( Hillary and Barack on if they are woman or black enough)

I have been watching the YouTube/CNN sponsored Democratic debates on my computer and I am very impressed with the format. People submitted questions on YouTube and then candidates answered them. Some questions were every serious and some were light hearted. I like the format because most debates with questions from the audience seem to be a roomful of party faithful asking questions. Bush is infamous for requiring loyalty tests to ask questions at his town hall style meetings. But this format strays away from that in an innovative way.

YouTube has the debates listed by question and what candidate answered them.

The Republicans might be having a YouTube/CNN debate this September if they agree to show up. So far Mitt Romney is running away. Maybe he is afraid of all the old videos on YouTube showing him flip flip flop on core issues? Rudy Giuliani has said he has a scheduling conflict ( he wasn't scheduled to take tough questions from the NYFD Union).

John McCain doesn't back down from challenges. From staying in a North Vietnam prison to supporting the failed ( for now) immigration bill he has shown he isn't afraid of much. So it doesn't surprise me that he has RSVP'ed for the debate. He needs to change the conversation away from recent staff shake ups anyway. Ron Paul ( who I do not plan to support) has considerable support on myspace and YouTube so it doesn't surprise me that he is planning to attend.

The Republican governor of Florida Crist has called the format the People's debate. I agree with him on that analysis. I hope more Republicans sign up for the new format. YouTube is already accepting questions.

What were your thoughts on the debate? Should we try something like this for the Ventura City Elections?