The ratings game, You are right, Fox probably sacrificed long term gains. This debate deserved to be associated with CNN, right in the gutter!
A worthy sacrifice if so, IMHO. Many new eyes and ears were exposed to the odious dwarves as a result of this being on FOX, whose audience is more conservative, middle-of-the-road or fly-over-country-traditionalist. The lefties who tuned in would tend to already be committed activists. Thus more Republicans than Dims will be energized. A miscalculation by the CBC here, as others have argued.