Bush's Iraq speech tanks with public (only 19 mill viewers - 4 networks)

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/News2005/jun05/june27/3_wed/news2wednesday.html

Bush's Iraq speech
tanks with public

Only 19 million tune in across four networks

When the White House said Monday that President Bush would be giving a speech Tuesday night, several networks balked, wondering if carrying the speech would be worth rearranging their entire schedule.

NBC, Fox and CBS finally relented late yesterday, but the speech did indeed throw off television viewership, with low numbers for the speech and low numbers for several premieres.

President Bush's 8 p.m. update on the war in Iraq averaged just 19.13 million total viewers on the big four broadcast networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, according to Nielsen overnights.

That’s down 41 percent from the 32.75 million who watched Bush on the Big Four during a primetime press conference in April, though that speech took place on the first night of May sweeps, when television viewership overall was higher.
Last night’s address drew 21.8 percent fewer viewers than Bush’s State of the Union address in January, which brought in 26.6 million total viewers via the Big Four.


<</SNIP>>

[Arugula Latte]

1. Well, my grave assessment is this:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Rose Siding]

4. I concur with your astute assertion

:rofl:

[saigon68]

48. I did not watch the Chief Bush Criminal

He is scum

[VegasWolf]

56. Hey Saigon, stop sugar-coating things! :) nt

[saigon68]

61. YES I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT

He does a fine job all by himself of looking like an idiot.

[Miss Chybil]

32. But, he's so informative and entertaining. He inspires hope and cares

about the troops. I don't see what's so funny.



;-)

[Brooklyn Michael]

45. I don't see what's so funny either....

In fact, to cheer Chimpy up over his sagging ratings, I think I'll play him a little tune....

:nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :boring:

[Miss Chybil]

59. Now, that's funny!

:D

[katty]

58. don't bother anymore bush--get off your tour bus NOW

[wicket]

2. To imitate Eric Cartman:

(in a sing-song voice) Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! :rofl:

[goodboy]

16. Respect mah authoritah! (nt)

[wicket]

43. screw you guys, I'm going home!

:rofl: :D

[Raenelle]

60. I'm not fat. I'm just big-boned.

:rofl:

[goodboy]

62. I hhhhate you guys. I hate you so much. (nt)

[Systematic Chaos]

3. What if * held a patriotic rally / photo-op doohicky...

and no one came?

I guess now we know!

:rofl::woohoo::rofl:

[Trajan]

80. Hate to hijack a thread ....

But wasnt Gentle Giant awesome ? ... I saw them numerous times .... Their stage presense was limited, but their composition skills were amazing ....

[lovuian]

5. Everybody has seen the 9/11 show before!!! They are NOT

VIEWING this BS ... not wasting there precious time!!!

[magnolia]

34. Hey...right...

...everybody thought is was just another summer rerun. Actually...it was!

[Singular73]

6. The next 3 years are gonna be hell for Bush.

Its all falling apart.

And no amount of propoganda and fear-mongering seems to be having an effect.

Of course, you all know what I'm afraid of, that they will do in response to this.

[mhl6277]

42. well....

i've thought about that too, but the only thing probably stopping it is that then bush doesn't look as strong on "terra"

[Rainscents]

52. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[aquart]

53. Trouble is, he'll make it hell for us.

But to know that he suffers? The man who can't feel anyone else's pain may at least learn to feel his own?

May he never sleep.

[Ellsworth_Toohey]

7. Re. Bush Speech was terrible!

The Progressives are on to his fascist propaganda line!

[Arugula Latte]

9. Welcome to DU, Ellsworth!

:hi: :toast:

[Career Prole]

11. Hi, Ellsworth!

:hi:

[myrna minx]

12. Fountainhead fan?

Welcome to DU.

[Nothing Without Hope]

47. good to see you in our community, Ellsworth!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[bleever]

68. Welcome to DU, Ellsworth.

:hi:

[Gregorian]

8. If you can still tolerate his face and voice by now,

then you need electrotherapy.

