It's just 16 hours old, but today's Mitt Romney speech has already become the #1 most viewed UStream video, according to the site's recorded video list.

One previous Romney videostream, from the YouTube debate, is on the first page of results with another following on the second. A recent Obama foreign policy discussion broadcast on UStream received about 2,000 views on each of its clips, and also ranks high amongst the recorded shows.

Romney is the first Republican candidate to jump into the UStream waters. On the Democratic side, Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Dodd, Kucinich and Gravel have all run live video through the site. Though a little later in the cycle, it's gratifying to see a Republican leapfrog the Democrats in effectiveness their first time out.

The takeaway: UStream is fertile ground for politics and growing everyday. (Disclosure: I'm a political advisor to the site.)

Today's speech was simulcast live by Townhall.com, Michelle Malkin, HotAir, and Captain's Quarters. As Michelle noted, there's no MSM commentary and no annoying newscrawl in a UStream video. I didn't watch the speech on CNN, but I'm told by those who did that the presentation was marred by a conspicuous "facts about Mormonism" graphic that ran next to Romney's remarks.

Michelle also notes that, "Unlike other Web 2.0 companies I’ve dealt with, Ustream is open and receptive to conservative users." The company was founded by two military veterans.