Quizzing Democrats

Web site puts new spin on old format

Q: How many Charlestonians does it take to ask a presidential debate question?

A: If the debate's format is using YouTube, it could be as many as 20.

That's how many conservation-minded voters from Charleston recently gathered in a lobby to film a brief video that they hope will be posed to Democratic presidential candidates when they debate Monday at The Citadel.

"We all live in the South Carolina Lowcountry," a woman begins. "Sea level rise would put us under water," a man adds. "What are you going to do to stop global warming?" asks a third.

It's clip No. 1047, and it's one of more than 1,700 video questions e-mailed to YouTube so far.

This Democratic presidential debate, to air live from 7-9 p.m. on CNN, not only will make history because it's the first ever held in Charleston but also because of the new technology.

David Bohrman, CNN's senior vice president and Washington bureau chief, has seen many of the approximately 1,750 questions submitted so far and is working to pick 30 or so that will make the final cut and be asked to candidates.

"They are, as you will see Monday night, unlike any questions ever posed to presidential candidates," he said. "We're looking for interesting, innovative questions, not something a candidate would be asked by (TV news anchors) Jim Lehrer or Bernard Shaw."

Bohrman said there are surprisingly few questions about Iraq. "There are a lot of pocketbook issues, personal issues," he said, such as health care, education or Social Security.

Though people in most every state and several foreign countries have sent in questions, Monday's debate still may have a strong Palmetto State flavor. South Carolinians have sent in about 100 questions; only Californians have sent in more. About a dozen have come from Charleston residents.

College of Charleston political science professor Bill Moore said the YouTube questions may be more powerful than those normally asked by professional reporters. He said he was moved by one in which a woman with no health insurance took off her wig to show the effects of her cancer treatment.

"It brings an emotional element into the questioning that you don't get when a reporter is asking it without some personal involvement," he said. "My gut reaction is they probably will pick some of those more powerful questions."

The format presents an interesting challenge to the campaigns. On one hand, they're able to view the questions beforehand. On the other hand, they have no idea which ones of the 1,750 submitted will make the cut. Questions can be submitted as late as Sunday, and if they're not used Monday, they might be used Sept. 17 when CNN and YouTube hold a similar debate among GOP presidential candidates in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Bohrman said that some questions were sent back because they were too long, and others were set aside because they were inappropriate or obscene.

"The video quality of YouTube is hit and miss," he said. "The video quality won't rule the question in or out. The question is key."

Viewing options

Monday's presidential debate will be televised live from 7-9 p.m. on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español, but that won't be your only chance to see it. The debate will be shown again from 11 p.m.- 1 a.m. on CNN and from 10 a.m.-noon Tuesday on CNN Headline News.

CNN.com also will stream the debate live and will provide continuous updates through the CNN Political Ticker.

After the debate, CNN will air an hour of 'The Situation Room' anchored by Wolf Blitzer from 9-10 p.m. After that, Anderson Cooper, the debate's moderator, will hold his 360° live program on location in Charleston from 10-11 p.m.

CNN Radio will provide affiliates with a pre-debate program beginning at 6:34 p.m. (ET), followed by the debate itself at 7 p.m. CNN Newsource will provide its affiliates with reports throughout the day.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or at rbehre@postandcourier.com.