People are predicting big TV audiences for tonight’s coverage of Super Tuesday and talking about the high ratings for recent presidential debates, topped by the 9.4 million viewers ABC drew for the Democratic debate the Saturday before the New Hampshire primary. But to put the high expectations in perspective: Fox’s broadcasts of “American Idol†and “House†both are likely to draw 22 million viewers tonight. Even NBC’s “American Gladiators†draws 11 million on Mondays. For purposes of further comparison, the first debate between President Bush and John Kerry drew 62.5 million viewers in September 2004.
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70 Comments
Get rid of the primaries and delegates… Go to pure popular natural vote…
*national vote
(need more sleep and/or coffee)
Funny.
I watched a few minutes of “American Idol” once and found it unbearably dull.
Probably “Idol” subtracts from the FOX news folks. Maybe this is why they put the Kansas Republican caucus on a Saturday morning.
Though, this will force Kansas Republicans to choose between cartoon and caucus.
There should be about three months of intense debate before the election. Weekly debates and etc. could focus on key issues so it would be fresh in people’s minds.
Having a year long process is boring and a waste of money.
Imagine all those homeless who could have been helped with the hundred of millions dollars raised by the candidates.
Damn that Fox’s, their hitting below the belt on this one. The is just insidious of them to have two popular show on the same night as a Caucus! “Look at the Bright shining object people… Yes follow it with your eyes!”.
Hey Regular
The only thing I can say about yearlong campaigns is that millions of dollars get redistributed around the country. These campaigns spend thousands with every campaign stop.
Move along … nothing to see here … move along.
Popular national vote sounds natural to me, tony.
Bread and circuses, bread and circuses. Isn’t a new episode of “Paradise Hotel” on FUX tonight?
There is one new show (I think on FOX) that I would like to see adapted to the political season: that ‘tell the truth’ one with the lie detecter.
Isn’t this about the typical American’s inablity to focus on something so serious for so long of a period of time?
I consider myself well-read, highly informed and very politically motivated, but even I can only handle so much of the political coverage on TV.
But I still won’t watch Idle!
Tony, playing a bit of devil’s advocate here; if we go to a “pure national vote”, (assuming you are speaking to choice of candidates for the respective parties) what happens if one candidate doesn’t get a majority of the vote?
Regular, we’re on the same side here. This 18 month campaign season that seems to have become accepted is at least 12 months too long.
I watched both debates in RERUNS or on the internet yesterday. This is no longer an environment where you HAVE to tune in right at the time they broadcast.
Tonight, only Democrats will be going to the caucus in Kansas. If tonight were Desperate Housewives night, I’d watch the coverage later, or in between. I try not to miss it lol.
By the way, I’m making those phone calls, and I’m STILL hearing more support for Hillary. And I did make calls statewide. SO even though as time has gone by, I’ve heard MORE support for Obama, I still am overwhelmingly hearing the majority of support for Hillary.
So those predictions about Kansas going to Obama, I’m not so sure of. Not that any of us would be sad to have Obama as President. I just don’t believe HE has the ideas. He talks a good talk though. Go with the one who has proven herself.
I think chances are slim that each candidate would get exactly 62 million votes.
This is no longer an environment where you HAVE to tune in right at the time they broadcast.
But then you’re tainted by the commentators… commenters… talking heads… whatever!!!!
… Because you can’t flip between stations…
Why do you think tivo was invented?
For pure entertainment value, Idol can’t be beat. You wonder sometimes where the rock is these contestants are crawling out from under.
Article on Drudge shows latest polls. There is no clear winner for either party in California.
As for the talent that has emerged because of Idol, Jordan Sparks, the young lady who sang the National Anthem at the super bowl was last years winner. I love seeing new talent discovered. She is a breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry.
The difference is of course that voting requires people to get off their dead asses while watching tv requires people to do nothing more than sit on their dead asses.
For the average American . . . no contest.
I can’t see how anyone can watch American Idol. It’s Ted Mack, McMahon’s Star search, and the Gong Show rolled into one.
The difference is of course that voting requires people to get off their dead asses
Vote by computer???
BTW, mine’s quite lively. Ok, only my wife likes it.
Maybe the top two from each party should run for pres., with the party running mate getting the V.P. position. Have wider options up until the winner was decided.
I guess that’s the difference between you and me, Ksgrm.
Nothing is less entertaining to me than so-called “reality shows.”
If I want to watch meaningless bickering between ordinary people, I’ll just tape-record my kids on our last vacation . . .
Reality shows present a contrived situation as reality. The reality is that we have a 9 Trillion dollar debt, 4 T. added since G WMD Bush. The reality is that we have 120,000 troops in Iraqmire and we spend 2 billion a week there. The reality is that one-fourth of Americans, many of them children, have no health care and the rest of us are one catastrophic illness away from bankruptcy.
