63.2 million viewers watched Debate Last Night

[Thrill]

No Sarah Palin, no problem.

The John McCain-Barack Obama title card pulled in 63.2 million viewers last night, the biggest audience for a presidential debate since 1992, Nielsen Media Research said late today.

Like many sequels, the new show handily outgrossed the original. McCain-Obama II was watched by nearly 11 million more people than the first debate on Sept. 26 (52.4 million).

Also, like many sequels, the reviews weren't great.

The nation's leading political pundits, i.e., the ladies of The View, unanimously declared the 90-minute, town-hall-style face-off dull.

The debate, nonetheless, goes down as the ninth most-watched presidential debate on Nielsen record. It drew more people than any presidential debate since a Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, President George H.W. Bush matchup in 1992 (66.9 million).

It does not, however, go down as the most-watched debate of the month.

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b33027_ratings_surge_mccain-obama_ii.html