions classy? Doubtful, I expect them to hammer the Democratic Congress and push the Energy issue.

    Today, Four for Boring protested at the House. Mike Pence (R)said he would be happy to be called back fron the RNC to work on energy. Hint, hint. George W. may pull a Harry Truman, who called his “do nothing” Congress back into session. He did it during the 1948 Democratic National Convention.

    The knashing will start in earnest Day 1 with Cheney and Bush, and accelerate downhill from there.


  60. stateofthedivision says:

    Nielsen does the estimating of viewer audience size. They’re owned by The Carlyle Group. You’d best believe they’ll include every possible source for McCain’s speech.

    Hopefully someone will ask Nielsen for an apples to apples comparison statistic.


  61. texaslady says:

    Those of us who can remember the 60’s and the uphill fight just for equal rights can be proud of last night. It doesn’t matter what color you are, just person believing that everyone is entitled to rights.


  62. belac says:

    Still doesn’t come close to The Superbowl!

    Then we better hope the Chicago Bears don’t announce their candidacy for President, huh?


  63. ChrisSEA says:

    I was at an Obama speech party last night. Probably at least 75 people there and one large screen TV for all of us.

    Nielson just recorded that as ‘one household’.


  64. Shayne says:

    Nielsen doesn’t count all the people who stream C-Span online because they don’t have cable either. They only count the television that bills for advertising dollars.


  65. Game of Life says:

    Last night was great! We had 5 tv sets on cpan.

    Obama\Biden 08


  66. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Bunny2 Says
    I didn’t want to sit through forty five minutes of the same things I have heard fron his previous speeches. He is an incredible orator. The best I have ever seen! I was hoping that today I would hear the specefics of his “change”.

    If you had bothered to educate yourself by sitting through his speech you would have heard his specifics. And if you heard he had none, you were listening to Faux Noise. I heard him take a stand on every substantiative issue there is out there. He didn’t scope out, step-by-step how he would do it because that was not the venue for something like that.

    You are such a tool. I actually feel sort of sorry for you. Your would is going to crash around your head on November 5.


  67. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Bunny:
    Does he think we are losing or winnining in Iraq?

    There is no way to “win” an occupation of another country. And Obama knows that. He knows that there is no “war” in Iraq other than the fighting between the various religious sects and that is none of our business. We are simply occupying Iraq in the vain hope that some day they may give us their oil. I think it is abundantly clear that Iraq will never give us their oil, so it is time to end the occupation.

    Perhaps troll Bunny can tell us how you “win” an occupation.


  68. pete says:

    Ah, the irony. The trolls don’t even realize that once they admit they didn’t watch the speech, they lose all credibility as commentators.

    Don’t bother me with facts, I’ve made up my mind“, says the troll. If you are not even going to listen to what a candidate has to say? STFU! You rescind your right to participate in the discussion.


  69. pete says:

    Meanwhile…

    Flippy McSpin says: “Why the Hell am I going to Minnesota? I don’t have a house there. Do I”?


  70. Jane E. Schneider says:

    Not like Wayne and I are Neilson viewers, but we switched from MSNBC to C-SPAN so that we could actually listen to the speakers onstage, rather than the pundits. I thought that MSNBC was actually doing uncommitted voters and other viewers a disservice by talking over the speeches, especially the ‘average Joes’ who told their individual stories.

    I can’t believe that PBS and C-SPAN viewers weren’t counted.


  71. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    Bunny:
    Does he think we are losing or winnining in Iraq?

    The premise of the question is flawed and slanted, and framed in such a way that anyone who opposed the invasion in the first place (those of us who relied on facts before deciding if Iraq was a threat) have no way to answer that wouldn’t be attacked as unpatriotic.

    If you must know, I do not blindly support the President of the United States, right or wrong, for to do so would make me as subservient as the subjects of King George III. There are times when the president does not act in the best interests of the nation, and George Bush was most of them. There is no “winning” or “losing” a war that should never have been fought in the first place. Actually, everyone loses in such a war.


  72. green says:

    I watched the whole incredible convention live on the DNC website. I, like many people, have decided to give up on television – we weren’t counted either.

    Obama/Biden ‘08

    Let’s all work together to make it happen!


  73. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    Flippy McSpin says: “Why the Hell am I going to Minnesota? I don’t have a house there. Do I”?

    No, but there’s a men’s room there you might be interested in. (rimshot) Thank you, I’ll be here until Tuesday. Try the veal.


  74. green says:

    I have never been this proud of our country. NEVER!


  75. pete says:

    Now Wayne. While I do appreciate the humor, Flippy gives us so much material we don’t really have to lower ourselves to that particular level. Besides which, word on the street is that, with the Convention in town, bathrooms are booked solid. I haven’t seen any evidence that the McSpin campaign plans anything that far ahead!


  76. pete says:

    Hey Wayne. Did you hear that Flippy McSpin lost Cindy when he sent her to Georgia? He decided to meet her in Atalanta and she hasn’t shown up yet. (rimshot) And now he can’t decided whether to head go home to Arizona, Alaska, California, Georgia, Texas… And he can’t remember which car is his, even if he manages to go to the right lot! (muted trumpet)

    Thank you. I appear sporadically whether you like it or not.


  77. Tim43 says:

    oh no…

    Is Obama eligible to be president?

    http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/6524


  78. unbelievable says:

    Tim43 Says: Is Obama eligible to be president?

    Yes. I know you Cons aren’t good with geography, but Hawaii is a state.


  79. Paul W says:

    “more people watched Obama speak than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final ‘American Idol’ or the Academy Awards this year.”

    Beat out American Idol? Maybe there’s hope for this country after all.

    http://progressiveworldreview.com


  80. EugeneDebs says:

    Tim43 Says:

    oh no…

    Is Obama eligible to be president?
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    Of course he is only the most brainwashed of the hiveminders would claim otherwise. The lawsuit is not only stupid it apparantly shows the filer is ignorant of the most basic tenets of his claim. It is stated that obama isnt eligible because he is not a NATURALIZED citizen, but naturalized citizens ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE PRESIDENCY. ONLY Natural BORN citizens are eligible. Sheesh the ignorance of the rightwing never ceases to amaze me


  81. clarkorwell says:

    I watched Obama speak and it was great. After the last 8 years, which have been truly awful, I can not wait for my first born child to be born into a nation I am truly proud of. George Bush should be impeached for the crimes which he and his administration have committed.

    Peace, vote for the sake of democracy.



Jump to Top

About Think Progress | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2009 Center for American Progress Action Fund
View Most Popular

Advertisement

What We're About

Featured

image
Subscribe to the Progress Report



imageTopic Cloud


Visit Our Affiliated Sites

image image
Reports


Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)


imageArchives


imageBlog Roll