Numerous boos, heckling by South Carolina Cong. Joe Wilson, and other reactions gave viewers a lot to watch during last night’s address by the president to a joint session of Congress.
But how effective was the rallying cry?
Twitter shows Joe Wilson is still leading the trending topics. Obama is nowhere to be found, though President is about halfway down the list.
We’re still waiting for the comprehensive numbers, but TV by the Numbers blogger Robert Seidman gives us a sneak peak as well as some good context.
President Obama’s Health Care speech had a combined 13.2 rating in the early metered markets across NBC (5.5), ABC (4.7) and CBS (3.0). One ratings point = 1% of the television homes. These numbers do not include the viewing on other networks or any of the cable news networks. We expect we will have a full accounting of viewership for Obama’s address this afternoon. In the meanwhile you can check out the combined viewership numbers (across all networks) for President Obama’s previous press conferences.
The “Health Care Press Conference” was his summer ABC infomercial - not Wednesday’s joint address to Congress.
Politico’s Ben Smith observed early that “Obama stumps America” with the use of the word demagoguery in his speech - that sent people running to the Google to find out what he meant.
The number one search on Google a bit earlier this evening: “Demagoguery.”
Obama used the word: “In fact, I want to speak directly to America’s seniors for a moment, because Medicare is another issue that’s been subjected to demagoguery and distortion during the course of this debate.”
Tells you something. I’m just not sure what.
(”Joe Wilson” has now supplanted as the top search.)
CBS News’s Steve Chaggaris points out that the speech created more questions than answers.
The big question, however: did the president’s speech work? Are Democrats now unified? Will moderate Republicans jump on board? Are Americans’ concerns quelled and are their questions answered? Did Americans even watch or is there a sort of health care reform fatigue?
Steve also gives us a slew of links to the news coverage of his speech.
Washington Post’s Shailagh Murray and Paul Kane, “Congress Gets Nudge Down a Long Road”
New York Times’ Robert Pear and Jackie Calmes, “Obama’s Plan Builds on Others’ Ideas”
Associated Press’ Jennifer Loven, “Obama willing to deep-six public option”
Politico’s Patrick O’Connor and Glenn Thrush, “Can Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer keep lid on public-option tensions?”
Los Angeles Times’ James Oliphant and Tom Hamburger, “Obama says he will weigh medical malpractice reform”
Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown, “Barack Obama’s health-care speech: What he said, what he meant”
Associated Press’ Calvin Woodward and Erica Werner, “FACT CHECK: Obama uses iffy math on deficit pledge”
Washington Post, “FACT CHECKER”
Boston Globe, “Obama’s speech invokes letter from Kennedy“