I sure as hell didn't watch. Why would I want to watch someone lie? And smirk like an asshole, while doing it.

[uppityperson]

15. I had a piece of paper to keep track of stock words and phrases.

Otherwise I couldn't listen. Still can't watch though. Did you know we must complete the mission, the mission the mission the mission?

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. If I decided to participate in the drinking name

i woudl have been completely sauced by minute ten....

It was the same old dog and pony show, though he did tell one large truth, and I am sure uncle Karl did not even notice.

Without 9.11 we would not be in Iraq... I direct you to page 48 of the PNAC plan

[AuntiBush]

85. No Wonder 2/3rds of Country is on Meds & in Therapy

Is it any wonder? :crazy:

[UpInArms]

10. I tried to watch, but was so distracted by the

smirking and flapping ears, that I finally gave up.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[ClayZ]

50. The "jaw jerking" distracted me.

Also the sweeping robot-like glances above the audience. It reminded me of parade waving. His "handlers" must have been cringing.

I am still ill from watching him....:puke:

[etherealtruth]

13. Was this by design ?

Chimpy is such a poor speaker I wonder if the "plan" was that the actual speech NOT be seen by many ... The hope being that most people would catch blurbs and snippets (Chimpy being applauded by members of the armed service ...)and that the pundits could effectively spin the WH message...

I am, however, very heartened by the fact that the MSM did NOT have on air orgasms about how how inspiring the Chimp was ... and actually were fairly critical about the "disinformation" and lack of fact and direction in the speech.

[huskerlaw]

14. AHAHAHAHAHA

:spray: :rofl:

:nopity:

[Rainscents]

17. I guess, Network news stations won't be covering his next speech!

LOL Hahahahaha... I couldn't stomach to watch the baster! My girlfriend called me few minutes into his speech, she said she had to turn the F%#ker OFF!!! LOL :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Demeter]

18. Only A Moron Would Schedule Just Before Holiday

half my customers left town last weekend for vacation over the 4th of July. Bush has NO contact with the world we live in, whatsoever.

[endarkenment]

20. The scheduling wuth the 4th was intentional.

All patriots will be waving flags to show their support for the war. Anyone not participating will be identified as a terrorist.

[cascadiance]

27. That's probably why Randy Duke Cunningham's speaking on the 4th...

... and not some other time where he knows he'd get avalanched by protestors. Given that it's in the morning in Encinitas here, it still might be worth trying to get some protest signs there...

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20050626-9999-m1m26fourth.html

[Celebration]

21. and the rest

watched the NBA draft..........even the second and third rounds were better than the speech.

[Felix Mala]

19. Didn't the WH think that on a June evening a few days before the

4th of July that we Americans might be out enjoying our freedoms that our enemies hate so much and visiting America's great destinations?

[VegasWolf]

22. Why does Bush hate us for our freedoms? nt

[antonialee839]

23. Being one of the 19 million, I tuned in

out of curiosity to see which lies would be brought out this time.
Plus I thought perhaps the nitwit would parachute down to his podium.

[Dulcinea]

24. It was on opposite Spongebob!

Spongebob vs. Boy George blathering....easy choice.

[6000eliot]

75. They must have tivoed it for the idiot boy

Otherwise, he wouldn't have spoken at the same time.

[DS1]

25. I completely forgot about it - EVEN after watching the 6:30 news

about it, and knowing full well about it because of DU

[Solly Mack]

26. the less that view allows the WH to better spin it and sell the spin

and people who didn't even watch will repeat the spin instead of the actual content (most blowhard right wingers)

Course, quite a few didn't watch simply because they don't care what he has to say...they know he's a lair and that he would just tell more lies

Some didn't watch because they are too busy trying to survive....thanks to all that compassionate conservatism.

[VegasWolf]

28. I'm guessing the timing was intentional, this way Bush's handlers can

tell Bush he did a great job, just that everybody was out of town.
Then Bush won't get depressed and blow up something.

