Comments on: YouTube Debate

By: What I Learned at the YouTube Debate » The American Mind

What I Learned at the YouTube Debate » The American Mind — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:53:11 +0000

[...] James Joyner didn’t watch it. Wise move. [...]

By: Sean Hackbarth

Sean Hackbarth — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:05:50 +0000

I would also like to see a strong moderator who would force the candidates to stay on the question asked.

I thought Anderson Cooper did ok. He tried stopping Kuninich from pumping his texting campaign and keep a few people on topic. But when you have a crowd with such banal content you can't do much.

By: Conservative Outpost

Conservative Outpost — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:42:51 +0000

Democrat debate round-up...

The Dems got together for their latest debate shindig down in Charleston last night, this time w/the added spin of letting "regular" people submit questions via YouTube. I must say, I didn't watch. Can't really bring myself to do ...

By: Steve Plunk

Steve Plunk — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:34:41 +0000

To make it even more interesting let Republicans pick the questions for the Democrats and Democrats pick the questions for the Republican debate.

I would also like to see a strong moderator who would force the candidates to stay on the question asked.

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:33:09 +0000

I will definitely vote in the Democratic primary in 2008. Not that it will do any good by the time it's Illinois's turn. I have no interest in these early debates. I'm not interested in how the hair of the candidates is cut or how low their necklines are. I'm not interested in hearing either journalists or non-journalists lob softball questions at candidates and get stump speech answers in return. I faithfully read the position papers that the candidates post on their campaign web sites and attempt to keep up with informed commentary in the media and blogosphere. Not that there's much of that. I'd like to see real honest-to-gosh debates rather than these group press conferences marketed as debates. The town hall format is even more infuriating because they're illusions. Pre-selection is everything.

By: Sean Hackbarth

Sean Hackbarth — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:47:21 +0000

This was a time-shifted town hall debate format. I hate those because most of the time the people asking the questions don't really know what their talking about. (Begin throwing out "elitist" rotten fruit.)

Even some irreverent videos couldn't fix the fundamental problem of these debates: there are too many candidates. There's hardly any interaction. Divide the candidates in half so we can see where these people really differ if they do. Give these blowhards some space to--well--blow.

And if Mike Gravel complains about not getting enough time one more time....

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:36:39 +0000

There was a debate last night?

I think they should be curtailed, less hot air, and with global warming about to destroy the planet, this was simply unconscionable.

And if the questions were selected by the journalists who would have selected/formulated questions anyways, what is the big deal besides it being on the internets?

By: Bithead

Bithead — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:37:38 +0000

I was apparently the only political blogger who didn’t watch the YouTube debates last night.

No, you're not.