Republican presidential candidates participating in the party’s primary debates are playing to a dwindling audience. With Donald Trump still enjoying an insurmountable lead, everybody else is essentially on the JV team, and the viewership numbers reflect that.
Fewer than 10 million people subjected themselves to Wednesday night’s affair, which was horrific television. The proceedings were so lifeless, Mike Pence resorted to telling sex jokes.
His little routine made everybody uncomfortable.
“My wife, uh, isn’t a member of the teachers’ union, but I’ve got to admit, I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years,” he stammered, awkwardly.
Mike Pence: “My wife isn’t a member of the teachers union, but I’ve got to admit I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years. Full disclosure.” pic.twitter.com/Ab4xNiyM3B
— The Recount (@therecount) September 28, 2023
By far the most uncomfortable someone has ever been telling a sex joke.
— ⚾️CPA⚾️ ❎ (@MrMet_CPA) September 28, 2023
Nearly every national poll shows Trump leading his competition by at least 40 points; and as a result, the four-time indicted, twice-impeached ex-president is boycotting the staid proceedings.
On Wednesday, Trump held a rally in front of non-unionized auto workers in a shameless attempt to counter Joe Biden, who walked the United Auto Workers’ picket line Tuesday.
Without Trump, the debates lack star power, and appear to exist in an alternate universe. Everybody on stage is playing pretend, ignoring the orange-skinned menace who is not actually in the room but it still somehow sucking up all the oxygen.
That is, except Chris Christie, who chided Trump for skipping the pointless affair and called him “Donald Duck.”
Ugghhhh.
Supreme cringe.
— 4NinetyFour (@4NinetyFour) September 28, 2023
The only thing worse was listening to Tim Scott and Nikki Haley argue about the gas tax… and curtains.
One could say, “it’s curtains” for the Republican Party.
— Phoenix_Ranger_ProdigalSon (@Phoenix_Ranger2) September 28, 2023
Republicans’ uninspiring performances Wednesday stand in stark contrast to the work of Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, which is holding nonsensical impeachment hearings about Biden. Without a shred of evidence, Republicans are alleging the President personally benefited from his son Hunter’s business overseas.
Democrats rebut the Republicans’ claims with vigor; but nobody was more spirited than freshman Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), who read the GOP to total filth.
After a witness said Republicans used the word “if” 35 times when discussing Hunter Biden’s supposed sordid crimes, Crockett went all-in.
“If they would continue to say ‘if’ or ‘Hunter’ and we’re playing a drinking game, I would be drunk by now because I promise you, they have not talked about the subject of this, which would be the president,” she said.
But wait: there’s more!
“I can’t seem to find the crime and no one has testified what crime they believe the president of the United States has committed,” she added.
To punctuate her point, Crockett held up a photograph of classified docs piled high in Trump’s bathroom (he’s been indicted for mishandling national security secrets and been charged under the Espionage Act).
“These are our national secrets. Looks like [they’re] in the s***ter to me.”
DRAG THEM!
Meanwhile, the Republicans’ star witness said in his opening statement he does “not believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment.”
Damn, this impeachment inquiry may get canceled after just one episode!
Maybe they can give Crockett her own spin-off: Owning Fools.
She’s much better TV than Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis smiling awkwardly. That’s for sure…
Absolutely incredible
— Joe Drake (@JoeDrakeNYC) September 28, 2023
It’s her pencil-ography for me
— booty hypnotic (@alwayspistachio) September 29, 2023
there is absolutely nothing like a read so direct and so pointed, not a pause, not a stutter, photographic evidence, she had it ALL
— krob (@kkristenrob) September 29, 2023
decrans
Some fact-checking context for Queerty’s state propaganda machine. The 2020 Democratic debates were broadcast on NBC. These debates were broadcast on Fox Business. CNN’s coverage of the 2020 Democratic debates only netted 7 million viewers. Facts. Context. You’re welcome.
Kangol2
Of course you are not telling the truth, again. Here’s the full totals for the coverage of the Democratic debates, which averaged far higher than 7 million viewers.
