How To Rewatch The First Debate After It's Over

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump already have Hempstead, New York, in their travel plans for the first debate on Sep. 26 at Hofstra University. But you probably don't. The odds are you're tuning in from home, be that on a 60-inch flat screen, a laptop, or on your modest cellphone screen. But one thing is generally assumed: You'll be tuning in live. Some think it could blow past viewership records out of the water. But what if you work that night or have some other conflict? How can you rewatch the first debate after it's over?

The debate will air on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as paid cable channels like CNN, FBN, and Fox News. If you have a VCR or TiVo-type digital recording device, then set the timer now. If you're lucky, you can just search in the TV guide for the debate and hit record. Should you have an old VCR that wants the start and end times, the debate will begin at 9 p.m. ET and run until 10:30 p.m. ET, but you might want to leave a buffer before and after for pre- and post-debate coverage.

If you're of the no-TV generation, not to worry: Since the debates are being aired on all the networks, there will be many versions uploaded to the internet. U.S. Presidential Election news has said that they will post links to full videos after the fact. Look for and click the “Watch Full Video Link” on this page. Similarly, a quick search on YouTube should work, too.

Even if you can watch at home, or have plans for a viewing party, there is a good chance there will be moments worth repeating. This is the first time that Clinton and Trump will be dueling it out in person. Given the Republican primary debates, there's no telling what to expect from Trump. As for Clinton, she said in an interview on the Steve Harvey Radio Show that she could take it: "I am going to do my very best to communicate as clearly and fearlessly as I can in the face of the insults and the attacks and the bullying and the bigotry that we have seen coming from my opponent."

Whatever happens, it sounds like sparks will fly. Clinton described presidential debates as a "contact sport," so you'll likely want to rewatch some of the highlights after the fact.