# What was that noise last night at the debates?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [October 5, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764 "2012-10-05T02:04:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/1 "2012-10-05T02:04:20Z")

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Did anybody else notice it? It was very brief but it caught the attention of both candidates; causing them both to look back stage.

Here’s one theory as to what it was: [Link](http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/10/what-was-that-strange-noise-during-the-debate.html)

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/2 "2012-10-05T03:32:07Z")

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Was it a low rumple, followed by a metallic squink, followed by a mysterious…glonk?

I heard it too. Baffling.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/3 "2012-10-05T03:39:59Z")

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Either a vuvuzela or a hoop snake.

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**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/4 "2012-10-05T03:44:50Z")

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The empty chair attacks!!! Angered that it had not been given a podium on the stage, the empty chair fought valiantly against stage hands in an attempt to push its way onto the stage. It wasn’t until a stage hand threatened the chair with a chain saw that the chair relented and scooted away in defeat.

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**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/5 "2012-10-05T03:45:18Z")

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I thought this thread was going to be about Jim Lehrer squeaking in the background.

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**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/6 "2012-10-05T14:00:25Z")

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> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#):
>
> Was it a low rumple, followed by a metallic squink, followed by a mysterious…glonk?

Along with a voice crying out “DEAR GOD!”

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**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/7 "2012-10-05T14:03:29Z")

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> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#):
>
> Was it a low rumple, followed by a metallic squink, followed by a mysterious…glonk?
> 
> I heard it too. Baffling.

A cat screeching would’ve been a nice touch.

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**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-noise-last-night-at-the-debates/636764/8 "2012-10-05T17:51:50Z")

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The rattling chains of Jacob Marley, Obama and Romney’s old law and business partner.