Barack Obama Infomercial Ratings: 33.6 Million Watch Across All Networks

NEW YORK — Nielsen Media Research estimated that 33.6 million people watched Barack Obama's half-hour television commercial Wednesday night.

The spot ran simultaneously on CBS, NBC, Fox, BET, Univision, MSNBC and TV One, and aides said it cost the campaign roughly $4 million. It profiled several Americans struggling with a tough economy, and Obama offered his ideas for a turnaround.

Toward the end of his 1992 campaign for president, Ross Perot ran a half-hour infomercial that was watched by 22.7 million people, according to Nielsen.

ABC did not run Obama's commercial, instead showing "Pushing Daisies," which was slightly helped by the lack of entertainment competition. The drama was seen Wednesday by 6.6 million people; its season average is 5.9 million.

Obama's spot had its biggest audience on NBC, with 7.7 million viewers.

Two months ago, Obama was seen by more than 40 million people when he delivered his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. That speech was carried live on 12 networks.

The Democratic candidate also proved a late-night draw on Wednesday. "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central had a record 3.6 million viewers, when Obama was interviewed by satellite from Florida by Jon Stewart. It shattered the show's previous mark by 700,000 viewers _ set earlier in the month when Obama's wife, Michelle, appeared.

"The Colbert Report" also had record ratings, when Stephen Colbert's character endorsed Obama, saying he was doing it for the attention.

Comments

[JonW]

The half hour was a great presentation by an intelligent, youthful, articulate candidate whom this nation
sorely needs for healing and reconstruction after the last 8 year debacle in the White House. His thoughtful steadiness was demonstrated during the financial crisis while his opponent flailed away and use it for photo ops.

[Yermammy]

I've supported Barack Obama since he threw his hat into the ring, here in Sprinfield, Illinois. I didn't realize, up until now, why he is so hated and despised (by the fundies). It's his superior courage. Barack is the bravest soul that I know of, bar none. That right there makes it nice to know, when he talks to leaders of the world. They will look into his eyes and not see a dumb, conceited, wealthy loser from Texas (or Arizona), but a man of principle and hard as a rock. Long live the legend of our next President of the United States of America- Barack Hussein Obama! Yes, we CAN.

[JustCommonSense]

Yesterday it was 26.3 million. The numbers change almost as fast as those in his tax plan.

Hanity had a great presentation. He spliced other Obama speeches into this infomercial so we could clearly hear Obama contradict himself. Typical lying democrat. I hear Al gore is in Florida. I hope they keep him away from the voting machines this time.

[Yermammy]

You'll be loooooong gone come November 5, when our new President will BE BARACK! Go away loser person! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Suck on it. :)

[SMP]

you really ought to use what your name on hear projects..­.........c­ommon sense.....­........Ha­nnity is the total opposite..­..........­.guess it is easier to believe out right lies from Hannity then to USE YOUR OWN BRAIN.

[Beca]

This is why! REMEMBER TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4TH!

http://digg.com/politics/YES_WE_CAN_Music_Video_Barack_Obama_www_barackobama_com?OTC-em-st1
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http://digg.com/political_opinion/We_Are_The_Ones_Song_by_will_i_am_Obama_6?OTC-em-st1
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http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Obama_Your_Voice_Can_Change_The_World_VOTE?OTC-em-st1
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[AtheistInsurgency]

Polls are designed to keep people watching to see if they change, nothing more. Numbers fake.

[Yermammy]

Buh bye, McCainiac! buh bye!

[mrskorn]

Guess I struck a nerve. I took the numbers from Neilsen Wire. I always try to check my facts so I can discuss things intelligently.

[milo h minderbinder]

Obama's poll averages heading back up again today. Looks like the informercial probably swayed a few people at least.

[bleau-in-red]

A suggestion...my 24 y o autistic daughter and I have been very very involved in Obama's campaign, and tomorrow we are taking down the Halloween decorations..and we are putting up our red white and blue bunting and flags that we generally use to decorate for the Fourth of July and other patriotic holidays...after all..what is more patriotic than The Rebirth of America??? If we all decorate, it shows solidarity...and excitement...and God knows, we finally have something to be excited about. I am so thrilled to be able to take my daughter to cast her vote for Obama..along with my daughter-in-law, who will be voting in her first election, and my son. The only person missing is my husband, a Vietnam Veteran who passed away in February. I am so sad that he is not here to feel the electricity, to share the joy, to have something good and fine and pure to look forward to. Pass the word..pull out the decorations and celebrate the fact that we have the oportunity to go and cast a vote for an amazing President....Barack Obama!!

[pilgrim7]

Thanks for sharing your uplifting story, bleau-in-red. People like you make the world a beautiful and better place. May God continue to bless you and your wonderful family as always.

[cowtippor]

which god?

[AlexeiJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf19H_sHMro&fmt=6

An amazing music video, tracking the progress of Black folks in this country, highlighting Malcolm X, Barack, and Michelle. Closes with a Malcolm X speech excerpt that could not be more relevant today.