June 26, 2019 9–11 p.m. ~24.3 million
(15.3m live TV; 9m streaming)[7] Arsht Center,
Miami, Florida[8]
1B June 27, 2019 9–11 p.m. ~27.1 million
(18.1m live TV; 9m streaming)[10]
2A July 30, 2019 8–10:30 p.m. ~11.5 million
(8.7m live TV; 2.8m streaming) Fox Theatre,
Detroit, Michigan[11]
2B July 31, 2019[13] 8–10:30 p.m. ~13.8 million
(10.7m live TV; 3.1m streaming)[14]
3 September 12, 2019 8–11 p.m. 14.04 million live TV[15] Health and Physical Education Arena,
Texas Southern University,
Houston, Texas[16]
4 October 15, 2019[18] 8–11 p.m. ~8.8 million
(8.34m live TV; 0.45m streaming)[19] Rike Physical Education Center,
Otterbein University,
Westerville, Ohio
5 November 20, 2019[22] 9–11 p.m. ~7.9 million
(6.6m live TV; 1.3m streaming)[23] Oprah Winfrey sound stage,
Tyler Perry Studios,
Atlanta, Georgia
6 December 19, 2019 8–11 p.m.[26] ~14.6 million
(6.17m live TV; 8.4m streaming)[27] Gersten Pavilion,
Loyola Marymount University,
Los Angeles, California[28]
7 January 14, 2020 9–11:15 p.m.[30] ~11.3 million
(7.3m live TV; 4.0m streaming)[31] Sheslow Auditorium,
Drake University,
Des Moines, Iowa[32][33]
8 February 7, 2020 8–10:30 p.m.[35] ~11.0 million
(7.8m live TV; 3.2m streaming)[36] Thomas F. Sullivan Arena,
Saint Anselm College,
Manchester, New Hampshire[32][37]
9 February 19, 2020 9–11 p.m.[38] ~33.16 million
(19.66m live TV; 13.5m streaming)[39][40][41] Le Théâtre des Arts,
Paris Las Vegas,
Paradise, Nevada
10 February 25, 2020 8–10 p.m.[42] ~30.4 million
(15.3m live TV; 15.1m streaming)[43] Gaillard Center,
Charleston, South Carolina[32]
11 March 15, 2020 8–10 p.m.[45] ~11.4 million
(10.8m live TV; 0.6m streaming)[46]
And interesting enough, Joe Biden won by over 7 million votes. You’re welcome.
decrans
From CNN.com
More than 7.8 million people tuned in for Tuesday night’s Democratic debate on CNN, according to Nielsen TV ratings and digital streaming.
A solid effort, Kangol.
decrans
And again, not a Trump supporter. Your “Biden won by 7 million votes” is literally pissing in the wind. You should be more concerned that he’s tied with Trump right now. Your bumbling con artist dementia patient is tied with their bumbling con artist dementia patient in most major polls.
decrans
And that was my point. The ratings are about the same. The Democratic debates netted under ten million, too. It was adorable that you tried a gotcha, though. Thank you for proving my point so exceptionally well, Kang.
decrans
And Kangol: On those ratings below ten mil you copied-and-pasted from Wikipedia, notice how they were broadcasted on CNN and MSNBC. Comparable to Fox Business. That goes back to Comment No. 1. Your ‘own’ failed painfully short.
still_onthemark
I was going to watch it, but my TV implored me not to. It was afraid I’d break it by throwing a shoe at Vivek Ramasmarmy again.
abfab
He is kind of the King of the Trolls at the moment. A Republican with very little public.
dbmcvey
I guess it’s not surprising that everyone on the stage hates Vivek Ramaswamy.
None of them have a chance while the big orange ogre is still breathing.
abfab
One might say the same exact thing about the GOPTROLLS here on QUEERTY.
Thad
The next US presidential election is over a year and a month away. I don’t care yet. This goes on farrrrrrrtr too long.
abfab
Sad really. Debates were something once to be respected. They were structured and logical. Rules were important. The moderator was a scholar, ususally.
abfab
I’ll say it again. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is friggin amazing. I want to see her fly high thru the ranks and KEEP SPEAKING OUT!
I now know someone in Texas I can support!
dbmcvey
She’s awesome!
abfab
How can drag queens and drag shows have so much power over the Republicans? It’s all so fascinating.
Diplomat
Ghoul Pence trying to be humorous is like watching paint dry. The boredom is sleep inducing.
Anyone with swamy In his name, complete with a bunt cake hairdo, will never be president of the united states.
They all make money off campaign funds if they win or not. It’s a win win.