The final presidential debate between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama drew 56.5 million U.S. viewers Wednesday night, Nielsen reported Thursday.
The TV audience for the senators’ third meeting edged past that of their first debate at the end of September, which drew 52.4 million viewers, but was easily surpassed by the audience of 63.2 million that tuned in for the second presidential debate last week.
During the previous presidential campaign, 51.2 million viewers tuned in for President Bush and John Kerry’s third debate on Oct. 13, 2004.  (View complete historical debate ratings.)
As …

The combined overall household rating for Wednesday night’s final presidential debate, in the top 56 local television markets where Nielsen maintains electronic TV meters, was 38.3. 
In comparison, last week’s debate between Senators McCain and Obama — the candidates’ second – received a 42.0 household rating in the top 55 local TV markets.  The candidates’ first debate on September 26 received a 34.7 household rating in the top 55 markets.
Wednesday night’s championship baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies — aired by FOX, instead of the debate – may have impacted the …

Throughout the presidential and vice presidential debates, certain words (change, maverick) and phrases (my friends, Joe six-pack) used by John McCain, Barack Obama, and Sarah Palin, have driven post-debate conversation as tracked by Nielsen Online. At the final presidential debate on October 15, “Joe the Plumber” from Ohio, also known as Joe Wurzelbacher, was unwittingly added to the conversation after media outlets recorded his recent tax discussion with Senator Obama. During a discussion about tax policy, the candidates referred to Joe at least 20 times, subsequently driving discussion and debate …