[zenaby56]

I have been traveling and had the piece recorder on our DVR. I couldn't wit to sit down. I enjoyed it very much. I think Barack Obama is the real deal and we have the opportunity ot experiencing a kind of leadership that has been absent form this country for a great many years. We will all be better off by having elected him. I also watched Rachel Maddow on MSNBC last night. Obama was brilliant. I am so excited about the possibilities for our future as a nation and mine as a citizen. It is time for someone who can look beyond their own selfish greed and envision the possibilities for the USA.

I voted in Colorado already. Go Obama-Biden '08

[jonahhancock]

A longtime Dem, I supported Obama and planned to vote that way, until last few days and growing concern.

I had no less than five calls from the Obama campaign applying salesman pressure for me to volunteer. When I explained I have two jobs and simply wouldn't have time , three of them questioned me in a bullying tone ('You mean to tell me you can't take 2 hours out of your day for your candidate?' ).

After telling all five I could not, every single one of them asked me "you are voting for Obama?"
I "was".

I've arched eyebrows a few times over the months; when Obama's camp flooded a an anti-Obama radio station and jammed the frequencies, or Obama's meeting with Iraqi officials in which he encouraged stalling withdraw plans.

The manipulative, tacky informercial, along with their bullying tactics, has been final nail.

In retrospect, Clinton took criticism like a pro, without making underhanded attempts to quash free speech.

It seems criticism of Obama is treason and, even though he's liberal, these tactics are very Bush-like and we're trading one thinly disguised dictatorship for another.

It doesn't matter whether one gives up freedoms to the right or to the left, it amounts to still sacrificing one's freedom.

Is this what we have to look forward to?

The signs are there, just as the signs given when a few of us were questioning the Iraqi invasion and being ostracized for it.

[alenaspoppa]

Sure, this sounds feasible. That's why you just signed up to HuffPo and are spamming the same message on multiple threads. And that's why you take your talking points directly from right-leaning sites re: Obama stalling Iraqi pullout. Go to Google and type in "Obama Iraq stall" and see if you get any reputable sources. I didn't. In fact, one of the primary sources appears to be "The New York Post"...

"Obama's camp flooded a an anti-Obama radio station..." Nope. It was WGN in Chicago, and it's hardly an anti-Obama station. They were hosting Stanley Kurtz on a radio show. Kurtz was the first person to bring up the Obama/Bill Ayers smear tactic.

I've gotten multiple calls asking to help out too. But the only way you get these calls is if you've signed up on their website or with MoveOn.org or one of the various other progressive groups involved in this election. You get several calls, but none of them are "bullying." And frankly, the election is important. If a caller truly did pressure you (and I don't believe a thing you've said, btw), what did you expect? "Will you help?" "No, I can't", "Okey dokey! It's not that important anyway..."

I'll expect to see this highly-suspect posting in a viral email from my family in Kansas in the next 24 hours...

[Critizen]

How much are they paying you to troll boards?

[loyldem]

I keep asking the same thing. I also ask when they go on the Obama website.

[shireenj]

From Australia .......... you guys are so lucky to have this amazing person to power your country .... we have a fabulous one here too!!!! Much love ... we are as a population; 86% with OBAMA!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! FINALLY YOU HAVE IT TOGETHER !!!!!! CONGRATS!!!

[KarlaElisa]

Yes we are fortunate, Australia!

[Obama 08]

All I can say is thank God we have a candidate like Senator Obama after 8 years of full and total disaster with George Bush and his cronies!!

PLEASE VOTE OBAMA ON NOV 4TH!!

[hillpill]

>> we have a fabulous one here too
Really?
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24568137-2862,00.html
(Cut and paste the link - the commas are a screw-up)

[OpinionsRMine]

I think our economic futures mean more to the people of this nation than the World Series. We wanted to know more about the direction this country is possibly going in. A direction of hope, not dispair...

Obama/Biden '08

[caps]

that's mostly true... but if you're a 25 year old philadelphian who has not seen any of his teams win a championship in his lifetime, the world series means almost as much as getting our country back on track after these past 8 disastrous years.

Phillies/O­bama/Biden '08!!

[titantom]

Everyone donate at least $5 if you can to Kay Hagan. We as Americans can not let Elizabeth Dole get away with what she has done on this campaign.

Everyone donate at least $5 if you can to Kay Hagan. We as Americans can not let Elizabeth Dole get away with what she has done on this campaign.

She is another Michelle Bachmann. Don't forget to finish her off as well in Minnesota. We only have a few more days.

http://www.actblue.com/page/kayhaganrules

http://www.actblue.com/page/kayhaganrules

http://www.actblue.com/page/kayhaganrules

http://www.actblue.com/page/kayhaganrules

[Cakey4814]

I'd like to know how Nielsen's break this down because I know more than 17% of AAs watched his infomercial.

[milo h minderbinder]

You personally know the percent, nationwide, of racial breakdown of the people who watched this?

How is that exactly?