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Barack Obama’s acceptance speech was watched by 38.4 million people, the most-watched presidential speech ever, according to Nielsen estimates. The speech beat out the U.S. audience for the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, which drew about 34 million viewers.

The Obama speech attracted about 60 percent more audience than tuned into John Kerry’s four years ago, reports Washington Post television writer Lisa de Moraes. Comparisons to some past speeches are harder to discern because the ratings company did not isolate individual hours and networks gave more time to the conventions in past years. But the huge number is pretty evident. "It appears (Obama's speech) is far and away the largest audience for an . . . acceptance speech since Nielsen instituted the People Meter, which was the first time we were able to have 'persons' data" a Nielsen representative tells the Post. Read more here.

(DENVER) It was still more six hours before Barack Obama was scheduled to take the stage to formally accept the Democratic nomination for president, but Verda Martin had already settled into her seat at Denver’s open-air Invesco Field for what she called “one of the most important moments we’ve had in probably the last 20 or 30 years.”

“I’m really excited, I’m really, really excited,” Martin said, laughing, as her boyfriend nodded emphatically in the next seat over. “I never thought I would see a nomination speech live, and then for it to be the first African-American presidential nominee, so yeah – I’m just about to jump out of my skin.”

Inside the stadium, venders who normally would be selling Denver Broncos merchandise instead hawked Obama t-shirts and hats at tables strewn with forms asking customers to donate to the Obama Victory Fund. (The form made it clear that between donations to Obama’s primary campaign, general election campaign and the Democratic National Committee, donors could give more than $30,000.)


Outside, meanwhile, the line snaked for blocks, nearly back to the Pepsi Center a mile away. The mood, however, was festive, with corporate sponsors handing out free water bottles and a blue sky that likely eased the nerves of organizers worried that rain would come down on Obama’s triumphant moment.

Dave Newell, a former Hillary Clinton supporter who “immediately joined Obama’s team,” said he waited for forty-five minutes to get into the stadium, where more than 75,000 are expected to turn out.

“I came out just to kind of be inspired, to soak up a little of the energy of the crowd and maybe take some energy out and spread it around for Obama,” he said, looking out over the stage affixed with columns where Obama would later speak.


Leonardo Ranzani, meanwhile, had come to Denver from Milan. He sat in the stadium in a red, white and blue top hat.

Most of the people he knows in Milan, he said, “tend to be Obama supporters, probably because he is more similar to a European way of seeing things. Maybe because of the health care plan.”

“The idea to have a black president,” he said, explaining what drew him all the way to Denver. “Many, many people believe that many Americans are maybe racist or something, and then you say, ‘oh, a black president, he’s going to win, it’s a kind of change.’”

(DENVER) With several hours yet before the Democratic convention kicks off, John McCain’s campaign is taking advantage of the calm before tonight’s big event to find ways to insert itself into the media spotlight.

McCain’s campaign announced it will air a new ad tonight in which he will speak on-camera directly to Democratic nominee Barack Obama. The campaign will not comment on the substance of the ad but McCain communications director Jill Hazelbaker told MSNBC this morning it is a “historic” ad. “I think this is the first of its kind,” Hazelbaker said. “Senator McCain is going to speak direct to camera to Barack Obama. I’m not going to give away many more details than that. But suffice to say it’s going to be a very exciting ad, and I think it’s going to get a lot of attention.”

Meanwhile, speculation continues to swirl over the timing of McCain’s vice presidential announcement. The campaign indicated that they would not roll out the pick today but the Drudge Report cites sources saying that the news will be leaked this evening. And as the chase begins to pick up, the potential selections are going to ground. Even if McCain’s choice remains secret, the flurry of activity has provided McCain an opportunity to become a part of the story in Denver.

CBS News reports that former President Bill Clinton will tout Barack Obama’s readiness to be commander in chief in his speech tonight. Clinton will say Obama brings leadership that demonstrates depth, perception and experience, CBS News reports. He will also say that Obama is looking to heal America and the world. Bill Clinton will leave Denver tonight and will not attend Obama’s acceptance speech tomorrow night.

