Record numbers of viewers tune in to the GOP convention

After lackluster showings in viewership at the beginning of the week, the Republican National Convention bounced back on Wednesday and Thursday, making it the most-watched political convention in American history (or at least since Nielsen began recording convention viewership in 1960).

John McCain's acceptance of the Republican nomination last night drew 38.9 million viewers -- a television audience that was 41% larger than the audience for day four of the 2004 GOP convention, which drew only 27.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

This year the Republicans averaged 34.5 million viewers over three nights (Monday's program was shortened and not counted because of Hurricane Gustav) while the Democrats averaged 30.2 million viewers over four nights.

After McCain's acceptance, Sarah Palin's speech on Wednesday night gave the GOP its biggest boost in viewership numbers. McCain's VP pick drew 37 million viewers. 

In comparison, Barack Obama's acceptance of the Democratic nomination drew 38.4 million viewers.

Nielsen's analysis of who is tuning in is revealing.

For example, McCain’s speech drew significantly more men than Obama’s acceptance speech (19.2 million compared with Obama's 17.9 million). And Obama’s speech drew more women (19.9 million compared with McCain 19.2 million).

White viewers flocked to their TVs for McCain’s speech (32.2 million versus 27 million for Obama). But among African Americans, the reverse was true. About 7.5 million African Americans watched Obama’s speech last week, while 3.1 million tuned in for McCain’s.

The actual numbers of those tuning in to both Obama and Palin are higher than the Nielsen figures indicate, because Nielsen does not record PBS' viewers.

-- Kate Linthicum

Comments

[Sally]

All the dem women’s, some important information you need to know about the right wing nut
- She supports banning abortions in case of rape or incest
- She favors teaching creationism in public schools
- She supports abstinence only education to be taught in schools (we know the results)
- She doesn't support funding programs for reducing teenage pregnancies
- She supports censoring information from public libraries
- She thinks Iraq war was 'God’s Will'
- She abused her power while in office
- She supported bridge to nowhere before opposing it

Don't get fooled by this lipstick wearing right wing pschyco, she will definitely transform this country like Taliban transformed Afghanistan

[Morris]

The McCain numbers include PBS, but the Obama numbers do not. With PBS included, Obama pulled in just under 42 million.

[Sydney]

If you really want to know more about Palin, and let me tell you - it's scary - go to http://mudflats.wordpress.com - you journalists pay attention as well.

[Dahlia Pace]

Translation Guide for the Secret Language of the Republican Party

"Drill Now": We'd much rather increase our oil drilling production by 3% than reduce energy consumption by 35%, and we'll still be able to say (with the little conscience we have left) that "we did everything we could". What we'll not tell you is that the U.S. already has more oil wells (over 510,000) than any other country in the world; the problem of course is that our wells simply don't produce nearly enough oil. Even if we drilled every inch of the 68-million acres of U.S. land available today for oil drilling, the costs would far exceed other options and we'd still have to import well over 50% of our oil.

"Fight for your future": Fighting ensures we can keep giving money to our defense industry - and since we're using the military as a substitute for a poverty and welfare program, fighting over there keeps our lower classes from fighting over here.

"Culture of Life": We need to control your life in order to maintain our expensive culture. Eventually, we're going to ask you to give your life to also support our culture, but let's wait until you're of fighting age first (see above).

"Urban Elites": Rich people who care for poor people - we hate them!

"Ethics commissioner and chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission": Haha, get it? That one always cracks us up.

"School accountability": Let's create some really good excuses to underfund public education.

"Communism": socialism for the poor.
"Capitalism": socialism for the wealthy.

"Reduce the death tax...capital gains tax...business tax": We really believe the only people who should pay any taxes at all are those who work a salary for a living. Shhhhh, please don't tell them though.

"Victory in Iraq": We sure as heck aren't going to ever go after the Saudi, Egyptian, and Pakistani perpetrators of 9/11, they are all way too tough. So let's keep beating up on the playground pansies Iraq and Afghanistan lest someone catch on.

"Community Organizer": We really can't have people doing selfless good works for all the right reasons, so we're going to make this sound as much like a communist-leaning inner-city gang member as we can.

"Obama lacks experience": We'll never ever ever admit that a Harvard Law Degree magna cum laude, president of the Harvard Law Review, civil rights attorney, 12 years guest professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago, 3 years community organizing and outreach including establishing a job-training program, 8 years in the Illinois legislature, over 3 years in the U.S. Senate, a seat on the Foreign Relations Committee, 2 published books, and over 36-million votes is pretty damn impressive for a man of 47. Nope, you can't make us listen...nah nah nah nah we're covering our ears.

