Nielsen: 67.2 million watched debate

[cash__whatiwant]

An estimated 67.2 million people watched the presidential debate last night, according to Nielsen.

The total viewership, which includes 12 networks, was a 28 percent increase over the first presidential debate in 2008 between then-Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, which drew 52.4 million viewers. 63.2 million watched Obama and McCain's second debate; 56.5 million watched their third.

The rating includes total viewers for ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Univision, PBS, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, CurrentTV and CNBC between 9 p.m and 10:30 p.m. ET, and for Telemundo's airing on tape-delay. It does not include online viewership.

The highest-rated presidential debate in U.S. history was a 1980 debate between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, which had 80.6 million viewers.

source

[cthulu2016]

1. And audiences for the next two will be smaller

[cash__whatiwant]

4. the 2nd one was higher last election. nt

[scheming daemons]

2. not good. obama wont have that big an audience again this year

[regnaD kciN]

3. That's very bad news...

Expect a bigger-than-predicted swing to Romney in the polls starting tomorrow. Probably something along the lines of 3.5%-4%, which would essentially leave the race tied, with Romney even ahead in several polls.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Why would he get that sort of swing in the polls?

There are very few undecideds left to pick from as most have already made up their minds.

[Lilyeye]

6. I agree because a lot of people are idiots.

I saw a guy on FB, who claims he voted for the President in 08, say he was switching to Romney because the President looked weak. Facts be damned. I don't know if he will overtake the President, but he will get a bounce. I hope we're wrong.

[Hutzpa]

7. What this means is that those

67 million watching the debate will see a guy that was very agitated, disrespectful and blatantly lied about what he will do.

[Panasonic]

8. And cheated too.