In 1983, the series finale of M*A*S*H — Goodbye, Farewell and Amen — pulled in around 105 million viewers making it the most-watched non-Super Bowl TV broadcast. Given the fervor around (and entertainment value of) the current presidential campaign, it seems possible that the Clinton/Trump debates will be even bigger. It seems even more possible that they will mark a new low in our already lowbrow level of public discourse. Here’s The New Yorker’s Jill Lepore on how politicians (and the rest of us) debate these days: “Political argument has been having a terrible century. Instead of arguing, everyone from next-door neighbors to members of Congress has got used to doing the I.R.L. equivalent of posting to the comments section: serially fulminating.”

+ James Fallows in The Atlantic: When Donald Meets Hillary.

+ Here’s a prediction: The most influential moments in the debate will have nothing to do with being president. And this year, that may go for the rest of our election coverage as well. The headline of 2016 so far comes from The Hill: Clinton’s reluctance to drink water causing tension with her staff. Politico has responded with Hydrated Hillary: 9 times Clinton quenched her thirst. That one seems like parody, but in this election, you never know for sure.