I did, however, follow it on Twitter, with the intention of forming opinions on what happens based on Twitter. I don’t have a clear picture yet of many things that happened at Hofstra University, but I think it’s fair to say there was a clear winner on Tuesday night.

The binders full of women, that’s right.

I didn’t hear it, but I’m guessing Mitt Romney sounded condescending when he explained his hiring practices.

But let’s turn to Twitter Nation and see just what kind of #debate we had.

Women’s rights

@pushinghoops: “American women won’t be recognized as equal citizens as long as their rights are distinguished and marginalized as ‘women’s issues.'”

I learned later that the question was actually about equal pay for women, so the first onslaught of “binder full of women” punchlines were really confusing. Then Romney got fact-checked: There were no female executives at Bain while he was in charge. Then I discovered Romney thinks women should be home in time to prepare dinner.

I am really looking forward to watching that section of the debate.

@TorianBrown: “This debate’s funny … – Obama: “I passed a law allowing women to get equal pay.” Romney: “I hired women once.”

@mboyle1: “Obama gets question on what he’ll do about women’s pay and equal rights. He doesn’t even pay women same in his own White House.”

One major reason I am not conservative is because women don’t seem to get a fair shake on the other side of the aisle. That’s been true in the health care debate (remind me again why only men got to be on and testify before the birth control panel?), the abortion debate, representation, pay and just gender roles overall.

I know enough capable women to know an executive does not have to go out of his way to find a woman who meets the criteria for a job. Then, once you’ve hired her, she can tell you whether or not she wants to be home in time for dinner.

This, weirdly, is related to…

Guns

The question was about assault rifles. The online debate quickly dissolved into this — @jdpeterson: “Also, somebody should tell Obama that the Second Amendment was created so people could protect themselves from the government.”

Can we also give the Second Amendment magical properties wherein it can protect me from all of the crazies out there with guns and conspiracy theories?

But then my screen filled with tweets like this — @andylassner: “I guess what I’m saying is guns keep single moms in line. –Mitt Romney.”

Surely this could not be right, right?

I cheated and looked up what Romney said because, well, the above is political suicide. What he said was that society would be better off if whenever possible children were raised in two-parent households. I totally agree with that. I don’t see what it has to do with guns. What he did was turn a good point into one more way single mothers are failing.

Jeremy

Twitter was atwitter with references to Jeremy — going to college, hanging out with Paul Ryan, voting. Should I know this guy? Was he there? Is he available?

Economy/jobs/outsourcing

I couldn’t really figure out where either of the candidates was going most of the time. Romney doesn’t think government should create jobs but then he talks about creating jobs. Something about outsourcing. Really making China mad. We may have to start making everything in America after Tuesday night.

@kumailn: “Governor you’re the last person to be tough on China. Your lifelike exoskeleton was manufactured there.”

Libya

Twitter pretty much agreed Obama was on shaky ground here.

@RepubGrlProbs: “‘You don’t turn national security into a political issue.’ Same guy who keeps taking credit for Bin Laden.”

And the winners are …

@JosephScrimshaw: “If this debate were a film trailer it would end with Obama calmly walking away from the building as it explodes behind him.”

@HughHewitt: “Romney does it again…a calm, collected unflappable alternative to a failed president.”

@LeoMcGarry: “Obama wins big tonight. Romney was workmanlike. Obama was masterful.”

@DLoesch: “Romney is owning this right now. Hands down.”

Did anyone agree on anything? Oh, wait, yes.

@Poniewozik: “BTW, moderator fact-checked in real time and audience APPLAUDED. Note to future mods.”

@DeathStarPR: “This debate would be better if the hall was molten lava, the debate was a light saber duel and someone became a cyborg at the end.”

@Esquiremag: “Something we can all agree upon: the ties were pretty damn sharp.”

• Follow Heidi Toth on Twitter @leftinutah.