World's Worst Debate Also Most Popular Debate

The elitist assessment of that terrible debate last night is pretty much, Oh my god, they let that be broadcast on the teevee?" So, obviously, it is the debate "Regular Americans" loved most, because ABC just announced that no primary debate has ever had so big an audience. Take that, Lincoln-Douglas Debate! Suck it, Kennedy-Nixon Debate!

More than 10 million people watched at least part of the idiotic spectacle, the New York Times reports, making it the biggest hit of this endless primary campaign. It even beat other "reality shows" such as Big Brother -- but not American Idol . When that hit karaoke show came on, everybody turned off the dumb debate so they could sing along with the stars.

The Philadelphia debate featured such "high points" as ABC hostCharlie Gibson sputtering about how "most terrorists are black" and ABC host George Stephanopoulos asking Obama if he "liked him some fried chicken," so it was inevitable that serious news organizations would come to Wonkette looking for insight.

Richard Adams wrote at the Guardian website:  

Over at the famously rude Wonkette politics blog (now under new ownership) the gloves were off in a live blog by Jim Newell: "Wow, George Stephanopoulos just asked an embarrassing question: 'Does Jeremiah Wright love America as much as you?' Seriously. Because if he doesn't, then he cannot be your Secretary of Black that you obviously intend to make him."

Wonkette readers were quick to make their feelings clear. "Whichever candidate wins, I hope they launch airstrikes against ABC headquarters," wrote one, while another commented: "These are the worst debate questions in the history of this whole stupid campaign." By half-time, another commenter was moved to write: "Holy fuck. I just put my kids to bed and started watching the miserable shit sober. No can do. Bye bye tv assholes!"

 Top Ratings For Penn. Debate [NYT The Caucus]