Over 6.5 million people watched President Obama on Thursday surrounded by gushing females sitting on a couch.
Tells you a lot about the state of the union, doesn't it?
Of course, the bigger question is whether folks were tuning in to ABC's "The View" that day to watch Joy Behar faint in His presence or to see if the lone conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck was actually going to ask the President a tough question.
Unfortunately, those hoping for either were deeply disappointed.
Regardless, ABC proudly released the numbers along with some truly hysterical opinions Friday (h/t TV By The Numbers):
- Thursday's broadcast of "The View," featuring President Barack Obama, qualified as the series' most-watched broadcast ever in Total Viewers (6.59 million), exceeding its previous peak delivery achieved the day after the 2008 Presidential Election (6.17 million, 11/05/08).
- Thursday's "The View" also qualified as the series' most-watched broadcast in 17 months among the Key Women Demos 18-34 (516,000/1.5 rating) and Women 18-49 (1.33 million/2.0 rating) - since 3/2/09.
Those are the facts. Now prepare yourself for an alternate reality:
"We were honored to have President Obama on ‘The View.' The ratings indicate that our show continues to break new ground. ‘The View' has proven to be an important stop for political candidates and is appointment television for our loyal audience who value our opposing views," said Barbara Walters.
Again, what does it say about the state of our nation that sitting on a couch with a group of politically uninformed women (save Walters, of course) "has proven to be an important stop for political candidates?"
Our Founding Fathers must be so proud of how far we've come.
But wait, there's more:
President Obama's unprecedented appearance was part of the show's continuing "Red, White & View" campaign, which is committed to political guests and discussions. In 2008-09, the five spirited hosts of ABC's popular talk and entertainment show left an indelible mark on the political landscape. Whether discussing the day's political headlines, from the war in Iraq to universal healthcare and teen pregnancy, the latest musings from our nation's capitol or political infidelities, the outspoken hosts can always be relied on for their unique opinions, quick wit and sparking colorful water cooler conversations that can only be seen, live, exclusively on "The View" (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET) on the ABC Television Network. In September 2008, the show launched a successful "Red, White & View" campaign highlighting interviews and informational segments that helped promote civic responsibility during the election season. The "Red, White & View" campaign is another example of how "The View" continues to establish itself as an important player in the political process.
Honestly, there's really only one response here - Oh My Obama!
Now please excuse me, for I have this sudden urge to stick my head in a toilet.
