Democrats See A More Substantive, If Sleepy, Debate Than Rowdy GOP Show

[Purveyor]

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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks to voters at a town hall meeting in Davenport, Iowa, on Oct. 6. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

By Philip Rucker October 12 at 1:08 PM

LAS VEGAS — The Republican presidential debates have become appointment television. Tens of millions of Americans have tuned in to watch Donald Trump whack his unwieldy field of opponents — pooh-poohing Jeb Bush’s energy level, for example, or disparaging Rand Paul’s appearance.

So, what happens if the biggest fireworks in the first Democratic debate here Tuesday night are over which candidates opposed the Keystone XL pipeline first, which would resurrect the Glass-Steagall banking act, or how each would pay for his or her higher-
education overhauls?

Democrats expect the debate to be substantive and to set the course for an unexpectedly ­contentious nominating contest. Americans are either going to find a pleasing contrast to the rip-roaring show Republicans have put on — or they’re going to be bored senseless.

“Let’s be honest: Donald Trump truly is a ratings machine. Twenty-three million people did not tune in to see Marco Rubio,” said Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and an analyst on CNN, which is airing Tuesday’s debate. “So, unless the Democrats can talk one of the Kardashians into running, don’t expect the Democrats’ ratings to approach the Republicans’.”

For better or worse, Republicans have engaged a massive swath of the country with their first two debates, which were watched by 25 million and 23 million people, respectively. (By comparison, the highest-rated Democratic presidential ­debate in 2008, when Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton were locked in a battle royal, drew 10.7 million viewers.) Even if some voters tuned in just to witness the spectacle that is Trump’s front-running candidacy, they now are familiar with many of the other GOP candidates.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democrats-see-a-more-substantive-if-sleepy-debate-than-rowdy-gop-show/2015/10/12/f1b114da-7070-11e5-9cbb-790369643cf9_story.html

[ram2008]

1. Most Americans won't be watching tomorrow

Mets/Dodgers playoff game 4 tomorrow at the same exact time. The majority of the country, unfortunately would rather watch that over a debate.

Thanks a lot Debbie, great scheduling, way to ensure the least amount of people possible hear the Democratic message! She should be fired for incompetence.