We know
Barack Obama is a popular President. But just how popular? Well, the Neilson Ratings from yesterday’s inauguration just came out, proving that it was the most watched one since Ronald Reagan became president.
The early numbers say that 29.2% of households from the nation’s top markets tuned in, which is the biggest in 28 years. Reagan’s 1981 inauguration drew in 37.4%.
The numbers are based on 14 different broadcast and cable networks, and don’t include online viewing, which is what a lot of Americans had to do because they were stuck at work.
The national viewership total will be available this afternoon, and the number crunchers are estimating it will be around 35 million.
Here are the previous nine inaugurations and their numbers. Obama is right up there with Reagan!
2005 – George W. Bush : 15.5 million
2001 – George W. Bush : 29.0 million
1997 – Bill Clinton : 21.6 million
1993 – Bill Clinton : 29.7 million
1989 – George Bush : 23.3 million
1985 – Ronald Reagan : 25.1 million
1981 – Ronald Reagan : 41.8 million
1977 - Jimmy Carter : 34.1 million
1973 - Richard Nixon : 33.0 million
