Ross Douthat was dynamite. The ratings — potentially less so.
\n\nThe new “60 Minutes” correspondent garnered many huzzahs for his interlocution of President Donald Trump on the show’s Sunday telecast, but viewership fell notably from the previous week and from the year-earlier episode, both of which were boosted by NFL lead-ins.
\n\nEven so, there is some cause for cheer. In a season when the show has faced challenges luring viewers without an NFL game before it, the ratings were the highest generated without a football telecast to help kick things off.
\n\nDouthat peppered Trump not only with questions tied to the loss Republicans suffered in the recent midterm elections, but also stopped him with inquiries about whether the president felt he would go to heaven or hell, and whether he could refrain from taunting and insulting his opponents it it means doing something for the greater good of the nation.
\n\nThe literati noticed, with notables like Fox News commentator Brit Hume and CNN media analyst Brian Stelter praising Douthat’s interview.
\n\nBut the show’s audience for its eighth episode of the season fell to 7.8 million viewers overall, and 918,000 between the ages of 25 and 54 — the demographic coveted…
Original source: https://variety.com/v/tv/