A Second Rock Star! Yippee

Something must be wrong. How can more people watch McCain’s convention speech than Obama’s? How can McCain be more of a rock star than The One?

Presidential candidate John McCain’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention drew more television viewers than his rival Barack Obama attracted at the Democratic party’s event last week, according to preliminary ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

Riding the Palin wave and the end of the NFL season-opener might have a little something to do with it. 

But McCain’s speech was aired by 8 networks. Obama had two more, Black Entertainment Television and TV One, neither of which aired McCain’s. Guess they thought that with Obama pulling 95% of the black vote, why bother? 

Rock Star!

Oh, and don’t look now, but a Gallup poll from Tuesday – Thursday has Obama’s lead down to 4 points. The full effect of the RNC won’t be known until Monday when post-convention polling will be released. And we haven’t even started the debates yet, where there is NO teleprompter. hahahahaha!

Oprah: “Categorically” Untrue

It’s late Friday afternoon and I’m just getting home to post this. By now, Oprah Winfrey has responded to Drudge‘s headline that she won’t put Sarah Palin on her show. 

Oprah Winfrey may have introduced Democrat Barack Obama to the women of America — but the talkshow queen is not rushing to embrace the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket!

Oprah’s staff is sharply divided on the merits of booking Sarah Palin, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

“Half of her staff really wants Sarah Palin on,” an insider explains. “Oprah’s website is getting tons of requests to put her on, but Oprah and a couple of her top people are adamantly against it because of Obama.”

Her response:

“The item in today’s Drudge Report is categorically untrue. There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show. At the beginning of this Presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates. I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over.”

So, it’s “categorically” untrue. But there is some substance to it. Oprah introduced Barack Obama to the world by having him on not once, but twice, before he announced his bid for the presidency. Plus, she blocked an interview with Justice Clarence Thomas during the release of his autobiography. There’s a pattern here. 

But with Palin, it’s different. She’s a woman. And so is the majority of her viewers. Ed Morrissey notes:

How will that audience react to a freeze-out of Palin?  Many want to see Palin speak to their issues, and might assume that the most successful woman in American entertainment would welcome the opportunity to make that introduction.  Instead of making a business decision to do so, though, Winfrey has apparently made a political calculation that Palin will outshine the man she supports for President.

Michelle Malkin:

How does it feel to lose your place as the most electrifying woman in America, Oprah?

Not good. Not good at all.

Denial.