Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer about last night’s CNN debate and Santorum’s plans for the future of his campaign. Two highlights from the interview are after the jump.

Please credit all usage of the interview to CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer

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DRAWS 5.4 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS AND 1.7 MILLION IN KEY DEMO 25-54 

ALSO DRAWS AN ADDITIONAL 1.2 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS AND 562K IN THE DEMO DURING WEST COAST PRIMETIME

ANDERSON COOPER 360 TOPS THE COMPETITION AT 10P

CNN.com total day video highest of last five CNN debates

According to Nielsen Fast National data, CNN's Florida debate (8-10p, ET), moderated by Wolf Blitzer delivered 5.4 million total viewers and 1.7 million in the key target demographic 25-54 last night, Thursday, January 26.  This represents CNN's best debate yet this election cycle in the key demo and second best among total viewers (behind the Las Vegas GOP debate on 10/18).  Last night's debate ranked fourth among all primary debates so far this cycle in the key demo (including broadcast) and second among cable-only debates (behind only FNC's 12/15 debate).

CNN was, by far, top rated during the 8-10p, ET time period last night among the cable news networks in both total viewers and the key demo. CNN topped FNC among total viewers by 160% (5.4m vs. 2.1m) and MSNBC by 444% (5.4m vs. 985k).  In the target demo CNN topped FNC by 330% (1.7m vs. 405k) and MSNBC by 702% (1.7m vs. 217k).

During the west coast primetime airing (8-10p, PT/11p-1a, ET replay), CNN had an additional 1.2 million total viewers and 562k in the key demographic 25-54. 

With post-debate analysis, Anderson Cooper 360 easily outperformed its cable news competition at 10p.  AC360 topped FNC’s On the Record among total viewers by 30% (2.5m vs. 1.9m) and MSNBC’s Last Word by 130% (2.5m vs. 1.1m).  In the target demo AC360 topped FNC by 88% (895k vs. 477k) and MSNBC by 261% (895k vs. 248k). 

CNN Digital:

During last night’s CNN debate, CNN Digital’s stats include:

• CNN.com page views were up 37% over the previous 4-Thursdays and up 5% over the average of the prior five CNN debates with 3.7 million page views.   CNN.com page views for the day hit 46.8 million, up 6% over the average of the past five CNN debates.
• Video starts on CNN.com were also up 71% over the prior 4 Thursdays and 45% over the prior debates with 4.9 million.
• Mobile page views were up 6% during the debate.  In total, CNN Mobile had 6.1 million page views for the day.

(Source: Omniture SiteCatalyst Prior 4-Thursday average based on 12/22, 12/29, 1/5, 1/12. Prior debate dates include 6/13, 9/12, 10/18, 11/22, 1/19.)

(Source: Bango. Prior 4-Thursday average based on 12/22, 12/29, 1/5, 1/12. Prior debate dates include 6/13, 9/12, 10/18, 11/22, 1/19.  Note: International mobile site does not contain video.)

Users also interacted with CNN across social media.

 Facebook

• For last night’s Florida Republican debate there were 3 postings on the main CNN Facebook fanpage which generated 3,000 likes and comments.

Source: Facebook fan pages CNN 6/13/11, 9/12/11, 10/18/11, 11/22/11, 1/19/12 & 1/26/12; CNN Politics 9/12/11, 10/18/11, 11/22/11, 1/19/12 & 1/26/12

Twitter

• The CNNbrk account had 13 posts surrounding the debate which were retweeted 2,100 times.
• The hashtag #CNNDebate was a trending topic throughout the evening, ranking as high as #1 in the US and Worldwide throughout portions of the broadcast.
• Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett were also trending topics during last night’s debate coverage, with Wolf Blitzer ranking as high as #3 and Erin Burnett ranked #8 in US throughout the broadcast.

 Source: Twitter Analytics 6/13/11, 10/18/11, 11/22/11, 1/19/12 & 1/26/12

 GetGlue

• The CNN Florida Republican Debate had over 5,700 GetGlue check-ins and generated an estimated 1.3 million impressions across Facebook and Twitter.

Source: GetGlue 9/12, 10/18, 11/22, 1/19 & 1/26

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Rep. David Rivera (R-FL), the only Latin Florida Congressman to endorse Gingrich, discusses the candidate's "ghetto" language remark.

Rivera says, "[Gingrich] wants to make sure that we make all Americans as proficient as possible in English."

He continues, "Newt Gingrich has shown great respect for the Hispanic community in the way he has developed his immigration reform policy."

Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien airs week mornings from 7-9a ET on CNN.

Wolf Blitzer talks with Anderson Cooper about his interaction with New Gingrich.

The four GOP candidates face off on immigration, health care and tax reports during the CNN debate in Jacksonville. From 11 million grandmothers, bike rides in the Texas heat, and Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac, this debate showed the candidates are still fighting for the Republican nomination.

At the end of the GOP Debate in Jacksonville, Florida, Rick Santorum talks to John King about his ties to Florida as well as his debate performance. Santorum is there with his 93-year-old mother.

Wolf Blitzer asks the candidates whether or not they would release their medical records. Ron Paul says he is ready to be oldest president of the United States and challenges the other three GOP candidates to a 25-mile bike ride in the Texas heat.

During the GOP debate, Mitt Romney says he doubts he was associated with an ad criticizing Gingrich for calling Spanish "the language of the ghetto". Wolf Blitzer references the ad and confirms that Romney approved the ad.

Newt Gingrich goes after Mitt Romney about his investments during the CNN GOP debate in Jacksonville, Florida. Romney, in turn, brings up Gingrich's involvement with Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac.