In a highly anticipated showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, an estimated 67.1 million television viewers tuned in to watch the debate, marking a significant increase from the previous debate between Trump and President Joe Biden in June. The audience was predominantly made up of viewers aged 55 and older, with 41.3 million tuning in, while 16.9 million viewers were aged 35-54 and 6.5 million were aged 18-34.
Hosted by ABC News, the debate covered a range of topics, including the economy, immigration, and abortion, in a high-stakes confrontation between the Democratic and Republican nominees. Despite the impressive ratings, the event fell short of breaking the record set in 2016 when 84 million viewers watched Trump’s first debate with Hillary Clinton.
While the Nielsen data only accounts for television viewers, it is important to note that many also watched the debate on social media and streaming platforms. Following the debate, a CNN flash poll revealed that 63 percent of viewers believed Harris outperformed Trump, compared to 37 percent who thought the Republican had a better night.
The viewing figures for the debate exceeded the series finales of popular US sitcoms Seinfeld and Friends, emphasizing the significance of political events in capturing the attention of the American public. Harris is widely seen as the victor of the debate, setting the stage for an intense and closely watched presidential campaign leading up to the election.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
