Despite the long build up and high expectations for the prime time address from President Donald Trump on immigration and the government shutdown, it was the response from Democratic leadership that eked out a ratings victory.
The president used his 9 minute address to make the case that there was a crisis at the border, and that a border wall was necessary to protect Americans and ensure the order of the rule of law.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) used their time to blame the president for the government shutdown.
That opposition response proved to garner slightly more viewers than the president, with a bump of about 4 percent separating them.
The Hollywood Reporter says that the president's speech garnered a 28.1 household rating from combined viewership on seven networks.
But the Democratic response garnered a 29.3 household rating.
The difference is about 45 percent of total active viewership for Trump compared to 47 percent for the Democrats.
Many believed that the president would use the occasion to announce a state of emergency on the border, and have the military build the border wall. While he has threatened such an action, and claimed it was well within his power, he has not yet used that option which would almost certainly lead to legal challenges.
The contentious debate over immigration and the shutdown continued into Wednesday when Trump met with the Democratic leaders to discuss the issue, only to get up and leave abruptly. Pelosi and Schumer slammed the president for his actions, but Republicans in the meeting said it was the Democrats who acted inappropriately.