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Debate Night: Experts Predict Record Number of Viewers

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The Debate Stage at Hofstra University, Photo Courtesy Hofstra Chronicle

The Debate Stage at Hofstra University, Photo Courtesy Hofstra Chronicle

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are set to face off in the first presidential debate of the 2016 election of at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York, and will be moderated by NBC’s Lester Holt. Experts are suggesting that the worldwide audience for the debate could top 100 million viewers, on par with television spectacles like the Super Bowl, meaning it could generate the biggest debate audience ever. The last time a debate drew an audience of over 80 million viewers was the 1980 presidential debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, which remains the most-watched presidential debate ever.

The debate at Hofstra will almost certainly surpass the previous presidential debate’s ratings. In 2012, the three debates between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama averaged around 67 million viewers. Expectations are high that this debate will shatter records. The first Republican primary debate, held in August 2015, was the most watched primary debate ever.

The debate will be available for live stream on more platforms than ever. Aside from all the major cable news channels, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as Youtube, will make streaming the debate available to their viewers. Subscription streaming service Hulu will also air the event as well as online news outlets such as The Huffington Post and Politico. Reports from cable networks indicate that ad space is sold out for the remaining presidential debates.

You can found out more on the stakes of the debate as well as stream it live here.

GLENN THRUSH PODCAST: Obama on HRC, Bernie, 2016

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It looks like President Obama has gotten the podcast bug. Last fall he spoke with podcaster, Marc Maron and now Politico’s Glenn Thrush sat down with Barack Obama in the latest episode of his Off Message podcast. Obama spoke candidly for the first time about the coming presidential election, even weighing in on the fight between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and reflected on his own experience campaigning in Iowa in 2008.

Thrush asked, “Do you see any elements of what you were able to accomplish in what Sanders is doing?”

Obama responded, “Well, there’s no doubt that Bernie has tapped into a running thread in Democratic politics that says: Why are we still constrained by the terms of the debate that were set by Ronald Reagan 30 years ago?”

He went on to suggest Sanders will be put under spotlight if he wins any of the early contests. “I think that if Bernie won Iowa or won New Hampshire, then you guys are going to do your jobs and, you know, you’re going to dig into his proposals and how much they cost and what does it mean, and, you know, how does his tax policy work and he’s subjected, then, to a rigor that hasn’t happened yet.” He went on to say, “Bernie is somebody who —although I don’t know as well because he wasn’t, obviously, in my administration, has the virtue of saying exactly what he believes, and great authenticity, great passion, and is fearless. His attitude is, ‘I got nothing to lose.’”

Speaking about the Democratic frontrunner Obama said, “I think Hillary came in with the — both privilege and burden of being perceived as the frontrunner. ”

“I’ve gotten to know Hillary really well, and she is a good, smart, tough person who cares deeply about this country, and she has been in the public eye for a long time and in a culture in which new is always better. And, you know, you’re always looking at the bright, shiny object that people don’t, haven’t seen before. That’s a disadvantage to her.”

Obama reflected on his days campaigning in Iowa. According to the President, “The caucus process in Iowa was, for me, the most satisfying political period of my career, just in terms of campaigning and politics. And the reason was that it vindicated — in my mind, at least — my view of what politics should be.”

You can listen to Glenn Thrush’s Off Message podcast here.