Initial TV Ratings for 1st Presidential Debate are in:

[piechartking]

Looks like well north of 80 million, according to preliminary numbers.

Also, no drop-off after the first hour.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/27/media/debate-ratings-record-viewership/index.html?sr=twpol092716debate-ratings-record-viewership0245PMVODtopLink&linkId=29248123

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Ouch

For the Trumpians.

That's a lot of people to make a fool of yourself in front of.

[iandhr]

2. 80 million makes mote sense.

Some were saying it would be 100.


I didn't think if would be the case since 100 is approaching Super Bowl territory.

[zenabby]

24. I heard that 81 million is traditional TV

and including non-traditional TV/Streaming/Internet etc, it would be a 100 million.

[CAG]

3. I would assume there's generally a big drop off

In viewership in subsequent debates

[Johnny2X2X]

5. Yes

I would be surprised if the next 2 debates do 80 million combined.

[wishstar]

4. Wonderful if no drop-off since Hillary hit her stride and he tanked later in debate nt

[underpants]

6. He tanked the whole debate

Just saying

[Maru Kitteh]

9. This. Enough with the "first 30 minutes he did okay" nonsense

He did not. He was terrible from the opening bell and only got worse.

[StevieM]

11. Yeah, I don't understand that either. He seemed pretty weak in the beginning parts, in some ways

even more than in the later parts of the debate.

I thought his worst moment was when he said "maybe he didn't deserve to be paid." The media hasn't made that big a deal of that line but I think most Americans have had a boss who tried to screw them or did screw them. I think that line will hurt him a lot more than people realize.

[Wounded Bear]

14. That line is right up there with....

his "that's good business" line about screwing homeowners being foreclosed on.

He went full on Mr Potter there, and not Harry Potter, either.

[underpants]

16. "Where did you find this? Where did you find this?”

About Miss Universe. He had NO IDEA that was coming. He was practically begging her at that point.

[Wounded Bear]

17. And that shows his mindset...

His first reaction to anything is "Who is to blame?" There is never any self reflection or realization that he might be wrong on anything. It's always "Who do I counter attack?" and not really caring if the person to "blame" is the actual person he should be looking to.

[underpants]

19. Great point

He's not used to rebuttal or really just not being praised. Life outside the bubble is hard.

[Wounded Bear]

23. Historical correllary....

A few years ago, the guy known as "Deep Throat" in the Watergate scandal finally came out, in his 90's and close to death, or maybe it was posthumous, I don't remember perfectly.

Fucking Weasel Ollie North and others involved as co-conspirators had a similar reaction. They all called out Deep Throat as a traitor, because he didn't put personal loyalty to the cabal above "patriotism." Well not really patriotism, he rolled to save his own cowardly skin. Hate that asshole stain on the uniform of the US Marines.

[underpants]

25. Mark Felt - he came out just before he died

Ollie North resigned a command in 1974. Somewhere in Japan if memory serves. Probably PTSD but we'll never know.

[underpants]

18. My 2 cents A. Had to claim SOME win B. Nixon-JFK TV vs. radio

They are trying to claim some of last night as not being a disaster (a WIN! to them) and they are trying to set the narrative. It's political legend and lore that people who listened to the Nixon - JFK debate in radio thought Nixon won, those who watched TV thought JFK won. That's what they are trying to set up here.

[StevieM]

26. Dan Quayle once tried to claim that about his 1988 debate with Lloyd Bentsen.

He made the comparison to Kennedy vs. Nixon and asserted that he won on radio.

[underpants]

27. radioe

[uponit7771]

12. She did not tank the rest of the debate...trump doesn't get points for zipping his pants

[bettyellen]

20. Be had his first big meltdown before thirty minutes were up...

[DeminPennswoods]

7. First time many people

heard all the issues Trump has like not disclosing his tax returns, thinking China made up climate change to benefit itself, his misogynist statements, his embrace of the unconstitutional stop and frisk and so on.

[bettyellen]

21. She used every minute wisely

[underpants]

22. Also the first time a lot of people heard FROM Hillary

That may seem a strange thing to say since she's been in public life for a quarter century but how often does the media show HER? Not just talking about her but actually showing what she says?

Aside from him making a complete ass of himself she WON. She lead him around by the nose and then smacked him around...while staying quite cool doing it.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

8. Does that include estimates on streaming?

I streamed it through the ABC News app on my Roku.

Looked at the link. I guess it is just regular tv viewers in that number.

[anneboleyn]

10. Does the number break records for all Pres. debates? 80million is amazing, and wonderful

for Madame Secretary (soon to be Madame President !!!)

[pinboy3niner]

29. Yes. This was 81.4, previous record was 80.6 (Carter/Reagan '80).

But the 81.4 is the minimum count for this one and will rise, as numbers aren't included yet for CSPAN, PBS, and livestreaming.

[Joe941]

13. With this many viewers I expect...

a minimum of 10 point bounce for Clinton!

[Wounded Bear]

15. That's ambitious, and not very realistic...

[Joe941]

28. I'd say it could be even more.