"Executive Experience": Able to make snap decisions without the irritating input of the populace, and well-versed in the black arts of manipulation and corruption.

"Pro-life under trying circumstances": If impregnating our teenage daughters is all it takes to keep us in office for 4 more years, you've got a deal!

[Happy Meal]

All your rock star they belog to us ...

[Carolina]

What about Biden AKA. Ball and chain. How many did he draw?

[rural american]

ladypatriot (yeah right) says: "Palin must not have learned in SUnday school that JESUS was a community organizer for most of his earthly life."

Lady, are you implying that Obama walks on water?

If you've actually studied scripture, you'd know that Jesus fearlessly took on the local government, even to death.

Obama, plugged into the good ol' boy Chicago political cabal and prospered!

What would Jesus do? Well, He wouldn't do what Obama has done and try to sell it as "change."

[citizenbfk]

I know I tuned in to see if McCain would fall down or something.

Plus, I was eager to hear Pallin. An Obama/Palin ticket might have been cool.

[sharons]

the reason that so many people watched is that Palin interjected the whole 'train wreck' baggage into the scenario.... all people like to slow down and like to watch to see if anything of the bits of baggage and debris are still going to 'blow up'...

[Bob]

The GOP platform is simple. Keep out the TAX & SPEND, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your man had his chance to nominate Clinton, but he didn't have the gonads to do it, so live with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paudio]

Obama's novelty started to wear off. People start to realize, "what has he done in the US Senate?" After all, Obama has been the chair of the uber important Sub-Committee on Europe, but has never called for a meeting even once!

Obama has been busy running another office. The sub-committee, among others, also is responsible for NATO, which technically is the one overseeing the war in Afghanistan. Apparently, Obama prefers backroom discussions rather than calling for an open discussion. Just like when he's avoiding McCain's invitation for Townhall debates.

This is why more people watched TV last night to see what McCain has to offer. The constant investigations on Palin, while avoiding to do the same on Obama's records and history, made people even want to know about the ticket.

[Red State]

Hey Country First, yawn. If McCains speach was boring then your drivel would bore someone to a dirt nap. What a tool! Typical parnoid whining liberal. I hope you didn't have blue face paint on pretending to be William Wallace in the mirror as you wrote this. Put up a candidate that won't raise my taxes, restrict my guns and generally not offend me in most things he stands for and you may have a chance. But that isn't going to happen now is it? You are right about the culture war. Your candidates are the biggest threat to my culture and I will fight to protect my culture. Your culture will not be imposed upon me because your elitest view of society says I would be better off if I were more like you. Go read Doonesbury over a Starbuck's double latte and stop spewing your dreck.

[frustrated]

The bottom line most people are missing and refusing to see is that, not one word about how McCain is going to help everyday average people make their house payment buy groceries or find a job. Instead we here Obama is going to raise taxes, yes on the wealthiest 5%. Everyone else will pay lower taxes and get to see more of their paycheck. so when McCain says WE can’t afford an Obama presidency what he means is HE cannot afford one or his special interest buddies that pour millions into his campaign, people need to wake up and let go of their "one party view point" look at the facts THE REAL facts and make an educated decision for once. Smears and character attacks are unacceptable we need to know what they plan to do to make this country strong again. They always say Obama doesn’t have experience, well look where experienced politicians have gotten us. Wake up and leave your prejudice and die hard party affiliations at the door

[Scott]

Nick,

How does a consistent track record of attacking a corrupt political establishment of both the opposition and her own party become defined as neo-conservativism? When was the last time a Democrat called for an investigation into a Democratic lobbying organization or politician? Sarah Palin has been in elected politics for 13 years and her performance is 100% consistent over that time frame. What was Obama doing 13 years ago? She is a reformer conservative.

Check your map/globe, 2 of the neighbors of Alaska happen to be other countries (Russia and Canada). If you don't think there are security issues, trade issues and energy issues between the state of Alaska and those nations you should do some more research. That experience alone gives the VP candidate on the Republican ticket more experience that the POTUS candidate on the Democratic ticket. Talking about it is one thing, actually doing it is another. Obama has never actually done anything except promote himself.

Furthermore, if I were to grant you your premise on neo-conservatism and the wealth transfer, it still would pale in comparison to the transfer of wealth Obama/Biden are proposing via increasing taxes, public health care, subsidized energy and education etc. Technically Fascism (which is similar to your definition of neo-conservatism) and Socialism/Communism (which is what Obama promotes) are about $.05 apart. They are about big government redistributing resources and telling you how to live your life. I'll pass on both and take conservative reform from a ticket that while not perfect has participants who don't need Hollywood's approval to serve their country.

