July 23, 2007
Democratic Debate Preview: Confronting The YouTube Generation
How are you gonna fix Social Security?
How will you make health care available to all?
These are just a few of the questions Americans have posed to the Democratic presidential candidates in tonight's CNN/YouTube debate, which The Gate will be liveblogging.
In some ways, tonight's format, in which candidates must answer 30-second-long video questions selected by CNN, is a natural fit for this slate. The YouTube generation tends to skew young and anti-Bush -- so much so that unhappy conservatives have started a rival site.
There's an argument to be made that the 2008 presidential race is the Democrats' to lose. But none of the candidates -- and that includes you, Senator Clinton -- should expect a free ride to the White House. The answer to that riddle lies on Capitol Hill.
Democrats won control of Congress last November because Americans were sick of Republican dominance in Washington. But Democrats have so far failed to delivered on most of their promises, and are earning the ire of voters [PDF]. With Congress deadlocked on immigration, health care and the Iraq war, the Democratic presidential contenders need to show, in detail, how they will change the course of the nation. The seven men and one woman trying to take back the White House ought to fear the perception that there is little difference between them and Republicans. The last time voters felt that way, things didn't turn out so well for Democrats.
Whether tonight's novel format really will put the candidates' feet to the fire remains to be seen, but one bonus is already obvious: the visual elements to the questions. Let's hope CNN picks some of the more creative submissions that use filmed footage and photos in questions about the Iraq war, the genocide in Darfur, and uninsured Americans. Catching candidates off guard and without a handy canned response is why televised debates are worth watching.
Plus, there are bound to be a few amusing video questions thrown in to keep viewers interested. That should take some of the pressure off Mike Gravel, the Democrats' resident funnyman.
Joining Gravel tonight are front-runners Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. Quite a few of the submitted questions are from angry Democratic base voters. Expect the rest of the field -- Gravel, Bill Richardson, Christopher Dodd, Joseph Biden and Dennis Kucinich -- to seize on that frustration and swipe at the top tier.
We'll start the liveblogging fun at 6:45 EDT. For a "techier" take on the debate, check out the coverage at our sister blog Tech Daily Dose. Stay tuned....
Graphic: Reuben Dalke
Posted at 5:14 PM
Posted to:
Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, Campaigns, Christopher Dodd, Democrats, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards, Joseph Biden, WH 2008
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