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CNN/YouTube (or is it YawnTube?) debate ratings are in: Not so “historic”

By Michelle Malkin  •  July 24, 2007 09:25 PM

So much for all that sound and 2.0 fury about the CNN/YouTube Democrat presidential debate. The ratings are in and they are not impressive. Inside Cable News reports:

Comparing the ratings for the CNN/YouTube Debate with the ratings for the CNN New Hampshire Democratic Debate, CNN was down a bit across the board; down by 6% in Total Viewers and down by 21% in Demo Viewers (25-54)…

YouTube Debate - 2,552,000 Total Viewers/831,000 Demo Viewers
New Hampshire Debate - 2,714,000 Total Viewers/1,050 Demo Viewers

Next time: More talking snowman, less Anderson Cooper.

***

Gerard Vanderleun dubs it “1984 in reverse:”

CNN and YouTube (Google) made sure to milk this moment for all it was worth even down to bringing in the now ubiquitous “body language” consultant to read the auguries of how the candidates handled themselves, and remark on the feminization of Hillary. The main message seemed to be that it was “You” — in control at last through the power of “new” media — that were at last “making a difference.” This is of course utter crap. The dual filters of CNN and YouTube/Google made sure that only a carefully shaped “selection” got through and got played.

For those that actually got their “question videos” (”39 out of 3,000″) screened during this daisy chain I’m sure it was a high point of their online lives. For the candidates I’m equally sure it was a low point, to date, of the long and winding and low road to ultimate power.

What amazes me in this endless road show is how much crap a candidate will eat and for how long, but then again I cannot comprehend how the mind of a professional politician actually functions in this environment. In an era that cries out for great men and women to step forward, we seem to field only those made of cardboard; two dimensional souls for a four dimensional world where image is the alpha and omega of all things political.

And over all the image of a hazy projection of various souls bleating out on their pro/am videos the questions that most compel them at this point in this era. The shoddy productions were only outdone by the shoddier concept.

Well put.

***

A YouTuber recuts the YouTube debate. Muuuch better:

Posted in: YouTube

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Comments

  1. #1
    On July 24th, 2007 at 9:33 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    Luntz seemed to be very impressed with the candidates’ performances.

  2. #2
    On July 24th, 2007 at 9:35 pm, xplodeit said:

    About the same ratings as O Reilly.

  3. #3
    On July 24th, 2007 at 9:58 pm, SalameBoloney said:

    I hated the format. I hated listening to those long, rambling questions from various folks-in-the-street. So unbearably tedious. Such drama queens: “Ya see those flags behind me?…” Oh, brother.

    Why not just have a mix of journalists, experienced question-askers, get rid of these stoopid online performers, and focus on letting the candidates express themselves so we can learn something about them.

  4. #4
    On July 24th, 2007 at 10:07 pm, zorro said:

    Love the laughing baby re-cut!

  5. #5
    On July 24th, 2007 at 10:22 pm, geminicontender said:

    Here’s a rating: F

  6. #6
    On July 24th, 2007 at 10:27 pm, ajmontana said:

    Yawn..Double Yawn…..

  7. #7
    On July 24th, 2007 at 10:31 pm, general company said:

    I noticed that many of the question-askers also felt the need to announce their political affiliation, maybe I missed it but I think all of them said they were Dems. Who could deny that this is why their questions were used. Including the guy who asked “how can we leave Iraq”. And in my estimation the dude with the auto rifle was their to make conservatives look nuts.

  8. #8
    On July 24th, 2007 at 11:08 pm, TheCityTroll said:

    Here is what happens if Democrats win What has happened in Philly will be nation wide

    The Murder Rate so far this year 211 males, 25 females.

    http://thecitytroll.blogspot.com/2007/07/city-of-brotherly-love-or-enivitabily.html

  9. #9
    On July 24th, 2007 at 11:11 pm, SalameBoloney said:

    general company:
    Yes, the guy with the rifle scared Biden so much his hair almost fell out again. \|/

  10. #10
    On July 24th, 2007 at 11:51 pm, ShoreMark said:

    Leno just tried to set up a joke with the precursor: “how many of you watched the YouTube debate?”

    Not even the sound of one hand clapping in the studio.

    Yawn indeed, perhaps the GOP will re-think their trek down that same misguided path in September? Nah…

  11. #11
    On July 25th, 2007 at 12:07 am, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

    Naturally, the job was fixed from the inside with CNN. The crazy gun-touting “conservative”, lots of talk about the war, not a peep about terrorism, nor the virtually non-existant unemployment rate, or the soaring economy, but lots of talk from that ever-influential voting block, the talking snowmen, about global warming.

