June 18th, 2007
YouTube hosts a video debate with questions by - you
This presidential campaign will be the most democratic ever, if CNN and YouTube’s plans for a new debate forum work out. Wired reports the candidates will be able to participate in a new kind of debate, one where voters will send in video questions for candidates to answer in televised forums.
Democrats are blazing the trail on July 23 at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C. The debate will be moderated by Anderson Cooper. A second, similar debate for Republican candidates will take place in Florida on September 17.
Voters will upload video questions to YouTube’s YouChoose platform, and from those candidates will be presented with 20 to 30 questions. YouChoose is a section of YouTube tagged for material relating to the 2008 campaign.
Just how the questions will be selected won’t be made public, however. Just to keep the campaigns on their toes. User comments will be postedbBefore and after the debate.
“This is the most democratic of all possible structures,” said CNN’s DC bureau chief, David Bohrman.
So, have a question? Power up you cellphone or camcorder and go to YouTube Debates for some facetime with a presidential hopeful.
