74 million viewers total for GOP debates. Only 23.5 million viewers total for Dem debates

[think]

How is that smart marketing by our leadership?

TV Ratings: Dems Bring 8.5 Million in Broadcast's First Debate

Forced to shift at least some of its focus in the wake of Friday's devastating terrorist attacks in Paris, the second debate between the Democratic presidential candidates otherwise went ahead as scheduled on CBS.

The first debate, for either party, to take place on a broadcast network, it was also the first to not get a prime weeknight showcase — instead airing on Saturday night. Per early ratings, the two-hour affair between Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley brought 8.5 million viewers.

That's six debates down for the preliminary festivities to the 2016 election. Saturday followed 24 million, 23 million, 14 million and 13 million hauls for the GOP and one 15-million audience for the Dems.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tv-ratings-dems-bring-85-840379

[dlwickham]

1. I'd say that a good number of people tune into the republican debates for the comedy

let's see what crazy crap they're going to spew next

[think]

5. Do you consider this smart marketing by the DNC?

[dlwickham]

8. I really don't care

the election cycle doesn't start for another two months or so

it's not the party's role, in my eyes at least, to publicize candidates who may or may not even end up running or run a short campaign; I can't imagine O'Malley lasting past New Hampshire or Iowa, whichever one comes second

Campaigns are designed to get their candidate's message out to the voters

I think Bern is doing a pretty good job getting his message out there on his own without the help of these debates.

[artislife]

11. Really?

Or could it be that the republican base is more into the election than the dems?

That's a lot of eyeballs watching them. They must be seriously looking at their candidates and they don't seem to be interested in watching ours.

So maybe it won't be a walk in the park come the General Election. I don't think Hillary is going to be in the white house.

[MADem]

2. They've got a zillion candidates, each with their own weird constituencies.

We have three candidates who, were they not running, would be regarded as mostly similar to one another.

We don't have a "Bomb the Shit out of 'em" Trump, or a "Pyramids fulla grain" Carson, or any Krazy Kooky Kandidates to attract fringies and weirdos.

Our debates attract the politically interested--not people looking for a fun time and a freak show.

[madamesilverspurs]

3. How many republicans watch Democratic debates?

Seriously, they're the ones who routinely dismiss facts and history, why in the world would they bother being informed first hand? Especially when they have Fox and Rush and Coulter telling them what to think?

On the flip side, Democrats do watch the GOP events; even people who aren't politically engaged are watching the GOP sideshow just for the sheer entertainment value. The drinking games alone are very telling: How many times will Ben Carson close/open his eyes? How many times will Trump say "yoooge"? How many times will Jeb mention Daddy or W? Just because they're watching doesn't mean they're watching for the reasons you think they are.

[MaggieD]

4. So what?

[Segami]

6. Ad thats the way

DWS & Hillary like it. The less coverage, the better. It doesn't take much to see what is really going here.

[slipslidingaway]

7. Smart??? Only if you want to keep people uninformed on the issues, hand the election to the other...

party and/or select a candidate.

[think]

10. It's the kind of thinking from the DNC that worked so well in 2014. The Democratic message got

squashed...

[slipslidingaway]

12. Sadly the Dems do not seem to have a message. Hillary = Obama ...

and if you disagree with the way things are going you may not vote for Hillary. Then there is the Bush/Clinton backlash and people on both sides who do not want to vote for either "name" that has had control for decades.

I think that is one reason Repubs have not gathered around Jeb, not a great candidate, but too many people are tired of the Bush/Clinton control. Many people do not even know that Hillary has any challengers, they had one debate, last night did not count, we were out and obviously millions of other people were as well.

So on the Dem side there is just Hillary in many people's mind, but on the Repub side there are several people, many in their base have rejected the Bush name and are leaning towards an outsider. We also know the media has played a large role in giving these outsiders constant attention.

If we lose because people were not inspired to get out and vote for Clinton, then the Dem party needs to take an extended look in the mirror.

This is our election to lose and so far our party could care less that they inform voters of the issues and other candidates, they are solely focused on the candidate of choice.

That is a high risk game they are playing IMHO.

[left on green only]

9. If Debbie The Wuss Were To Be 'Releived'.........

.......of her position in the Democratic Party, does anyone know if President Obama would be the one to do the relieving? Or does anyone know of a link to any on-line petitions that have been started to that effect?

[Quixote1818]

13. A lot of them are watching the GOP for the freaky clown show

It's hard to look away from one train wreck after another.