The lone vice presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle drew more than 43 million Americans across 15 networks, well down from four years ago, according to early Nielsen ratings released Wednesday.
The initial measurement for the audience of the CBS News debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was drawn from outlets including ABC, CBS, Fox News, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, NewsNation and PBS.
The 43.2 million figure is down 25% from the 57.9 million who watched Vice President Mike Pence debate then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) in October 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The highest-rated VP debate of the modern era remains the 2008 showdown between then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, which drew 69.9 million viewers.
By comparison, former President Donald Trump’s first — and apparently last — debate against Harris, the current vice president and newly installed Democratic nominee, drew 61.7 million total viewers Sept. 10.
Just 48 million flipped on the June 27 grudge match between Trump, 78, and President Biden, 81 — when the Democratic incumbent’s dreadful performance prompted a party revolt that reset the 2024 race.
Pundits and party insiders noted the obvious differences between the vice presidential and presidential debates, with the former being described as a “cordial” and substantive exchange on the issues that matter most to voters before Nov. 5.
Walz issued a rare statement of approval at one point, saying Trump’s running mate was giving viewers “the conversation they want to hear” about the direction of the country.
The one hour, 45 minute sparring match offered contrasting views on the economy, immigration, global conflicts, energy and abortion.
One of the most striking moments came when Walz admitted for the first time to a national audience that his 17-year-old son Gus had witnessed a shooting at a community center.
“I didn’t know that your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting. I’m sorry about that,” Vance replied. “Christ have mercy. It is awful. And I appreciate what Tim said.”
Its unclear whether the performance could shift Vance’s favorability ratings, which have lagged behind Walz’s, but snap polls from CNN and CBS showed he won by a hair based on his discussion of the critical issues.
That difference was underscored, however, by the striking visible differences between Vance, 40, who maintained a calm and commanding presence on the debate stage, and Walz, 60, who appeared nervous, fidgety and was constantly taking notes.
In the lead-up to the debate, Walz expressed concern that he wouldn’t rise to the occasion, CNN reported, either in reference to a warning he gave Harris before being picked that he was not a good debater or to lower expectations ahead of the forum.
The Minnesota governor delivered memorable fumbles that have since been replayed on other networks by mistaking Israel for Iran, made a high-profile gaffe about having befriended school shooters and called himself “a knucklehead” when asked to explain false statements he made about being in China during the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
Vance later said he was “nervous” as well, but was dinged, especially by Democrats, more for evading firm policy stances than his overall demeanor.
Though the senator sidestepped a direct answer about past support for federal abortion restrictions, Vance spoke personally of someone “very dear to me” who had an abortion and had later confessed “she felt like if she hadn’t had that abortion, that it would have destroyed her life because she was in an abusive relationship.”
Some accused CBS co-moderators Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell of unnecessarily inserting themselves into the face-off at times — including by breaking the debate’s rules to fact check Vance.
The interruption eventually devolved into a four-way squabble before both of the candidates’ microphones were cut off.
The lowest-rated vice presidential debate took place in 1996, when just 26.6 million watched Al Gore spar with former New York Congressman and ex-Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp.
Trump claimed on Truth Social Tuesday evening after the VP debate that the Harris campaign had reached out to set up a second debate between the two because “they lost so badly tonight.”
“I beat Biden, I then beat her, and I’m not looking to do it again, too far down the line,” he said. “Votes are already cast.”
