The presidential debate is tonight, and D.C. is dreading it
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President Trump and then-former Vice President Biden at a debate in 2020. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Debate night in D.C. typically brings Super Bowl-level excitement to a city that can get high off the sweet smell of democracy and knows all the lyrics to "I'm Just a Bill."
- But this go around, people seem to be … dreading it.
The big picture: In years past, debate nights and town halls have been must-watch events: Over 73 million people tuned in to see then-presidential candidate Biden and President Trump duke it out in September 2020, and Hillary Clinton and Trump's September 2016 faceoff saw a record 84 million viewers.
- They've also provided D.C.'s chronically online with some seriously viral fodder: The fly on Mike Pence's head, Ken Bone (and the follow-up "sexy Ken Bone" costumes), Mitt Romney's "binders full of women."
But this year's "45" vs. "46" rematch is provoking unprecedented angst: A quarter of Americans hold unfavorable views of both Biden and Trump — the highest share of "double haters" at this stage in any of the last 10 elections, according to new Pew Research data.
- And it doesn't help that they're both, well, older dudes.
State of play: While most Americans plan to watch tonight's debate, the vibes feel different in D.C. now.
- Gone are many of the 2016-style watch parties, when every bar between Del Frisco's Steakhouse and Stoney's was airing the show and pouring punny political cocktails.
Tonight's lineup feels decidedly slimmer. And depressing.
- Case in point: the "Pie Divided" 'za at Navy Yard's Side Door Pizza. It's half "Orange Cheeseburger Pizza" plus a side of "Rikers Island Dressing." And half "Sleepy Joe," loaded with "tryptophan-heavy" blue crab dip.
What they're saying: "Interest in [watch parties] has dropped off rapidly," says Mackenzie Conway, co-owner of Capitol Hill's Fight Club.
- Why? "No one's enthralled by the positives of either candidate; I guess is a way to say it without cursing."
- While the group is hosting an event with an all-night happy hour tonight, Conway anticipates maybe a handful of people to show up. "My knee-jerk reaction is people are disheartened."
The other side: The Capitol Hill bar Union Pub, a longtime go-to for Hill staffers watching debates or State of the Union addresses, expects to see a healthy crowd at its party tonight.
- But the vibe might be more rubbernecking than rejoicing: "Excitement is not the word," says Union Pub spokesperson Sam Sanchez. "I think there's definitely interest in the spectacle of it all."
Go deeper: Check out our guide on local watch parties.
- Or take the advice of one D.C. Reddit poster and just hit up "Anywhere close to a park bench where we can all sit and cry."