Why The YouTube Debate is Worth Watching
Posted: Monday, July 23, 2007
by Stephany Springer
Tonight, YouTube will make history with the first ever YouTube/CNN Debate. Why is this so historical? For the first time ever, average citizens will be asking the questions. Not some question that it is read on stage by a moderator. But citizens have submitted videos with concerns and worries. Maybe faces put with actual questions will make the issues we face every day seem more real to politicians.
So what will this event mean to the public? Well, certainly we will be able to see how candidates feel about real everyday issues, but I think it means so much more. Because let's be honest, how many of those candidates actually know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck? Or stay up worrying nights about insurance issues or the lack there of? Or have aging parents who no longer can work to support themselves? Or have to worry about how to pay for college for their kids? How many actually have to debate or worry about their child's own grade school because they can't afford to put them in private school or are educated enough to homeschool?
This will hopefully put a family or a face to these everyday problems. I think when you live in a mansion in Washington, it is easy to forget who got you there. It is easy to not see the poverty or the daily struggles of everyday Americans to provide a Godly life for their families.
Hopefully, we will not just learn from the candidates tonight on CNN what their views are on everything- views that most likely will change once they are elected anyway. Hopefully the candidates will learn from the American public through the videos that are submitted. Hopefully, they will get a glimpse into our daily lives and our daily struggles and learn how to find a solution to them.
It is my hope that the videos represent the wide range of Americans and what they see or feel as important. This technology can really be used to benefit our country. To be able to see and feel what we see and feel each day is an amazing gift to these candidates. I hope they are willing to listen and learn tonight and take notes about what issues are important and then begin to work to solve them.
CNN's Anderson Cooper will moderate the debate from Charleston, South Carolina. Over 2,000 videos were submitted to CNN for the debate. Analysts say the format could force candidates to produce more straightforward answers and less spin than they sometimes get away with in more traditional debates, because politicians are not as trained to deflect questions in this kind of setup.
I am looking forward to see the outcome. Tune in tonight for an historical event. Maybe in 2008 we could actually see the two parties go head to head.
This Article has been viewed 172 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I did watch the debates yes our technology will prove to be beneficial with the common person being able to get their voice heard. Actually listening to average people talking is one way the average family can understand the questions. What I mean is you don’t have to look up every other word in the dictionary to understand what is being said. I believe one of the old tricks of politicians is to use a vocabulary the common people don’t understand, so they (the common person) are led to believe the politician running for office must be an intelligent person so they vote for them.Excellent point David! You are so right! I didn't think about that, but I totally see that now! Very frustrating! I too am watching and I agree this is the best debate I have ever watched. In the past, I honestly would tune out before it was a quarter of way into it. This formatting is so much more captivating and yes a lot easier to understand! Thanks for commenting!
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