WASHINGTON (AFP) — Republican White House nominee John McCain earned a record 38.9 million television viewers during his convention speech, edging his rival Barack Obama's record from the previous week, the Nielsen group reported Friday.
"Senator McCain amassed an audience of 38.9 million viewers for his speech on two fewer channels than were carrying Senator Obama's speech August 28 to 38.38 million viewers," Nielsen Media Research said in a statement.
McCain's Thursday night speech at his party's convention in St. Paul, Minnesota also outscored that of his fiery vice presidential pick Sarah Palin the previous evening, when 37.2 million tuned in.
The figures dwarfed the 25.6 million who watched President George W. Bush's acceptance speech in September 2004, the group added.
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