2008 Dems face the new face of debates

They heard from a talking snowman and one gentleman wielding a fairly imposing assault weapon, but the field of Democratic presidential candidates seemed to survive the first CNN/YouTube debate Monday night where the candidates faced recorded questions from voters instead of a moderator.
 
As they faced off at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C. in the first of six debates sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the candidates were questioned on the biggest issues facing the country, such as Iraq and healthcare. But the White House hopefuls also encountered a fair amount of irreverence and humor in what was described as an "experiment."
 
Despite some moments that can only be described as silly, the overall tone of the debate was as equally tense among the candidates as it has been in earlier debates this year.
 
Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) continued to try and portray himself as the candidate of change, seeming to repeatedly try to paint Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) as the Washington candidate.
 
When the first question was asked, one of many that pleaded with the candidates to be honest, the questioner asked the candidates how they would be different than other politicians who have failed to make good on campaign promises once elected to office.
 
After Sen. Christopher Dodd (Conn.) said his experience and record are proof that he does what he says, Clinton sought to move the debate toward the failings of the Bush administration.
 
Obama jumped at the opportunity to say that "the questioner hit the nail right on the head," adding that it's not "just a Republican problem."
 
"Washington has to change," Obama said.
 
In what would be a change from politics in Washington over the last several decades, Obama minutes later suggested that he would meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro during the first year of his presidency.
 
One YouTube questioner asked the candidates if he or she would meet with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea or Venezuela in their first year of office.
 
Obama's immediate response was that he would. Clinton followed by saying that an American president should not unconditionally promise to meet with Castro or Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and she would be wary of taking such a meeting without thorough advance work for fear of "being used for propaganda purposes."
 
Clinton and Obama were asked by one questioner if they were "authentically" black or feminine enough. Both candidates said they think the country is ready to move past issues of gender and race.
 
Former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) echoed their comments.
 
"Anybody who isn't considering voting for Sen. Obama because he's black or for Sen. Clinton because she's a woman, I don't want their vote," Edwards said. "I don't want them voting for me."
 
Though Republican candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was used as the punchline by a couple of the candidates, it was potential GOP candidate Sen. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) who seemed to be the favorite of the field.
 
Both Sen. Joseph Biden (Del.) and Edwards said they would consider Hagel as a running mate when asked by a questioner to pick a Republican. Biden went a step further, saying he would also consider Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) as secretary of state.
 
Biden, who has struggled to move out of the so-called lower tier of candidates, offered some of the strongest language both on Iraq and the Darfur genocide. He was the lone candidate to say he advocates American troops on the ground in the latter, and he disputed the notion that troops could be immediately removed from Iraq.
 
Though the recordings were screened by CNN, the debate had the feel of an MTV "Choose or Lose" town hall forum — levity mixed with serious issues.
 
Viewers and audience members were also treated to 30-second YouTube spots produced by the campaigns.