Presidential debate draws record number of viewers

Well over 80 million people tuned in to see Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off, setting a record in the 60-year history of televised presidential debates.

According to Nielsen, the debate averaged a total of 81.4 million viewers across 11 of the channels that carried it live.

On Monday night, Twitter said it was the “most tweeted debate ever.” People have been taking to social media to express their thoughts about the candidates.

Brigham Young University student Nate Wilson said his family caught the debate Monday night. “My mom tried to watch it and she turned it off because she was just sickened by the answers that were given,”Wilson said. “Trump’s a racist and Hillary’s a liar.”

Drew Bentley wasn’t able to catch the debates on TV but saw highlights from it on social media. “It looked kind of funny,” Bentley said. “They were going back and fourth and arguing. I saw some comments that said it was more of a joke than a debate.”

Cathy Anderson has been following the presidential election campaigns and tuned into the live debate. “I expected Hillary to look a little more fragile,” Anderson said. “Nobody won the debate. I felt more stressed and agitated the entire time.”

Anderson added,”I questioned everything that both candidates said.”

Sept. 26 ― Presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York

Oct. 4 ― Vice presidential debate at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia

Oct. 9 ― Presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis

Oct. 19 ― Presidential debate at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Nov. 8 ― Election Day