(DENVER) In town for the Democratic convention to promote his “Pickens Plan” for alternative energy, billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens predicted $200 a barrel oil within three years.

“In two or three years, we’re going to be at $200 a barrel—could be $300 a barrel for oil,” Pickens said inside the “Big Tent,” a complex outside the Pepsi Center set up for bloggers. “And consequently, our economy is going to struggle and our security is just—it’s a disaster.”

Pickens was joined on stage by Sierra Club president Carl Pope and Center for American Progress president John Podesta, both of whom endorsed The Pickens Plan, although each called for additional proposals.

Pickens said the United States is blessed with “two corridors” that are conducive to alternative energy sources: the “wind corridor” from Texas to Canada and the “solar corridor” from Texas to California. Although Pickens said he agreed with Al Gore that global warming is a major problem, his first priority is to help reverse the tide of sending billions of dollars overseas for America’s energy needs.

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There have been reports that the 70,000-plus Democrats who come to Denver’s Invesco Field Thursday to see Barack Obama’s Democratic National Convention acceptance speech would be treated to a performance by none other than Obama-supporter and beloved New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen.

Turns out Springsteen will apparently not be performing Thursday, according to the Obama campaign aide who spoke to Mike Allen.

So who is the headliner? According to Politico’s Ben Smith, it’s none other than Stevie Wonder. CNN’s Rebecca Sinderbrand, meanwhile, reports that Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am will join Wonder and recreate the viral video he produced earlier this year:

The Emmy-winning “Yes We Can” video that spliced together clips of Barack Obama’s New Hampshire primary night speech and set it to music, will be re-created live on stage at Invesco Field in Denver Thursday night before the Illinois senator accepts the Democratic presidential nomination there.

Sinderbrand also reports that Sheryl Crow will take the stage – and that Jennifer Hudson will perform the national anthem.

CBSNews.com’s Scott Conroy went deep inside the bowels of the Pepsi Center with political commentator Laura Schwartz for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the convention. From makeup to the green room and the convention podium itself, get a speaker’s-eye view of the Democratic National Convention. Watch it here, only on CBSNews.com:

According to Obama strategist Robert Gibbs, Barack Obama called Hillary Clinton not long after her primetime speech at the Democratic National Convention tonight.

CBS News’ Maria Gavrilovic reports this news from Gibbs:

After leaving the house party, Senator Obama called and talked for several minutes with Senator Hillary Clinton saying how grateful he was for her support, that she gave a terrific speech and that all those he watched with in Billings, MT were moved by her video and introduction from Chelsea. Also said he loved her line "No way, no how, no McCain."

Senator Obama also called and spoke with President Bill Clinton for several minutes saying Senator Clinton could not have been better and made the case for change. Obama said he knew how proud he must have been watching as he was last night watching Michelle speak and how grateful he was for their support.

And John McCain’s campaign responded to Clinton’s speech immediately after it concluded.

“Senator Clinton ran her presidential campaign making clear that Barack Obama is not prepared to lead as commander in chief,” Tucker Bounds, spokesman John McCain 2008 said in a statement. "Nowhere tonight did she alter that assessment. Nowhere tonight did she say that Barack Obama is ready to lead. Millions of Hillary Clinton supporters and millions of Americans remain concerned about whether Barack Obama is ready to be President.”

Ken Salazar, a first-term senator and rancher, will give the nominating speech before Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech at Invesco Field on Thursday, the Associated Press reports.

"I am honored to have the historic opportunity to nominate Sen. Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States of America," Salazar said in a statement.

(Denver) Outside the EMILY’s List gala today, a small group of CodePink protesters sang and danced to protest the Iraq war and other issues. I shot video of the protesters on my still camera, so the quality isn’t up to our usual standards, but you can certainly get the idea:



And some still pictures: