How Ron Paul and John McCain could attend a YouTube debate (right now) [UPDATE]

Posted by David All

Mon, 2007-07-30 11:53

Wisely, Republican Presidential candidates Ron Paul and John McCain have confirmed their participation in the Republican YouTube/CNN debate in Florida on ~~Sept. 17~~ TBD. And they actually mean it.

In fact, in his statement announcing his participation, McCain praised YouTube and CNN for, "...hosting this historic debate that will increase participation by opening up the political conversation to interested voters across the country via user-generated video."

I've been thinking quite a bit about the GOP debate since I attended the Democratic debate in Charleston, S.C. Specifically, I've been thinking about advice I'd give a Presidential candidate if I were working for him.

You may recall that not a single Republican candidate took me up on my advice of using the Democratic debate as an opportunity to help further their own message. But, of course, their loss.

Instead, RNC Chairman Mike Duncan made a video which was aired incessantly on CNN leading up to the debate.

With the fate of the YouTube/CNN debate in limbo, if I were working for either John McCain or Ron Paul here's what I'd say:

Read more after the jump...

We need to use this an opportunity to help reach a new audience and help drive a wedge between us and our opponents.

Front-runners and incumbents dodging debates is the oldest trick in the campaign's play book. However, this time we have a built in constituency -- the YouTube community -- who is getting the shaft by their evasive maneuvering.

Here's what I'm thinking:

* Why not hold our own debate and start answering questions right now?

After the YouTube/CNN debate, Mike Gravel told TechRepublican that "YouTube should be on its own. It doesn't need CNN. CNN is dragging it down." In a way, he's right. CNN is not the only distribution vehicle. In fact, that's what YouTube is all about.

* Let's be the first to reach out to the YouTube community -- now -- long before/if the debate begins.

Let's follow the model established by Congressman Jack Kingston, Congressman George Miller, and now Lt. Governor Peter Kinder of Missouri. We'll start our own discussion.

And we already have over 400 questions in the hopper that we can start answering -- individually and personally.

We should contact the folks at CommunityCounts.us and ask them to help add transparency and ground rules to the process.

Regardless of whether or not the debate happens on CNN, we'll not only be connecting with every person that has submitted a question (which they'll likely share with their network, e.g., viral), but we'll also be the lede of every single news story about the debate.

Further, while driving an earned message that we're a "straight-talking," honest politician committed to a debate with the American people, we'll help craft a narrative about our opponents that they're out-of-touch with the American people.

This is it. This is our opportunity to drive the wedge and help gain ground in this race.