More than elsewhere, St. Louis folks watched the McCain/Obama debate

Missouri has not been widely viewed as a top-tier battleground state in the presidential race -- it's competitive, as usual, but it would surprise most pundits if it does not ultimately land in John McCain's column.

Recent polls have shown some tightening, though, so perhaps that's a reason preliminary Nielsen Co. ratings for the nation's top metropolitan areas found the St. Louis market with the largest TV audience for Friday night's debate.

Nielsen reported that a majority of households with televisions in and around the city -- 52.1% -- were tuned to the McCain/Barack Obama faceoff.

The "share" figure was even more impressive -- among all TVs in use as the debate aired, 82% in the St. Louis area had it on. That was far and away the highest such number in the major markets. Soon, St. Louis will host one of the debates, too.

The area where the debate attracted the smallest audience? McCain's backyard.

The household rating for the Phoenix/Prescott market was 24.8% (with a 47% share), according to the preliminary report.

Next to last: Los Angeles.

In both of these latter cases, viewership no doubt was lower than in many other places because the debate started at 6 p.m. local time.

Overall, in 55 of the nation's top 56 markets (Houston was excluded because of disarray caused by Hurricane Ike), the debate's rating was 33.2% -- impressive for a Friday night.

The report can be perused here. Nielsen's promises its complete numbers on Monday.

-- Don Frederick

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Comments

[TGood]

Obama campaign cracks down on misleading TV ads
September 23rd, 2008The Barack Obama campaign is asking Missouri law enforcement to target anyone who lies or runs a misleading TV ad during the presidential campaign
http://www.kmov.com/video/index.html?nvid=285793&shu=1

Folks, Obama has been caught by FactCheck.org telling repeated lies but his campaign is now pulling this stunt in Missouri ? What is he ? Dictator in waiting ?

[DNC + RNC = ROT]

Spoil what? Waste what? Steal what?

Barack Obama we do not doubt your intelligence. To be an effective leader one must also display honesty, compassion, & guts. Stand with Ralph Nader, Ron Paul, & Cynthia McKinney. NOT John McCain. Your choice - your move.

See You In St. Louis
(Nelly)

[FLRepublican]

Well, its about time SOMEONE stopped the lies and distortions out there. Good for Obama to defend himself, or at least try to. If Factcheck and other media don't step up, it's all he could do. There are a lot of rich bigots out there though.

I'm waiting for McCain to declare another campaign suspension and try to get out of the St. Louis debate as well.

[budswisr]

You would think that in a country as big as USA there would be someone who would want to be elected president and work for the american people instead of LaRaza, Mexican drug lords and Mexicans without borders. I can't vote for Obama or Mccain. I would like to see a true american in the White House. VOTE BARR!