Dems Prepare for YouTube Debate
With Hillary ahead in the polls and holding a steady double-digit lead over top competitor Barack Obama, a chance for movement has rounded the political corner. Tonight, the democratic candidates will line the stage in Charleston, SC for their first official debate hosted by the hotly contested and much maligned harbinger of the modern political era: YouTube.
Candidates, aides, and CNN staffers alike have spent the last few days combing through the nearly 3,000 video submissions in order to prepare for the debates tonight - which will be broadcast not only on CNN, but also on CNN en Espanol.
Is this a moment of popular inclusion? Supporters say yes: like the bilingual broadcast, the YouTube/CNN mashup is the forerunner of the new user generated political atmosphere (A popular solution to the Electoral College?) Morra Owens, of BlogHer.org, says, "these debates are the first real political foray into citizen journalism." Jeff Jarvis told the New York Times that this is a chance for journalists to learn a thing or two from their audience. "Journalists who ask questions at these debates always say to themselves, 'How can I do a gotcha moment?'" The YouTube submissions, however, "bring some human eloquence."
But, at the same time, he and many others criticize YouTube/CNN for their top-down control on which questions will actually be asked of the candidates. "It's our democracy, not yours, CNN," he said. "There is a need for order, but not control." He's not alone in his criticism; it's coming from all corners as CNN is accused of cherry-picking the questions for broadcast. Listen to Jonathan Capehart [WaPo] and Micah Silfry [TechPresident] debate the pitfalls of managing the questions on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show this morning.
It's not all complaints, though - some people are actually trying to help solve the problem. CommunityCounts.us is taking the video submissions and organizing them on their website, enabling all users to vote on which questions they want answered tonight... a real user-generated discussion. Will CNN take note?
Here are some of their top picks:
Lonelygirll15 wants to talk about impeaching Bush:
CIWS needs answers on sustainable energy:
DavisFleetwood questions the Patriot Act:
Candidates too are trying to get around the fray. John Edwards, for one, will be ditching the journalists in the spin room tonight to hold an online chat with the voters immediately following the debates.
So don't let debate fatigue set in. Keep your eyes on Veracifier for more coverage after the debates, but in the meantime, let us know where you stand:
Owner of YouTube, how do you feel about Google being involved in politics?
Will TV affect Hillary by highlighting the gender boundaries in politics?
And, as that now infamous submissions asks, is Schwarzenegger a cyborg?
- Raleigh-Elizabeth Smith