[Chris K]

Decoder Ring for Dem / Femnazi talke:

'right to choose'

"We shouldn't waterboard suspected terrorists, but it's OK to waterboard 16 wk old babies to death."
There were 144,000 second-term abortions in the US last year. Find pictures of 16 wk old 'fetus', it has arms, legs, head, and life.
O'bama says it's above his pay grade to say when his children first became alive and human.

He's a joke, and a fraud.

[Bob]

Jesus wasn't running for President of the U.S..

[Red State]

Sorry Country First. My comments were directed at Nick. His post was so long winded that I mistook his post as yours.

[Chris in Iowa]

I think some of you tend to forget that middle America exists. I was an Obama supporter until yesterday. What changed my mind the most was the big media companies, as well as some democrats calling anyone from a small town a "hick" or "white trash". If I am white trash, then I will now vote for a white trash Republican from Alaska. She is one of us. She understands and shares our values. She knows the hard hours we put in day after day working in the fields. I can see her fighting for us more today than Obama. That is a shame, because I thought Obama was not Hollywood, but the more I see and hear, he reminds me of another actor I might see on the big screen.

[aldrin]

Democrats are so so so desperate to win! ! ! !

[ANNIE]

POOR SALLY! SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO GO TO THE FACTS INSTEAD OF THE LIBERAL BLOGS!

All the dem women’s, some important information you need to know about the right wing nut
- She supports banning abortions in case of rape or incest
- She favors teaching creationism in public schools -- SHE SUPPORTS OPEN DISCUSSION BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE CREATIONISM SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE CURRICULUM
- She supports abstinence only education to be taught in schools (we know the results). THIS CAME FROM A QUESTIONNAIRE SHE FILLED OUT THAT ASKED WHETHER SHE WOULD SUPPORT ABSTINENCE OR EXPLICIT SEX EDUCATION...PERIOD. I PERSONALLY DO NOT APPRECIATE HAVING THE SCHOOLS TEACH MY CHILDREN HOW TO APPLY A CONDOM. AND SINCE ABSTINENCE ONLY IS NOT TAUGHT IN MOST SCHOOLS, WE DO NOT KNOW THE RESULTS. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT SEX EDUCATION HASN'T REDUCED TEEN PREGNANCY EITHER.
- She doesn't support funding programs for reducing teenage pregnancies WHY THE HELL SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT PAY FOR THAT??
- She supports censoring information from public libraries SHE MAY SUPPORT ELIMINATING PORNOGRAPHY PURCHASED WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS, BUT SHE DOES NOT SUPPORT CENSORING "INFORMATION."
- She thinks Iraq war was 'God’s Will'
SHE NEVER SAID THAT. THIS IS A MISQUOTE.
- She abused her power while in office PROVE IT. THE MAN SHE IS ACCUSED OF FORCING TO FIRE A ROGUE STATE TROOPER (WHO WAS KNOWN TO ABUSE HIS OWN POWER) DENIES THAT SHE DID ANYTHING.
- She supported bridge to nowhere before opposing it AND THEN SHE LEARNED FROM HER MISTAKES...HOW HORRIBLE IS THAT?!

Don't get fooled by this lipstick wearing right wing pschyco, she will definitely transform this country like Taliban transformed Afghanistan ONLY THE IGNORANT PEOPLE LIKE YOU WILL SUCCEED IN DOING THAT.

[asdfasd]

republicans are truly pathetic fools. they'll fall for ANYTHING.

[Chris K]

'frustrated' plays the 'race card' just like O'bama does.
great, very helpful.

"I'm from Washingon, and I'm here to help"

LOL

[Greg]

Morris- How did you interpret that the McCain's speech numbers included PBS? I looked up on other sites and the 38.9 million is the Nielsen number as the above article states. Also, the above article states that Nielsen does not include PBS in their numbers. This means that McCain's 38.9 million is derived from the same pool of potential viewers as Obama's 38.4 million. I wish people would put a little more effort into fact checking their responses.

[Greg]

Morris- How did you interpret that the McCain's speech numbers included PBS? I looked up on other sites and the 38.9 million is the Nielsen number as the above article states. Also, the above article states that Nielsen does not include PBS in their numbers. This means that McCain's 38.9 million is derived from the same pool of potential viewers as Obama's 38.4 million. I wish people would put a little more effort into fact checking their responses.

[Sharley]

After reading some of these comments, I wonder how many posters actually read the legal terms? Specifically the part about posting. NO misleading, false, etc. information....
Sally and Dahlia Pace : where did you get your information?
ronstratton, chris k, rural american, annie, and others: I really enjoyed the comments.