[Carla in Ca]

65. I'm sure he cried all the way home

But hopefully mommy was there to comfort him.

"Oh, mommy, buying that ranch before I ran for office just isn't fooling anybody...I wish at least the horses would like me".:cry:

[BiggJawn]

30. More people watch a PowerBall drawing....

I haven't met anyone here who watched it.

"...eleven different permutations of the same 'goo-gah freedom' phrase..."

[Lugnut]

31. Heh

I'm proud to have contributed to the failure of this speech. :applause:

[Peace Patriot]

33. Yup, that's the ticket! Turn off the lying, thieving, mass murdering,

war profiteering corporate news monopolies and the trash they put on TV--stupid delusion of a president. Ye gods. Get your info ELSEWHERE. Stop buying their products. Cancel your newspaper subscriptions. Subscribe to the Lonestar Iconoclast in Crawford, TX (real news--I mean that!). Find alternative entertainment. Talk to friends and neighbors. Get satellite radio! Write your state and county election officials that you won't vote on their goddamned electronic voting machines. Get an Absentee Ballot as a temporary substitute and protest. And enjoy freedom from brainwashing! It's beautiful!

[4_Legs_Good]

35. I'm glad I didn't watch, because I'm sure he would have changed my opinion

on the war!

He's very convincing you know. I actually had NO compassion for him until I heard him say that being president was "hard work". That had NEVER occured to me. Since then, I have to say, my heart bleeds for the man.

I haven't been a big fan of this war, but I'm sure that had I watched the speech his undeniable intellect, relentless logic, incredible speaking talent, firm grasp of the English language and personal empathy for all living creatures* would have changed my mind.

david

*does not include non-white, non-Christian Americans, foreigners, or animals of any shape or size.

[not fooled]

37. Or trees...

...or any vestige of the Natural World.

[4_Legs_Good]

39. Yes, yes, how could I forget them

:)

david

[catmandu57]

36. All I can say is

Thank the diety for baseball, I didn't have to witness this fiasco.

[msrbly]

38. Alternative viewing

Instead of watching the nonsense broken record speech on tv I saw "The Enron Story: The Smartest Guys in the Room." The theater was full. This movie is interesting and honest than Bush could ever dream of being.

[maseman]

40. I work in the ratings business

19 Million is pathetic. That is only about 6.4% of teh population. Sure sounds like a man-date to me. I would be even more curious as to the length of time those viewers watched. That 19 million is just tune-ins, not time spent viewing. It would be great if we could get a breakdown of how many of those 19 million were around for just 5 or 10 minutes.

KKKarl is loosing his grip.

[donco6]

57. I was one of the viewers. . . but,

I only watched for about five minutes. And in all that time he didn't say a damn thing.

[ebayfool]

87. Or how many of the viewers were liberals tuning in to keep track of the

lies & spin ... oh, & to laugh at him! I'd really like to know how many of his normally loyal bushbots gave up on watching him spew '9-11, 9-11'! Where were his mandate voters?

[dubyaD40web]

41. Poor Bushie-boy

I thought he was a uniter?

[DeepModem Mom]

44. Considering that CNN said many more Repubs watched --

he got a very small number of not only Dems, but Independents.

[Roland99]

46. Let's compare to last week's Tue. 8pm numbers, shall we?

3 NBA FINALS ON ABC-GM 6(S) ABC 9:13PM
Tue 8.8 15.0 9,630,000

10 DATELINE:K COURIC SPL6/21(S) NBC 8:00PM
Tue 6.4 11.0 6,964,000

12 AFI 100 YEARS 100 QUOTES(S) CBS 8:00PM
Tue 6.1 10.0 6,732,000

17 HOUSE FOX 9:00PM
Tue 5.5 9.0 6,047,000


Granted that's a mix of hours on ABC/FOX but it's a pretty good indicator of the 8pm hour on those channels last week.

Anyway...from that we see last week on Tue. evening the 4 networks had 29,373,000 viewers...10 million more than last night.

