Who plans to watch one/all or avoid one/all of the debates?

[Boyo_Jim]

@Morgenstern

Estimates are that over 100,000,000 people will tune in for the 90 minutes.

The real trick will be to keep dinner down while listening to hamster fists talk for 45 minutes.

Now that it’s over, are there any actual viewing numbers available?

[wonky]

@Boyo_Jim

Now that it’s over, are there any actual viewing numbers available?

I don’t know enough about things like livestreams to know if they are fully counted in any numbers.

Network ratings are starting to come out. “The early Nielsen numbers indicate a big turnout for Monday’s first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump”: http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-ratings-presidential-debate-1201871498/

Also “Presidential debate ratings might have exceeded 100M viewers”: http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/presidential-debate-ratings-might-have-exceeded-100m-viewers-1.12374104

Meanwhile Nielsen’s Fast Affiliate ratings said the Big Four broadcast networks’ coverage pulled a total 45.8 million viewers. That’s a 23 percent increase from the same numbers in 2012. (Final viewer totals will be released later Tuesday.)

[Siam_Sam]

@Boyo_Jim

Now that it’s over, are there any actual viewing numbers available?

I think someone – CNN? – reran the debate in its entirety a few hours later. The buzz from it may have prompted viewers missing it the first to catch it then. But wouldn’t this have been in the wee hours?

[Sherrerd]

@Siam_Sam

I think someone – CNN? – reran the debate in its entirety a few hours later. The buzz from it may have prompted viewers missing it the first to catch it then. But wouldn’t this have been in the wee hours?

Not on the West Coast (let alone Hawaii).

I ended up watching every minute, to my surprise. Not that it was pleasurable, exactly, given that Trump has any chance at all. That aspect made it more like watching a horror movie and waiting for the jump scare.

But as everyone other than those paid by Trump seem to be saying, he made a very poor showing. Here’s hoping that registers with the undecided voters.

My top pick for Trump deep-sixing his own chances:

CLINTON: …and they showed he didn’t pay any federal income tax.
TRUMP: That makes me smart.
CLINTON: So that means zero for troops, zero for vets, zero for schools or health.

Apparently Trump thinks he’s going to make Mexico pay for the US military and veterans’ care…?

[Siam_Sam]

@Sherrerd

Apparently Trump thinks he’s going to make Mexico pay for the US military and veterans’ care…?

Well, it’s just our due. We did win the Mexican War, ya know.

[Sherrerd]

@Siam_Sam

Well, it’s just our due. We did win the Mexican War, ya know.

What odds we hear one of the surrogates (or the Donald himself) repeat this?!!?

[Ludovic]

@ThelmaLou

I’m guessing it will be on your local NPR station if you have one.
Support Public Radio: Donate To Your Local NPR Station : NPR (There’s a space to enter your zip code.)

There are places to listen online, too.

Don’t know what kind of commentary there might be.

Well neither of my local NPR stations carried it but by cycling through the dial I did find an Orlando station that carried it (96.5?) and never interrupted, unlike the last time.

[dracoi]

The problem with listening by radio is that some of the best moments were visual. I felt like Clinton essentially rebutted some of Trump’s argument through facial expressions alone.