‘West Wing’ viewers switch sides post-debate

Wed., Nov. 9, 2005

Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post

After watching Sunday’s live debate between Democrat Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Republican Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) on “The West Wing,” young viewers have changed their minds and now want Alda in the White House.

Viewers 65 and older, however, came out strong for Santos, according to a survey by Zogby International.

Yes, Jimmy Smits now skews older than Alan Alda.

For a network that chases young viewers but has seen its median age spring forward by nearly three years in one season – from 46.4 to 49.2 years – this ought to stop the suits in their tracks.

Particularly since NBC has made it fairly clear it intends to put Smits in the Oval Office. (His face, but not Alda’s, is featured on the home page of the “West Wing” Web site.)

The debate episode averaged about 9.6 million viewers, the show’s biggest audience this season – which isn’t saying much, since it’s averaging only 8.2 million viewers.

It still finished third in its time period, and a distant fourth among advertiser-coveted 18- to 49-year-olds.

But those numbers aren’t half so interesting as the ones spit out by pollster Zogby, showing how much ground Santos lost to Vinick in the debate, despite obvious efforts to make Santos look heroic.

Before the episode, viewers between 18 and 29 preferred Santos over Vinick, 54 percent to 37 percent.

But after the debate, in which veteran Alda gutted pretty-boy Smits without him even knowing it, Vinick now leads among viewers under age 30 – 56 percent to 42 percent.

Among viewers 65 and older, Santos has a lead of 68 percent to 27 percent.

Also switching camps were men, who now favor Vinick by 55 percent to 39 percent.

But women continue to support the ever-so-handsome Smits/Santos, 68 percent to 23 percent.

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