[tmooses]

49. I thought it was worth it to see the "Let's Make a Deal" show set.

Unfortunately, the idiot Bush was there instead of Gene Rayburn.

[truthisfreedom]

51. when forrest gump is the only movie in your dvd collection

you start going for long walks.

[stanwyck]

54. Hey, I'm Karl Rove, what do you think of this?

Next time Bush gives a speech, he appears at a prison - maximum security. The inmates are told if they're really, really enthusiastic, they could score a full pardon.
Maybe then Bush will get the audience he wants.

[Imagevision]

55. Good! that clearly speaks for itself - americans are tired of hearing Bush

ramble on using too many words backed up with NO action! Bush is a liar and should be impeached for taking us into an illegal war.

"All 17 US troops in Afghan crash believed dead" and how long has Afganistan been going down the tubes??

[Zech Marquis]

63. why bother?

I'd much prefer Jessica Alba turning invisible than to listen to *lie to my face again :evilgrin:

[DearAbby]

64. Wha we hav hera ...Is a failure to communicate!

Or People waking up to the lies, and refuse to be lied too again?

:shrug:

[Ilsa]

66. I watched some but I don't start my Nielson Ratings diary until

June 30. Phew! Don't have to admit to listening to his regurgitations.

[SOS]

67. 94% of Americans had something better to do...

:)

[Halliburton]

69. Bush's Iraq speech draws career-low TV Audience...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050630/us_nm/bush_speech_audience_dc_6;_ylt=Av8owkpthWhshffOffh3RRtX6GMA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Halliburton]

70. delete it...

sorry didnt see the other topic.

[marmar]

71. I would have watched...

but I had to clean the toilet.

[Tesla]

72. In da toilet!!!

[Pachamama]

78. Bwaahahahahaha....I thought that this was a joke headline-but its real!

:rofl:

[napi21]

73. I didn't watch and I'm glad most Americans didn't either!

I can't stand to watch or listen to Shrub any more! I am glad to hear that my opinion is being shared by most Americans! Make him go away!!!!!

[jazzjunkysue]

74. If someone told you there was a talking chimp on TV, would you fall 4 it?

No wonder they didn't sit for the sermon. I usually prefer to pass on self-amputations.

[cliss]

76. I'd say.....judging from the responses on this thread....

that Bush's performance was a 100% failure. 75 posts, and they all gave it the thumbs down.

I've always said that Bush connects with out inner rage and latent homicidal tendencies. At least mine.

That's why I don't watch the dude any more. The TV is gone, because of him. I'm DEAD serious about this.

[Enraged_Ape]

77. I would rather watch Ernest Borgnine's colonoscopy...

than watch this fucking idiot try to deliver something resembling a speech. Five seconds of that dumb son of a bitch and I become just short of homicidal. If I'm channel surfing and his monkey mug appears, I HAVE to turn the TV off. I just can't stand it.



"Here comes the colonoscope. Yeah, baby!"

[goclark]

79. For some reason I don't think they wanted a real audience

They knew that their base is not moving that much ad they figure they can control the media after the debate.

In Rove's mind, the fix is in.

[Jack Rabbit]

81. I guess nobody cares what Bush thinks

!!

[cambie]

82. a quick synopsis

http://www.signs-of-the-times.org/signs/signs20050629.htm

[AuntiBush]

86. Selcome Cambie

:hi:

[AuntiBush]

83. CNN Reported only 14 Million. Making-up Our Minds as They Go.

I suppose.

Family, friends, neighbors alike told me they turned off their TV's last night "because" they can't stomach watching him "and" everyone knows it's all a pack of bullshit lies.

Heard this repeatedly from all walks of life, especially the elderly.

[AuntiBush]

84. Deduct How Many Viewers Walking Out of Room

to do other things like eat, cook, gab on phone, shower, whatever. I do it enough as does many others. Think about it.

Puts those numbers down even lower, I bet.

[ngGale]

88. He was only watched by his faithful few, the wacko...

right peanut gallery.:popcorn: