37 Million Watch Gore-Bush In Second Debate

Ratings Considered 'Healthy,' Slightly Larger Than Clinton-Dole Debates

NEW YORK, Updated 10:37 a.m. EDT October 13, 2000 -- More than 37 million Americans watched Al Gore and George W. Bush in their second presidential debate on Wednesday night, a slightly larger audience than for the second debate between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole in 1996, according to Reuters.

Presidential Quips And Clips 10/11/00
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V.P. Al GoreVIDEO: "I can't promise you that I will never get another detail wrong."
Gov. George BushVIDEO: "I apologize, Mr. Vice President."
V.P. Al GoreVIDEO: "I don't use language like that, and I don't think that we should."
Gov. George BushVIDEO: "If you're happy with inactivity, stick with the horse."
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According to preliminary ratings provided by Nielsen Media Research, 37.57 million people, or 27.47 million households, tuned in to watch the Democrat and Republican presidential candidates chatting at a table for 90 civil minutes with moderator Jim Lehrer in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The healthy ratings could prove a boon to Republican candidate Bush, who won the night according to most polls. The Texas governor won praise for his confident delivery, with no major mispronunciations, not even during lengthy discussions of foreign policy, his perceived weak spot.

The ratings for the second debate, which included people who watched the telecast on tape-delay on Fox affiliates, compared with an audience of 36.3 million on Oct. 16, 1996, when President Clinton met Republican candidate Dole in San Diego.

However, in keeping with the history of presidential debate audiences, which have declined gradually since the first televised Kennedy-Nixon contest in 1960, the ratings for the second edition were well down on the opening event.

The first Bush-Gore debate in Boston drew 46.1 million viewers.

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