CNN-YouTube Debate Question: Democracy Promotion

Dave Steinberg is Director of Debate and Lecturer in the School of Communication at the University of Miami.

First of all, I applaud you for a smart, informed question and for your effort in putting it together with the visual images and Bushclips. I watched the Democratic You Tube debate with great interest, and I really did like the format. What it did, in my opinion, was take the candidates off their talking points and rehearsed answers, demanding a bit more honesty and spontaneity. Why? Because the combination of the questions and the presentation of the questions personalized it and added emotion.

A typical debate distances the candidates from us. If Anderson Cooper or Jim Lehrer or some talking head guy asks the exact same question about same sex marriage, it does not have the same tone or personal meaning as it did coming from the gay couple. Much of the change is impossible to measure and aesthetic, based on tone, humor, personal pain, etc….

My ojection to your question, while I admire your effort and involvement is that it is pretty much without personal content or emotion. The pictures help, and are definitely a step in that direction, but I would like you to be more in-your-face or more personal. Get some graphic pics and include Moms crying. Don’t need Bush, none of those guys are going to defend him. And get into it when you ask the question. Camera close up!

Is this a good question?

Good question, but worded so as to trigger the recitation of talking points # 27…..

How might different candidates respond to the question?

I must admit, I haven’t paid that much attention to the Republicans yet (it hurts to even think about them) and I probably could not name them all. But I would expect pretty patriotic defense of democracy: it will save the world, wave the flag….

What stakes does the question reveal?

Political stakes? Not much. People want the war over, but framing it as democracy promotion makes it too academic.

What do you make of the “YouTube” debate question format?

See above, I love the potential for making it personal and funny, or emotional, but not formulaic.

What do you think about an institute curriculum that focuses on asking questions of political candidates?

Great idea. My students will be doing it this year….

Is it legitimate for international citizens to ask questions of political candidates in the United States?

Legitimate, yes. I have a number of international students in my classes. Some of them are impacted in more dramatic ways by the policies of our government than US citizens. As long as the questions are about things that directly involve them. I would love for my students from Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, etc… to ask questions of these candidates. Would love to have a Spanish Speaking immigrant call down Tancredo (what an idiot!!! Next to Nick Satan, the most hated man in South Florida!)