Chimpy's speech was a great big flop

a little flip, too :D

Speech also flopped in ratings



White House aides hoping to launch a new communications strategy -- and calm jitters among voters -- with President Bush's "everything's-going-to-work-out-fine-in-Iraq" primetime address Monday night ran into a slight logistical problem; the speech was a television ratings flop, attracting just 6.2 million viewers. That's 35 million fewer than tuned into Bush's primetime press conference last month, and 56 million fewer than watched his 2003 State of the Union address. But that's what happens when you get relegated to cable.

Monday's address was not carried by the broadcast networks for the simple reason the White House did not request the time. If it had, the networks probably would have obliged. (Asking for network airtime is sort of like prom season, you don't really want to pop the question unless you're sure of the answer in advance.) But the nets wouldn't have been happy about making room for Bush, at least not the ad sales guys. Finishing up the crucial spring sweeps period when all-important advertising rates are set, the networks were likely in no mood for a 45-minute primetime preemption Monday night, and the White House certainly understood that, which may have been one reason they shied away. (Why antagonize the media during the middle of a downward polling trend?)

It's also possible that the White House, understanding Bush was not going to unveil any new policy initiatives during the address, was concerned about a backlash if the speech was hyped too much and network airtime was requested, only to have the president essentially reiterate the same talking points he's been saying for months. (“Working as allies, we will defend Iraq and defeat these enemies.”) The good news for the White House is it may have benefited from the extensive, ripple effects news coverage the speech produced. The bad news is if Bush-Cheney '04 was trying to win over hearts and minds about Iraq Monday night, so few people watched the speech that it was likely a bust in the electoral column, or a way to stop the eroding poll numbers.

And make no mistake, television viewers had an almost allergic reaction to the speech and stayed away in droves. What's interesting is that even within the confines of the cable news universe -- CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and CNBC -- TV viewership for Bush's Monday speech was down 25 percent compared to his April 13 press conference. During that telecast, approximately 8.1 million viewers watched Bush via cable. (An additional 32 million watched it on the networks.) On Monday night though, just 6.2 million viewers bothered to tune in, even though cable was the only commercial TV outlet for the address.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/index.html#ratings_flop

who watched the speech...

5.9 M were democrats throwing objects at their TV!

...both literally and figuratively. Barring unforseen circumstances, Bush has no chance at being elected. We should all work hard, though, just to be sure.

their friends keep lying about which states are in play so that they can screw up the counting and claim that they ecked out an electral win at the last minute.

I don't think that they'll be pleased with the results. But that's another matter.

re Bush:

The man has roo much evil, too much negative, to be able to "sell" his shit. He goes on TV and tries but no dice. After 9/11 he sold it, despite his weakness in delivering, he sold it for all it was worth.

But today, the mans neg force comes out, oozes out...like pus from a boil whenever he speaks to us. Only the innocent misled sheep out there suck for it... thankfully in diminishing numbers too.

Yes, his speech, if we could call it that, sucked. Sank like an anvil in The Marianna Trench.

DENNIS!!!!!

:hi:

:loveya:

O'Franken is ridiculing his speech right now.

and I couldn't be bothered, even for the chance of getting a column out of it. So I can't imagine many other people cared.

Probably most of the American electorate has figured out by now that Bush's prepared speeches almost never include any useful information. The ratings for the press conference were higher because at least there you had the element of suspense. What new gaffe will he make today? Will he finally snap and start babbling about the pink elephants?

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

What do you suppose they'll use for a reason to spin the poor rating on the next one? The only reason to watch it is to see the chimp* lose his mind on tv and pull out the ball bearings while he blames the cabin boys.

this perfunctory speech. I don't think they wanted ratings. They just want the liar and murderer to go on record with a certain number of speeches--one down five to go.

...the rest of the talks in his series. We only heard his "new" message once. After he's had the opportunity to repeat it 3, 4, 5, 6 times...to the enthusiastic audience of hand-picked members of his "base"...maybe you'll be whistling a DIFFERENT tune, eh...????

...or maybe not.

:evilgrin:

I thought maybe he'd tell us where the terrorists will go after the Iraqi's "take control" of their country. Now the latest news seems to indicate that they'll be right here in the good old USA.

Bush invaded Iraq and said Bring 'Em On, and they came to Iraq, increased their recruitment figures, blew up people in other countries, and are still planning attacks everywhere.

What are his plans for fighting the "war on terror"? I expected some bumpersticker speak (his usual speaking form) from him about how he's finally going to concentrate on banishing the terrorists. I really don't get what all these speeches have to do with the terrorists who are threatening our country.

Alice In Wonderland had nothing on us.

:toast:

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

:hi: On 12/12/2000 we all tumbled through the looking glass.

I thought that the networks didn't carry the Chump's speech because it "wasn't news worthy"?

Who has proven time and time again that they lack credibility? I know I did not as I was pretty sure there would be nothing new for Bush to say - and even if he did come up with something - what he says cannot be trusted.

ABC ran the speech in Boston.

Whoever did his makeup did a good job of covering up the abrasions.