Second Presidential Debate Draws 63.2 Million Viewers

ABC tops among broadcasters with 13.2 million viewers, CNN leads cablers with 9.22 million.

By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/8/2008 8:04:00 PM

The second presidential debate between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain was watched by 63.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

That easily surpassed the total audience for the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, which was watched by 52.4 million viewers on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, BBC-America, CNBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC.

But last week's vice presidential debate between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Biden is still the top-rated face-off of the 2008 campaign with more than 70 million viewers.

ABC was once again the most watched network, broadcast or cable, on debate night, with 13.2 million viewers tuning in on Tuesday night between 9-10:35 p.m.

NBC was watched by 10.86 million viewers followed by CBS with 9.44 million.

CNN was the most-watched cable news network with 9.22 million viewers. Fox News followed with 8.77 million viewers.

MSNBC was watched by 3.76 million people. And 2.8 million people watched the debate on PBS.
All three of the broadcast networks lost viewers for the 25 minutes of post-debate analysis between 10:35-11 p.m. Likewise CNN and Fox News, which fell to 7.63 million and 7.64 million viewers respectively. MSNBC, which runs a distant third to CNN and Fox News in the cable news ratings race, managed to add about 200,000 viewers from 10:35-11 p.m.
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NBC, We have a huge problem in this country, If Americans allow the Rebulican party to continue with its antics. It is an insult, an outrage to all citizens. Senator Mccain first appointment of Governor Palin is insultive to women, to voters and America. A Vice President of the greatest country in the free world should be required to meet certain specs i.e. reading current news publications, real foriegn policy experience and be able and available to answer America''s questions. The Vice-Presidential nomination,smear tactics and overall ugly campaigning,flip/flopping,continuation of a war based on WMD''s,big corporate tax breaks, economic dis-connect with the middle class, rude debate behavior, campaign before country,not clearly seperating himself from unpopular Republican politics has deminished his campiagn. If White America and republican sympathizers(the brain washed) refuse to see this campaign for what it is, WE are a lost society, doomed for/by inaction. It is time for a change not just in political party but attitudes. The best qualified, prepared and in touch candidates should earn the popular vote and nomination, those candidates are Clearly OBAMA-BIDDEN Respectfully, HWS

HWS - 10/8/2008 9:07:00 PM EDT

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