THE CNN/YOUTUBE DEBATE: A REVOLUTION OR A GIMMICK? (LAT)

By Tom Tapp

The Los Angeles Times today takes a skeptical look at the YouTube-CNN presidential debate partnership. Chief among the paper's questions is whether it will differ from most, given the fact that CNN is still filtering through user-submitted questions.

For instance, will one question to Hillary Clinton, "Has your husband, Bill Clinton, engaged in adulterous behavior since he's left office?" be omitted by what CNN senior vice president and Washington bureau chief David Bohrman calls "responsible editorial decisions about what will air during the debate?" Democratic strategist Steve McMahon, on a CNN promo show for the debate, thought so.

"I think the candidates are banking on the fact that a journalist like you wouldn't let a question like the one we just saw through."

Dan Rather expounded: "Candidates do hate � genuinely hate � audience participation," Rather said, "because they like to control the environment."

Samples from the videos/questions include:

Gay Rights

The undue influence of Paris Hilton

Closing the income-to-housing gap