5 of the most-watched presidential debates in history

2008: Three Obama-John McCain encounters averaged 57.4 million viewers, more than the average for the three debates in 2004, according to Nielsen. 1960: Seventy million viewers watched the first televised presidential debate, which pitted Republican VP Richard Nixon against Democratic nominee John F. Kennedy. 1980: A Jimmy Carter-Ronald Reagan encounter attracted 80.6 million viewers, the highest number ever for a presidential debate, according to Nielsen. 2000: Vice President Al Gore and Republican contender George W. Bush took part in three debates, the first of which saw Gore draw negative reviews for sighing loudly while Bush spoke. 1992: This year's three debates became the first time three candidates—Bush, Democrat Bill Clinton, and independent Ross Perot—shared the platform. Clinton won the election.