    If anyone could have possibly thought CNN wasn’t pro-actively involved with the Dems in this election, this debate, taken practically word-for-word out of the democratic play book, is the conclusive bit of circumstantial evidence anyone could possibly need. Convicted murderers have died in the electric chair on less compelling evidence. Sheesh.

  12. #12
    On July 25th, 2007 at 12:22 am, Snooper said:

    I watched the whole bloody thing.

    Yawn Tube describes lock-step and barrel.

  13. #13
    On July 25th, 2007 at 12:24 am, DaveC said:

    this wasn’t anything new..

    it would be the same as if CNN and AOL teamed up 12 or 8 years ago and did the same thing from emails with the …@aol.com at the end..

    and it will be the same when in another 8 to 12 years, holograms are in and people are sending messages like ‘Help us Oboma Kenobi, you’re our only hope’… and other questions that the network would hand screen..

  14. #14
    On July 25th, 2007 at 1:23 am, rw said:

    There shouldn’t be any complaints about all of the questions leaning left. It was a democrat debate for democrats to decide who their party’s nominee should be. The time to complain is when the same questions are used in the GOP youtube debate.

  15. #15
    On July 25th, 2007 at 3:03 am, puhiawa said:

    “So we get a few simpletons to ask a few soft-ball questions (because this is really our team, snicker, snicker), and ratings will soar because simpletons have such huge buying power!” CNN doing program layout.

  16. #16
    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:42 am, RogersUmp said:

    Who does Roberts think he is talking to if he thinks listeners will vote for him because he is not a minority or a woman? Is he trying to get the racist/sexist democrat vote by feigning that he doesn’t want their vote?

    This event was mis-named because it was not a debate. Most answers need follow up and questions that challenge the candidates to tell us who they really are.

  17. #17
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:24 am, orlandocajun said:

    I’ve only seen low-lights from this debate so I don’t have much to say. Politicians continue to pander to the stupid, which unfortunately is at least half of the country. I try to imagine one of those people overseeing the world’s biggest economy and military and for some reason it’s not a pretty picture. God help us if a Democrat is our next President.

  18. #18
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:59 am, RobM1981 said:

    Right now there’s a producer saying “You wanted HISTORICAL? Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you said HYSTERICAL! My bad.”

  19. #19
    On July 25th, 2007 at 8:51 am, zyzzyg said:

    I liked it. Though, it certainly can use some refining. All the comments from the previous posts should be addressed and maybe the next time we will get a better product.

    As for ratings, it is one way to gauge success. Another is is to take note of how many people are talking about it now. Many of the blogs I regularly read have made mention of the You Tube Debate, in one form or another.

  20. #20
    On July 25th, 2007 at 9:55 am, taylork said:

    Can anybody tell me how many policy solutions were mentioned in this debate. I’m thinking that there were less than 20, half of which were crackpot John Edwards “let’s ruin the economy for everyone by having a $9.50 minimum wage”.

  21. #21
    On July 25th, 2007 at 10:21 am, The Raging Republican said:

    I found it interesting that only 2,000 questions were submitted. That is a ridiculously low number.

  22. #22
    On July 25th, 2007 at 10:54 am, LuxEternam said:

    As for ratings, it is one way to gauge success. Another is is to take note of how many people are talking about it now. Many of the blogs I regularly read have made mention of the You Tube Debate, in one form or another.

    Yes, and almost everybody that is talking about it, is discussing how mind-numbingly boring it was, and how little actual content there was. Filtered questions from CNN that were first filtered by YouTube. There was no risk to the candidates AT ALL! No questions about terrorism????? How did that happen? No questions about Iraq???? CNN is protecting their precious Democrat candidates at all cost.

  23. #23
    On July 25th, 2007 at 1:10 pm, rightisright said:

    Calling these t.v. gab fest productions a “debate” is a misnomer.

  24. #24
    On July 25th, 2007 at 1:28 pm, josetheguerilla said:

    CNN freak show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  25. #25
    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:30 pm, rjbjrirish said:

    If they ever held a “debate” where the questioners weren’t already pre-screened I’d consider watching it. Otherwise it’s just a waste of time, regardless as to which party is involved.

  26. #26
    On July 25th, 2007 at 10:01 pm, TheCityTroll said:

    And here is my second pont of view on these debates

    http://thecitytroll.blogspot.com/2007/07/what-load-of-crap.html

    There a Load of Crap

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