That’s the reality.
“The Choice: Barack Obama” is the cover story of this week’s The Nation.
‘granny’ – a question: Watching the debates do you get the feeling our grandkids are more mature? (BOTH parties)
;)
If I want to watch meaningless bickering between ordinary people, I’ll just tape-record my kids on our last vacation
We must have the same kids.
BTW, who has time to listen to “new talent” when there’s so much good “old talent” out there?
Listen to this and tell me it’s not sublime–
http://play.rhapsody.com/franksinatra/thecapitolyears/ourtown?didAutoplayBounce=true
You listen to Sinatra?
Back in my drug-induced, long-haired hippie days, Pink Floyd and Moody Blues got me started on classical. it’s the only thing that isn’t so repetitious.
Yes Ben I actually do. It always amazes me when the camera pans to the non-speaking candidates and they have that smirking smile on their face. An elementary fact learned early in dyadic communication is that 85% of what you say is physical and not through the spoken word. I would have made my kids go to their room and think about it for a while.
Cap I don’t listen to ‘reality shows’ per se. I do listen to musical talent. It amazes me that so much talent goes unnoticed. Last year there was a young man from England that worked in a warehouse and had very bad teeth. He had the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. He could be the next Pavarotti.
As for your statement that tv watchers are lazy – well the fact that I spend so many hours in front of my computer makes me a poor one to judge that.
ghotiphaze, of course you are making reference to the post “Go Now” Moody Blues, correct?
Classical music as a genre does have repetition, but there’s so much of it, it isn’t as obvious. I think the lack of new material did much to kill off the “Big Band” era.
I realize the repetition, but it is usually sublime in the counterpoint (correct word???, I listen to the stuff, I don’t study it). My point is, classical isn’t like Bachman Turner Overdrive–take one stinkin’ song and make 6 full albums out of it!
Big Band is good, too. I don’t have any on hand, but do turn to the big band music channel on tv occasionally.
I missed the post about the Moody Blues earlier. I just kinda slide in and out here between domestic dailies, eating breakfast/lunch/supper (yeah, all one thing–1 meal a day) and other personal needs.
gotta admit, Pink Floyd’s ‘Collection of small furry animals gathered together in a cave grooving on a pict’ (I think I remembered that right) from Umaguma album isn’t very classical.
I like all music except the loud no beat, words I can’t sing along with or repeat kind.
That said I remember when Janis Joplin and Pink Floyd were two of my favorites. Grandkids can hardly believe since Floyd has made a comeback of sorts today. I still have their 78’s but don’t have anything to play them on now.
My grandkids have a game they play where they say a phrase and I think of a song that contains the words. I am amazed at songs of the 50’s and 60’s that actually had lyrics you can sing in polite company. I am amazed that I lose my car keys all the time but never forgot those lyrics.
Oh well, enough nostalgia for today.
A girl at work was listening to “Love is Strange”. I told her Peaches and Herb were out long before she was born. My kids listen to music I’m always saying, “I haven’t heard that in 35 years”
The first accountant I worked for turned me on to classical. He had different volumns depending on how close we were to closing the month. As we got to the very end it was always Mozart, played very loud.
I adopted his strategy when I moved on to my next job and I still play it when I am stressed. Different artists for different moods. Can’t be beat.
ghotiphaze, your kids must be related to mine, I think. I’m sure that if yours and mine got together, they would conclude we’re related, too, after comparing notes.
Ghot, Cindi Lauper comes to mind. She is making herself known again. And of course Cher has been around forever. I think she is on her 6th farewell tour.
I think your youngest is about as old as my oldest. I started late in life. I was 30 when he was born. I didn’t start college until I was 45 and could afford it.
They listen to Led Zeppelin, black Sabbath–the ozzy version, and I turned them onto some Chilliwack. None of their friends heard of them.
ghot, I was 30 the year our elder was born; 36 the year our younger was born. Late start on family, waited until we both finished our graduate work after my military service. So, I’m guessing while I’m a bit older, we’re close to being contemporaries.
Nothing like a Slim Whitman yodeling song (When Mars attacks)
Biggest accomplishment in music with offspring; younger has developed into a Janis Joplin fan, notwithstanding the negative comments of my wife and the elder.
yeah, you have a few years, but not many. Heck anyone under 45 is just a punk kid anyway (how many flames is that going to draw?). When I was teaching the kids would ask how old I was. I’d tell them I was about 1 year older than the space age thinking if they were really interested, they could research. Turns out they just assumed I was older than space.
Steppenwolf concert at River Festival – three generations of us (ages 3 to 60) dandcing to “Born to be Wild”!
;)
Also like classical – as do the munchkins.
Then there is always Disney’s Fantasia …
Regular, Slim Whitman? Now there’s someone whose recordings I’ve not heard in a while.
