John McCain Beat Barack Obama In Convention Speech Ratings

John McCain garnered the largest audience in convention speech history with his acceptance speech Thursday evening. According to Nielsen, 38.9 people watched McCain accept the Republication nomination for President.

That was 500,000 viewers ahead of a Barack Obama, who accepted the Democratic nomination a week earlier.

Nielsen said the reason for the higher numbers for McCain may have had to do with his lead-in.

The said McCain was "was aided by a strong NFL lead-in on NBC, which brought 13.6 million viewers right to the doorstep of the 10 p.m. telecast."

The numbers for both McCain and Obama were much higher than when George W. Bush accepted the nomination four years ago.

Right now Obama and McCain have 8 weeks to convince U.S. voters that they are the right candidates for the job. At the conventions, many American's "got to know" McCain, Obama, and their families for the first time.