Presidential hopefuls to debate in St. Petersburg
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Bay News 9

A nationally televised GOP debate with a new twist will take place in St. Petersburg this fall.

Republican presidential hopefuls will converge on the recently refurbished Mahaffey Theater on Sept. 17 for a debate that will be broadcast live. CNN's Anderson Cooper will host the event.

What makes this debate different is the web site YouTube will allow the online community to ask candidates questions.

During the debate, presidential hopefuls will be presented with 30-second video clips featuring questions filmed and uploaded to YouTube by users from across the country.

YouTube is accepting submissions for both debates at online. Twenty to 30 questions will be chosen.

The day after the debate, you can watch it at your convenience on Bay News 9 on Demand, channel 342 on Bright House Networks digital cable.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/7/19/272173.html?title=Presidential+hopefuls+to+debate+in+St.+Petersburg

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Your thoughts on this???

I somehow expected the YouTube debate to be high tech and utilize video conferencing so it wouldn't actually be located anywhere.

You Tube just means people can upload questions through YouTube and the debate itself will be viewable through the program.

All this being said, I think I saw a recent poll that suggested only 2 percent of likely GOP primary voters were settled on a candidate. I'll also throw in the fact that this will likely be more along the lines of a forum than a debate -- meaning the crowded field will continue to partake in things and a true DEBATE between candidates will be some sniping but not real discussion or argument over issues.

I don't know if I should be happy these people are coming to St. Pete or if I need to run far far away.

I don't know if I should be happy these people are coming to St. Pete or if I need to run far far away.

Well, if you favor freedoms across the board, then you should be very happy that Ron Paul's coming to your town.

^ What's that supposed to mean? Last I checked Ron Paul doesn't have a shot.

^ What's that supposed to mean? Last I checked Ron Paul doesn't have a shot.

Who does have a shot ? Last poll I checked he was number 2, just behind Romney.

I don't think any Republican has a shot in 2008.

I don't think any Republican has a shot in 2008.

The only reason a Republican would have a shot in 2008 ... is because they are running against the Democrats, who never seem to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

But back to Paul, he's the only candidate in either party who:

(1) favors freedom across the board and

(2) has the record to match his rhetoric.

I'd consider it a privilage to have him come to my city, whether he has a shot or not. Or as George Orwell put it, "In a time of deceit, speaking the truth is a revolutionary act."

I don't really like any of the Republicans.

On the Democratic side, the only one I really trust right now is John Edwards.

Who does have a shot ? Last poll I checked he was number 2, just behind Romney.

"Last Poll" -- Dale, can you cite your poll numbers source? Is that for here (Florida)?

Rudy Fredesco McRomney is the nickname right now for the Republican candidates. Paul gets respect from some of the left (and would be a likely protest vote by more than one if Hillary gets the nomination) but not all. After all, wasn't George W. Bush painted as the "Compassionate conservative" who was a "uniter and not a divider" and had a record to back it up from Texas? Didn't he talk about building at home and not nation building abroad? The point is that Paul (and all candidates) can say they are for-this now and prove to be for something very different when in office.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I brought Current Occupant into things instead of focusing on Paul, but while you can sully the Democrats for being the Democrats, the Republicans ain't highly thought of with thanks to those currently in power. And I'm shocked certain candidates are trying to endear themselves to some of his rhetoric instead of distance.

But that's primary politics for you.

Whatever the case on Paul -- there may be an argument if he has a shot or not but there is no argument he's bringing something to the debate. That's what the lower-tier candidates are supposed to do.

And for the sake of getting my own choice out there -- I'm staying out fo the primary fray on the left because my pony isn't running (yet?). And if Hillary ends up with the nomination, I will probably look for a third party (and hope for Bloomberg).

John -

In sullying the Democrats, for who they are, I certainly did not intend to lionize the Republicans. I myself have not voted since 2000 - and do not intend to vote in 2008 unless Paul gets the nod.

Paul developments here:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/

And whereas Paul may have emerged as a 'lower-tier candidate', he has become a cultural phenomenon.

I grew up in Raleigh, NC and was actually friends with John Edwards son who died...I worked on his Senate campaign...and now support him. I would never vote for Obama, but could vote for Clinton if I had to.

And whereas Paul may have emerged as a 'lower-tier candidate', he has become a cultural phenomenon.

This is undeniable. Standing ovation on Real Time with Bill Maher (walking into the lions den and getting applauded like that)? That says something right there.

John -

In sullying the Democrats, for who they are, I certainly did not intend to lionize the Republicans. I myself have not voted since 2000 - and do not intend to vote in 2008 unless Paul gets the nod.

