Presidential contenders no longer have to simply contend with launching their campaigns online, now they can take part in two ‘online-only’ presidential debates that mark the first time presidential online debating has occurred.

Now you can, thanks to Slate, The Huffington Post and Yahoo!, who have joined forces to bring the first two online presidential debates to the world’s online community.

Some web sites have suggested that the debates will be heavily moderated, giving the participants the breathing room of not needing to have to answer new questions real-time or face follow-up questions from the public, unafraid to point out that the politician in question simply hasn’t given a straight answer, or has ‘fudged the numbers’ in their response.

However other articles claim that the debates will actually accommodate the live, instant and immediate nature of the Internet that we’ve all come to know and love, both in text chat format and through uploading their own video questions, with the audience is supposed to be able to let the organizers and fellow watchers know who they collectively believe has given the best performance. 

Debate participants are able to be anywhere they want, as long as they have a broadband video connection and a quality web cam to be able to stream video of themselves for a potentially massive audience to tap into should they so desire.

According to ‘Portable Planet’, the host, Charlie Rose, and the three sponsoring companies and their representatives have much to say about the upcoming debates.

Charlie Rose is quoted as saying that: “We intend for these debates to be a groundbreaking mix of old and new traditions in politics. 2008 will be a momentous year for the electoral process in America, thanks in large part to technology and politics connecting like never before. I am proud to host the first ever online only debate, which will reach and engage the voting audience in a whole new way.”

Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post is quoted as having said that: “With presidential candidates announcing online and with campaign ads and fundraising increasingly online, presidential campaigns are moving to the Internet at breakneck speed. Online debates are the inevitable next step. We are thrilled to be joining with Internet pioneers Yahoo! and Slate to host the first online presidential debates, and to have Charlie Rose as our moderator. These debates represent a further merging of new media technology and politics, and are a great opportunity to bring more people into the political process, and engage the new generation of young voters who spend so much of their time — and get so much of their information — online.”

There will be two online-only debates, one for Democrats and one for Republicans, with invitations extended to candidates who have formally announced their candidacies. These online debates will allow the candidates to participate from whatever location they choose, brought together live via the Internet, and will feature real-time questions sent in by the online audience, as well as viewer questions uploaded on video.

Slate’s editor, Jacob Weisberg, was quoted as saying that: “The 2008 campaign is going to unfold on the Web in a way no previous election ever has. We hope these first online debates will be a breakthrough, both in terms of technology and political communication. The candidates will be able to have a real discussion in real time — but without having to be in the same place. We think the Internet can bring the same kind of immediacy to presidential debates that it has to other aspects of the political process.”

Finally, the head of news and information at Yahoo!, Scott Moore, was quoted as saying that: “We’re opening the doors of democracy for American voters to participate in the Presidential debates like never before. Armchair politics will take on new meaning this election season, as we’re offering voters the opportunity to ask the candidates what’s on their mind.”
{moscomment}

---

Get stories like this delivered daily - FREE - subscribe now
When you subscribe get a 12 months license for LiveProject
Valued at $99 USD


Download the FREE iTWire desktop alert widget