Despite his best efforts to make his 2020 Republican National Convention speech a must-see spectacle — complete with a live audience at the White House and fireworks display — President Donald Trump fell flat in the television ratings, especially when compared to his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden.
Trump’s Thursday evening speech was watched by 14.1 million viewers across six different networks: NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN. Biden, on the other hand, drew 17.5 million viewers last week during the Democratic convention:
Overnight ratings for the fourth and final night of the conventions.
Six networks combined (FNC/CNN/MSNBC/ABC/CBS/NBC). Ratings are for the duration of each nominee’s speech only:
Democratic / Biden – 17.5
Republican / Trump – 14.1— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) August 28, 2020
Top-rated markets for President Trump’s acceptance speech last night:
West Palm – 18.9
Memphis – 18.9
Nashville – 18.6
Las Vegas – 18.1
Salt Lake – 18.0
San Antonio – 17.3
Pittsburgh – 17.2
Dallas – 16.9
Cincinnati – 16.8
Atlanta – 16.6— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) August 28, 2020
Top markets for Vice President Biden’s acceptance speech last week:
New York – 23.1
San Francisco – 23.1
West Palm – 21.7
Washington – 20.9
Philadelphia – 19.5
San Diego – 19.3
Seattle – 19.0
Denver – 19.0
Chicago – 18.9
Baltimore – 18.9— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) August 28, 2020
It certainly appears that many Americans are have had quite enough of watching Trump, especially when he drones on for 70 minutes the way he did on Thursday evening, pushing the end of his address beyond 11:00 p.m. in the Eastern time zone.
Also, Trump sounded absurd as he tried to assert what a great job he’d done in his first term even though the facts — COVID-19 deaths, unemployment rate, and gross domestic product — prove otherwise.
The president desperately tried to paint an image of a country that would be out of control, wracked by protests and violence with Biden as head of state, even though that’s exactly what is happening on his watch. The incongruity of what average Americans are experiencing versus the rosy picture painted by Trump was jarring, suggesting he doesn’t even know the most basic facts about what’s happening to most voters as they go about their daily lives.
For a man who loves to brag that he had great ratings when he hosted “The Apprentice” and “The Celebrity Apprentice” on NBC, it would appear that people are sick and tired of his lies and bullshit. They’ve tuned him out and are ready for a new host.