(Week of 9/8/2012) A majority of Americans tuned into at least some of last week’s Democratic National Convention (DNC), but the person who gave the convention’s most highly ranked speech won’t be on anybody’s ballot this year. According to this week’s Economist/YouGov Poll, former President Bill Clinton’s speech bested the speeches of President Obama and other DNC speakers in terms of both viewership and favorability ratings.
83% of those who watched at least part of the convention said they saw Bill Clinton’s speech, while 77% of convention watchers said they saw Barack Obama’s speech and 68% said they saw First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech. Over half also reported seeing Vice President Joe Biden’s speech, while less than half reported seeing the keynote speech by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro or the speech by Massachusetts Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren.
But while former President Clinton’s speech only narrowly edged out President Obama’s in terms of viewership, the former President’s speech was viewed much more favorably among those who watched it than was the current President’s. 81% of those who watched Clinton’s speech called it "excellent" or "good," as opposed to only 64% who rated the President’s speech as such. First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech received a response that was nearly as favorable as that of former President Clinton, with 78% calling it "excellent" or "good." Julian Castro speech was perceived as "excellent" or "good" by 71% of respondents who watched it. The speeches of Biden and Warren drew favorability ratings that were similar to Obama’s.
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here
Photo source: Press Association
