Key Trends During the Debate

Social media determined who came out on top.

Game, Set, Match - While the candidates sparred on stage at the first presidential debate, social media erupted with a debate of its own over who dominated the evening. —Naeesa Aziz (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Game, Set, Match - While the candidates sparred on stage at the first presidential debate, social media erupted with a debate of its own over who dominated the evening. —Naeesa Aziz (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Big Bird - Republican Mitt Romney garnered jeers from Americans after he pledged to cut funding to PBS, stating, "I like PBS, I love Big Bird." Big Bird supporters quickly launched a social media offensive, setting up a spoof Twitter account, @firedbigbird, and circulating a doctored photo depicting Big Bird with a "Will Work for Food" sign. (Photo: Twitter)

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Big Bird - Republican Mitt Romney garnered jeers from Americans after he pledged to cut funding to PBS, stating, "I like PBS, I love Big Bird." Big Bird supporters quickly launched a social media offensive, setting up a spoof Twitter account, @firedbigbird, and circulating a doctored photo depicting Big Bird with a "Will Work for Food" sign. (Photo: Twitter)

Jim Lehrer - The candidates weren't the only ones being evaluated by the American public. Moderator Jim Lehrer was overwhelmingly lambasted by the digital crowd who said he was "steamrollered" by the candidates, who paid no mind to Lehrer's attempts to hold them to the allotted speaking times.  (Photo: Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images)

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Jim Lehrer - The candidates weren't the only ones being evaluated by the American public. Moderator Jim Lehrer was overwhelmingly lambasted by the digital crowd who said he was "steamrollered" by the candidates, who paid no mind to Lehrer's attempts to hold them to the allotted speaking times. (Photo: Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images)

Zinger! - As anticipated, Mitt Romney emerged as the king of zingers Wednesday night as the candidate took aim at President Obama, stating, "Mr. President, you're entitled to your own airplane and your own house, but not to your own facts."(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Zinger! - As anticipated, Mitt Romney emerged as the king of zingers Wednesday night as the candidate took aim at President Obama, stating, "Mr. President, you're entitled to your own airplane and your own house, but not to your own facts."(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

A Hard Day's Night - With no primary opponent in 2012, the president's debate skills had grown rusty by the time he faced off for the first time against GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in Denver on Oct. 3 – and it showed.  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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47 Percent - Although viewers online urged Obama to raise the hidden-camera video in which Romney was seen discussing the "47 percent" of Americans he said didn't pay taxes and saw themselves as victims, the president failed to mention the gaffe in what many called a major misstep.  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Lapel Mystery? - A strange dark blemish on Mitt Romney's lapel pin had social media users murmuring about what the mark could be, speculating that it was everything from a Republican elephant or even a tribute to Americans killed in last month's attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. It was later confirmed to be the Secret Service logo, a star. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Lapel Mystery? - A strange dark blemish on Mitt Romney's lapel pin had social media users murmuring about what the mark could be, speculating that it was everything from a Republican elephant or even a tribute to Americans killed in last month's attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. It was later confirmed to be the Secret Service logo, a star. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)