The "little man" had a chance at confronting the Democratic contenders for the US Presidency yesterday. In a venture between CNN and the video-sharing YouTube, "ordinary" people could challenge the presidential hopefuls on a range of topics. No sanitised debate here. Just plain and direct questions.
The NY Times reports this unique event - surely a first this century in harnessing technology to old-fashioned electioneering - this way:
"Facing an unusual series of video-recorded questions from Americans — by turns toughly worded, highly emotional, and simply offbeat — the eight Democratic presidential candidates sparred tonight over race, gay marriage, Darfur and troops in Iraq, while also still finding ways to trade the verbal jabs that typify traditional debates.
The televised debate was unusual from the start: A man speaking on a homemade video — and not the usual television anchorman — opened the forum, sponsored by CNN and the video-sharing Web site YouTube, by imploring the candidates to answer directly and not “beat around the bush” — the last word delivered as a play on President Bush’s surname."
The NY Times reports this unique event - surely a first this century in harnessing technology to old-fashioned electioneering - this way:
"Facing an unusual series of video-recorded questions from Americans — by turns toughly worded, highly emotional, and simply offbeat — the eight Democratic presidential candidates sparred tonight over race, gay marriage, Darfur and troops in Iraq, while also still finding ways to trade the verbal jabs that typify traditional debates.
The televised debate was unusual from the start: A man speaking on a homemade video — and not the usual television anchorman — opened the forum, sponsored by CNN and the video-sharing Web site YouTube, by imploring the candidates to answer directly and not “beat around the bush” — the last word delivered as a play on President Bush’s surname."
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