My sixteen year old granddaughter now are truning into Taylor Swift fans. She is country/pop and very good. I love that we can listen to most of our music together and enjoy it. My kids were big REO Speedwagon, Led Zepllin, Kiss fans. I never warmed to that but could tolerate it.
Nothing like a Slim Whitman yodeling song
OH NO!!!! I can’t go for that. Cattle driving song.
Story about dealing with the younger set. While assisting with set construction at NEMHS for the fall musical in 2006, somehow the age of a few of us became the topic of discussion. When mine was revealed (to win a friendly wager, of course) some Freshman said “Really? That’s older than my Grandpa!”. If I could have caught him, he would have been upside down in a trash barrel, I tell you what….
Love ‘Born to be Wild’. Always look forward to Christmas season because that is when I get out the Manheim Steamroller. It is always a treat.
Then there is always Disney’s Fantasia
I’ve been wanting the soundtrack to that. Do they make one? Was going to dub from mother-in-laws VHS, but all the grandkids have worn all the iron off that tape.
Best part of Direct TV is the Sirrus audio channels that let you listen to whatever music fits your mood.
Another great Disney soundtrack is the one from ‘The Lion King’.
ghot, seems to me there was a soundtrack to “Fantasia” around in the late 1960s (when it was re-released, and the college students went in droves to see it many of whom were in impaired condition). Don’t know if there’s a CD, but suspect there is one somewhere.
Bread and circuses, bread and circuses
Sorry, there’s no bread left. Let them eat cake.
Dear ksgrm,
I love American Idol too! Took me a couple of years to get turned on to it, my wife has always watched it. We even both got on the phone and voted for Taylor Hicks!
I don’t like the first part of Idol when they are picking the ones that go to Hollywood but I try and watch anyway. Can’t watch tonight, p*k*r.
I googled. There is a soundtrack for around 11 bucks.
Just found out that p*ker is on the banned list of words! Go figure!
Here you go ghotiphaze, a Slim Whitman special. :)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4a28EBGEkCs&feature=related
Spell it with a zero Hank – P0KER
Hank Actually I always tivo it because they have so many commercials and my husband will watch it with me sans the comos. I think I have seen a couple of bright talents so far. Wouldn’t want to set through all the wannabes.
Had to ‘home’ to see which thread this was. Dang ADD(led) will get ya. It’s closing on my midnight (subjective time) so I’m off.
Late lunch time. Good thread.
Have to jump in on this one, even though I’m new to all this.
When my daughter was about 10 (now 16 years ago)we listened to all kinds of music. I’m very eclectic in my choices so she picked up the same tastes. Anyway, one day a neighbor came and pounded on my door and when I opened it she was spitting mad.
“What in the h*ll are you teachin’ your kid? She thinks that cr*p is new music! You ain’t no kind of parent!”
I was mystified until my daughter came home later and I asked what it was all about. The radio had been on at her friends house and they were listening to “Do Wa Diddi diddi dum diddi do” by Mannfred Mann. When she was questioned about it, she thought it was a ‘new’ song because in our house we listened to it all.
I was then outraged at the ignorance of the other parent, but time has mellowed the anger, LOL.
Best part of Direct TV is the Sirrus audio channels that let you listen to whatever music fits your mood.
Mmmmmaybe. I have a new one for ya, ksgrm. You can listen while on the ‘puter. Make up your OWN music stations with no talk, no commercials, just music, music, music.
(VT, close your eyes.)
http://pandora.com The Music Genome Project
Ksgrm, I guarantee you’ll love it! You can create up to 100 different stations of the music YOU like!
Give it a try, everybody.
I don’t like the first part of Idol when they are picking the ones that go to Hollywood but I try and watch anyway.
Funny thing, Hank, that’s the only part I like!
They do find some very good singers. That’s what they do–find good singers, and talented performers. Look for art elsewhere.
Pandora works great if one has Flash; when running Linux PPC, there is no Flash. Gnash doesn’t work, in its current incarnation. So, for those who aren’t constrained as I, try it; you’ll like it (per my younger).
I have LaunchCast Plus on my computer at work and it is wonderful. Don’t know how it compares to others. But no commercials, I pick what I like and it plays it. If I hate something, I tell it to not play it again and it doesn’t. My favorite thing about it is that I can listen to any genre on my station, so in an hour I might hear Motown, country, classical, big band, oldies rock, just a little of everything.
Thanks for adding the addendum, VT.:)
More proof we’re handing this country over to a generation of stooges.
My wife listens to music on the ‘puter from my XM Radio account.
We both like all kinds of music. When in the truck or motor home on trips we usually fight over the XM channel. I like the ’60s music and she listens to Bluegrass.
K, I’m off for the evening to go set up caucus. Later folks. Get out there tonight
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