I get you. The nominees, at current, will back into their party noms as it stands right now (saw a poll where 10 percent of democrats and 2 percent of republicans have decided on candidates). No one inspires me in either field that much, but I can see reasoning for Paul to be inspiring.

Giuliani may skip St. Pete debate
His schedule may keep him from the CNN/YouTube event on Sept. 17.
By STEPHANIE GARRY, Times Staff Writer
Published July 27, 2007


Republican presidential front-runner Rudy Giuliani may have better things to do than answer YouTube users' questions at the GOP debate in St. Petersburg.

The news broke late Thursday that the former New York City mayor has scheduling issues with the Sept. 17 date, jeopardizing the showdown at the Mahaffey Theater.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney also is frowning on the plan.

"I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman," Romney told the Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader this week.

The announcement comes just a week after the debate's location was announced, and just days after Democratic presidential candidates fielded questions from citizens who made YouTube videos, including one of a snowman worried about global warming.

Elected officials touted the choice of St. Petersburg as a sign of Florida's increasing clout in the 2008 presidential contest, especially since the Legislature moved the primary to Jan. 29.

Giuliani campaign officials could not be reached late Thursday to elaborate on the specific scheduling conflicts.

Erin VanSickle, state GOP spokeswoman, said news of Giuliani's scheduling issues shouldn't become a problem.

"We look forward to working with all of the Republican presidential campaigns to make sure that this debate is as successful, compelling, and informative for Florida voters as possible," VanSickle wrote in an e-mail. "The innovative format is empowering and it offers viewers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to have their question answered by the next president of the United States."

Gov. Charlie Crist and Republican Party of Florida chairman Jim Greer announced the debate a week ago.

"This is a testament to the leadership of the Florida Legislature, which wisely made Florida a more important player in the presidential nominating process by moving Florida's primary date forward, " Crist said at the time.

Co-hosted by CNN and YouTube and moderated by anchor Anderson Cooper, the debate will be the first time St. Petersburg has hosted a faceoff of this magnitude since the vice presidential debate between Al Gore and Jack Kemp at the Mahaffey in 1996.

Times staff writer Rebecca Catalanello contributed to this report.

[Last modified July 27, 2007, 00:44:58]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/27/Worldandnation/Giuliani_may_skip_St_.shtml

"I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman," Romney told the Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader this week.


Romney doesn't get it. That quote will play well in Dixville Notch and with the Man U (ha ha!), but the point of this debate is that the cultural phenomenon that is YouTube, a phenomenon almost universally embraced by the under-35 crowd and popular even with older age brackets, is helping bring "democracy" closer to the young people who feel so disenfranchised by the system as currently constituted--viz comments in Hillsborough Schools thread, for example.

By denigrating the debate that occurred earlier this week, Romney is denigrating everyone who thought it was a good idea, who was glad to see a debate where actual voters got to ask actual questions in their own voices. Romney may not like the snowman, but what about the cancer patient in the wig? That was a pretty moving moment. Is her question less valid because of the format in which it's presented? Are "the people"'s questions, as presented in this debate (screened by CNN of course), less valid because of the unprofessional format in which they're asked? Are we the people therefore not valid?

Romney is the ultimate polished candidate, and it's not surprising he doesn't want to be seen at a debate that is decidedly unpolished. But it doesn't make it a good idea.

Well, if you favor freedoms across the board, then you should be very happy that Ron Paul's coming to your town.

Ron Paul is irrelevant.

I say bring on the republican debate. Whether it's a republican or a democrat debate, it's the one part of our democracy we seem to still get right! :lol:

I've got a sneaky suspicion that everyone will become irrelevant besides the two respective party nominees, Clinton/Thompson a year from now. It's gonna make for some interesting tv. ;)

Ron Paul is irrelevant.

I can almost see the condecension in your spittle. According to CNN, if he ran against Hillary clinton right now, Clinton would win 49-34. That is an astonishing gain on the part of a candidate, in Paul, who didn't even figure in the polls scant weeks ago.

That is not an astonishing gain--39% sounds like a loyal Republican base. In fact, that is a huge loss.

CNN May Change St. Pete Debate Date for GOP

Posted Jul 27, 2007 by Billy House, Washington Bureau
Updated Jul 27, 2007 at 05:52 PM


CNN’s Washington bureau chief says he’s trying to resolve the scheduling issues that Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney say are why they won’t participate in the CNN/YouTube presidential debate in St. Petersburg.

The GOP debate is set for Sept. 17 at the Mahaffey Theater. But both the Giuliani and Romney camps say they have other events set for that day.

