Maybe Barack Won, Maybe Hillary Won. But Clearly the Donald Lost.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton snuffed Donald Trump and Vincent Pastore Thursday night.

CNN's coverage of the debate between the two Democratic presidential candidates, held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, clocked 8.3 million viewers between 8 and 9:52 p.m. -- that's now the record holder for highest-rated primary debate in cable TV history.

In contrast, NBC attracted an average of around 6 million viewers between 8 and 10, with a consomme of "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" repeats and the first hour of an original two-hour "Celebrity Apprentice," in which the Donald offed contestant Pastore.

And CNN's debate wasn't just watched by your grandparents. It was neck and neck with NBC among 18-to-34-year-olds, with 1.3 million and 1.4 million, respectively; and among 18-to-49-year-olds, with 3 million and 3.2 million, respectively.

And what of "Lost"?

That series' return to the ABC lineup Thursday night averaged a little more than 16 million viewers.

That's its smallest season-starter ever. Last season opened with nearly 19 million tuned in, the second season averaged more than 23 million viewers and the first season unveiled with 18.6 million viewers back in fall '04.

ABC points out the show had not been on the air in eight months, after the network opted to wait until January and run this season's episodes without interruption, a la Fox's "24." When "24" returns to the lineup each season, it's usually been off the air for eight months as well, though this year Fox is holding it indefinitely because, owing to the writers' strike, not all 24 episodes for the season have been produced.

Opposite "Lost," a "CSI" rerun on CBS logged about 11.7 million viewers, though "Lost" clocked about 2 1/2 times the "CSI" rating among 18-to-49-year-olds, who are the hot blond chicks to Madison Avenue.

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Speaking of Hillary Clinton, she's bought an hour of prime time on cable's Hallmark Channel the night before next week's Super Tuesday primary elections.

With that buy, Clinton will telecast "Hillary's Voices Across America: A National Town Hall" live at 9 p.m.

People can participate by attending the event in New York or at one of the 21 satellite simulcasts nationwide linking cities where Tuesday's primaries will be held, including Birmingham, Ala.; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Denver; Boston; St. Paul, Minn.; Albuquerque; Tulsa; and Salt Lake City.

Hallmark Channel chief Henry Schleiff told The TV Column that "though there's no legal or FCC obligation for us to do so . . . in the grand scheme of keeping a playing field level -- and maximizing our revenues -- we have extended invitations to other leading qualified candidates."

Schleiff acknowledged the time buy was a bit "unconventional" but speculated "the unconventional could become the conventional before the convention."

Hallmark Channel, he added, represents "a constituency they're trying to reach. We represent the heartland of America, especially women."