Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

DNC on TV: Clinton's big moment and what networks could've done better.

Often described as a "workhorse, not a show horse," Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton proved Thursday night she could nail the TV part of the job she's looking for.

Carole King performed “You’ve Got a Friend.” Later, Katy Perry performed tunes of more recent vintage as the stars continued to take the stage in support of Hillary Clinton.
Carole King performed “You’ve Got a Friend.” Later, Katy Perry performed tunes of more recent vintage as the stars continued to take the stage in support of Hillary Clinton.Read morePAUL SANCYA / Associated Press

Often described as a "workhorse, not a show horse," Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton proved Thursday night she could nail the TV part of the job she's looking for.

Striding onto the stage of the Wells Fargo Center in a pantsuit I'll call "Olivia Pope" white - did Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes, who produced Clinton's introductory video, help pick it out? - Clinton accepted her party's nomination in a speech that exuded confidence, in herself and the country she hopes to lead.

Two weeks and many, many hours of DNC- and RNC-watching have left me ready to topple a few tables, Real Housewives-style.

Could I really be the only viewer who thinks that political conventions are more interesting than the TV networks that cover them appear to think they are?

Or who prefers a floor reporter talking to a delegate - any delegate - to seeing politicians and pundits and campaign surrogates sitting around a table night after night as anchors lead them through a recitation of the same talking points?

None of us needs to have our individual beliefs reinforced in every discussion of politics. We have Facebook for that. What we need, more than ever, is actual information, even (or especially) the kind that might challenge those beliefs.

This month, it was important to hear as much as possible from the ordinary people who traveled to Cleveland and Philadelphia to cast their votes (or to protest those votes). Because it's harder to see the people who disagree with us as the "other" when we've been allowed to see beyond the signs they carry.

Other notes on the final night of DNC channel-surfing:

Some researcher at CNN must really be into music. When former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley spoke on CNN, chyrons told us nearly as much about his musical career as his political one. (O'Malley, who dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination in February, is the founder of a Celtic rock band.)

On Thursday, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter had an earlier career exhumed. As he spoke Thursday afternoon, CNN let its viewers know that Nutter "worked as a DJ and was known in Philadelphia as 'Mix Master Mike.' "

If Clinton's core constituency includes women who still know where their copy of Tapestry is (guilty), then Carole King's performance of "You've Got a Friend" had to have been at least as big a deal as Katy Perry's prime-time appearance. Seeing King onstage, I switched from MSNBC to CNN, where no one was talking over her.

Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm channeled another 1970s icon, Carly Simon. After taking some shots at Donald Trump - her impression of the Republican nominee could use some work - she said: "Donald. Donald. You're so vain. You probably think this speech is about you."

Open mic night at the DNC? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar jokingly introduced himself, saying, "I'm Michael Jordan and I'm here with Hillary. I said that because I know Donald Trump couldn't tell the difference."

Abdul-Jabbar wasn't there, though, to be funny, but to introduce a video about U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, an American Muslim who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004.

Afterward, in an extraordinary moment, Khan's parents, Khizr and Ghazala, received an extended standing ovation as they took the stage.

Khizr spoke of their "undivided loyalty to this country" and, addressing the absent Trump, said, "Have you even read the United States Constitution?" Pulling a copy from his pocket, he said: "I will gladly lend you my copy."

He advised Trump to go to Arlington National Cemetery, where heroes of all races, ethnicities, and genders are buried, he said. "You," he said to Trump, "have sacrificed nothing."

It's the Democrats' party, but Fox News' Bret Baier gave a forum to Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, former Republican governors who are running for president and vice president on the Libertarian Party ticket.

Baier played them a clip in which Trump appeared to be encouraging votes for the Green Party's Jill Stein, reasoning that those votes would otherwise go to Clinton, while referring to Johnson as "the other guy" he didn't know much about.

I loved Baier's playful behind-the-scenes look at Fox News' convention digs and his circuitous route to his Wells Fargo aerie.

For the third night in a row, the DNC appears to have outdrawn the RNC in the preliminary Nielsens.

On the RNC's third night, viewership, led by Fox News Channel's 7.247 million, totaled some 24.3 million on Fox, NBC, CNN, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, and PBS between 10 and 11 p.m.

On Wednesday, when the proceedings, capped by President Obama's speech, ran much later, the average total audience from 10-11:45 p.m. over those seven networks nevertheless appeared to be nearly 27 million, with CNN in the lead with 6.169 million. (PBS could only provide numbers for its joint coverage with NPR from 10-11:30 p.m. and 10-11:59 p.m.)

graye@phillynews.com

215-854-5950 @elgray

Blog: ph.ly/EllenGray