American voters in Canada saw few surprises during U.S. debate

[A record 80 million Americans tuned in to watch Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump face off for the first time during Monday night’s televised presidential election debate. Quartz]

Debate-watching parties for Democrats in London, Ont., are usually an Americans-only affair, Gena Brumitt says.

But the downtown event in the Southwestern Ontario city last night was notable for bringing out Canadians as well as a few dozen American viewers, says the London and area head for Democrats Abroad, the official arm of the Democratic Party for members living outside the United States.

“We ended up having probably about half as many Canadians last night because it’s such an amazing race,” Brumitt tells Yahoo Canada News. “I think that a lot of Canadian people are really curious, and sort of appalled, by the whole Donald Trump phenomenon.”

Republicans Overseas Canada, the similar organization for the other major American political party, could not be reached for comment. Its website did not list any planned debate-viewing events for Monday.

Canadian viewership numbers aren’t yet in, but a record 80 million Americans tuned in to watch Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump face off for the first time during Monday night’s televised debate.

And at least some among the estimated one million U.S. citizens living in Canada, and therefore eligible to vote on Nov. 8 if over the age of 18, watched the debate at viewing parties, on TV at home or online.

Emily Deming, an American living in St. John’s, watched at home.

“I loved watching it,” Deming says. “It is really satisfying to partake in my home country’s election in real time with all the other Americans, like Skyping your family at Thanksgiving.”

Deming doesn’t always vote in her home country’s elections. She last lived in Texas so that’s where her ballot comes from, she says, and because it’s not a swing state she doesn’t necessarily cast a ballot but it feels particularly important this time.

“I want to vote against the whole idea of people not doing their intellectual work,” Deming explains. “Hillary does. Trump doesn’t. I don’t usually agree with Hillary but if more people studied as hard as she did there might be someone I did agree with who had the skills for the job.”

Caleb Zimmerman, an American who also lives in London, always votes in at least the presidential contests if not all elections for which he is eligible. But this year he voted for the Democratic primary as well, in support of Bernie Sanders and before it became clear Trump would win the Republican presidential nomination.

“While I’d prefer him, he’s not an option,” Zimmerman says of Sanders. “But I also think Clinton has really been judged by a much higher standard than her peers. Much of what the anti-Hillary crowd throws at her is just unwarranted.”

There was concern going into the debate because it wasn’t clear what Trump would focus on, Brumitt says.

“As a Democrat I was really worried about the debate because he has had some things recently that he’s been poking at, like her recent bout of pneumonia,” Brumitt says.

She also worried that attacks around Clinton’s email scandal or her role in Benghazi could harm her performance, but in the end the Republican candidate didn’t focus on those for considerable time.

“Some of those things you expected were going to come up didn’t come up as much as I worried about,” Brumitt says.

Zimmerman opted not to watch the debate live and instead caught up Tuesday morning by reading reviews online and watching videos.

“I’ve already decided who I’m voting for,” Zimmerman tells Yahoo Canada News. “So, while I was interested in the outcome, I had better uses of 90 minutes of time.”

Zimmerman feels that Clinton performed not perfectly but well, particularly by staying calm as Trump became emotional. On the other hand, Trump failed to stay on topic and seemed unprepared, he says.

‘When her eyes look like a space emperor’

Deming also thought Clinton did well, despite the fact that it seemed to her that she’d been advised to smile more often during the debate.

“I’m more than sick of women being told to smile when men don’t have to and I really love her seriousness,” she says. “I like it when her eyes look like a space emperor who will destroy galaxies if necessary. That is when she shines.”

Trump’s performance didn’t surprise her, Deming says — “infuriating and familiar” and not good but not terrible.

“It is shockingly hard to not believe someone who just says things in that completely convinced tone of voice,” Deming says of Trump. “It is fascinating and disheartening.”

None of the Americans watching from abroad thought that the debate performance of either candidate would change the minds of those who have already settled on either of the two major party nominees. But those who were undecided going into the debate may have seen something to help them settle on a candidate, they say.

“I think for the truly undecided it certainly showed temperament of both of them,” Zimmerman says. “I suspect Clinton will see a small bump from that group. If Clinton sees a bump, I think there will be a push for Trump to rein it in on the next two [debates]. If not, it will be validation for him and I can see her changing tactics to focus more on her base.”

And Brumitt says the end of the debate, which focused on Clinton’s anti-Trump advertisements and some of his past statements with women, may stick with one particular group of voters with whom Trump is already unpopular.

“The one thing that I guess surprised me was the question of his feelings about women and his misogyny being brought up,” Brumitt says of the debate issues. “I think that is going to have legs.”

The next debate between Clinton and Trump is scheduled for Oct. 9.