“We have spoken directly to the campaigns and they’re eager to participate, so we’re working to accommodate their schedules,” said David Bohrman, in a statement just released from CNN.

Does that mean the date of the debate could be switched?

“Possibly,” said CNN spokeswoman Edie Emery.

Sent out by CNN alongside Bohrman’s remarks was a statement by Florida GOP chief Jim Greer:

“This debate is an unprecedented opportunity for people in Florida and across the nation to ask the Republican presidential candidates where they stand on the issues,” said Greer. “It is also evidence of Florida’s growing and prominent role in the 2008 presidential election cycle, and we are excited to partner with the campaigns, CNN, and YouTube to bring the Republican presidential candidates to viewers across America.”

Earlier, state GOP spokesman Jeff Sadosky said, “we’re continuing to work with the campaigns regarding the (debate) to ensure that Florida’s voters get as much of an opportunity to speak with and hear from our Republican candidates as possible. “

But is it the day or the format that’s really bothering the candidates. See our earlier report about candidates’ concerns.

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/cnn-may-change-st-pete-debate-date-for-gop/

That is not an astonishing gain--39% sounds like a loyal Republican base. In fact, that is a huge loss.

How can a candidate be consigned to irrelevance who has vaulted from relative obscurity, not even figuring in the MSM polls, to becoming a credible candidate against the Democrat's strongest, in scant weeks ?

How can a candidate be consigned to irrelevance who has vaulted from relative obscurity, not even figuring in the MSM polls, to becoming a credible candidate against the Democrat's strongest, in scant weeks ?

That would not be irrelevant, but that candidate does not exist.

That would not be irrelevant, but that candidate does not exist.

I beg your pardon ? You are discounting the meteoric rise of a heretofore, over a matter of weeks, of a relatively unknown contender in Ron Paul.

But even if he doesn't get the nod, then at least there is one voice for freedom amidst the conformitarian, interventionist contenders.

(I think mentioned this earlier) I don't like any of the Republican candidates at all. I believe, they are all too conservative. Especially Romney and Giuliani. And McCain, he's got no plan for Iraq. Why should I trust him either?

(I think mentioned this earlier) I don't like any of the Republican candidates at all. I believe, they are all too conservative. Especially Romney and Giuliani. And McCain, he's got no plan for Iraq. Why should I trust him either?

Not only are Romney and Guiliani not too conservative, they are really RINOs (Republicans in name only).

Not only are Romney and Guiliani not too conservative, they are really RINOs (Republicans in name only).

I think Giuliani is. And I think McCain stands no chance right now. If he finally gets his act together than maybe later. But I still dont trust them and Romney.

I think Giuliani is. And I think McCain stands no chance right now. If he finally gets his act together than maybe later. But I still dont trust them and Romney.

How is Guiliani conservative ?

I beg your pardon ? You are discounting the meteoric rise of a heretofore, over a matter of weeks, of a relatively unknown contender in Ron Paul.

But even if he doesn't get the nod, then at least there is one voice for freedom amidst the conformitarian, interventionist contenders.

I don't know which rock you've been hiding under, but Ron Paul is not relatively unknown, nor is his libertarian rhetoric a breath of fresh air out of a Texas congressman.

Let's hope he gets the nod--Hillary will crush him.

I don't know which rock you've been hiding under, but Ron Paul is not relatively unknown, nor is his libertarian rhetoric a breath of fresh air out of a Texas congressman.

Let's hope he gets the nod--Hillary will crush him.

Ron Paul's libertarianism is the stench of death ... to all who spoil to interfere in the lives of others.

Ron Paul's libertarianism is the stench of death ... to all who spoil to interfere in the lives of others.

You are incredibly accurate--the Republican party will marginalize him eventually when they find him a disturbance to their agenda. Hence, Ron Paul is irrelevant.

Ron Paul will probably end up running as a Libertarian after the primary since there is no way he's getting the Republican nomination. Not a bad plan considering he's gotten a lot of press that he wouldn't have had as a Libertarian.

You are incredibly accurate--the Republican party will marginalize him eventually when they find him a disturbance to their agenda. Hence, Ron Paul is irrelevant.

You're being incredibly stubborn about this. In spite of the aparatchiks' attempts to marginalize Paul, his robust and burgeoning following will not allow it, as recent events will surely attest.

Ron Paul will probably end up running as a Libertarian after the primary since there is no way he's getting the Republican nomination. Not a bad plan considering he's gotten a lot of press that he wouldn't have had as a Libertarian.

While possible, he's currently determined to stay the course as a Republican. And why not ? He's more Republican, actually, than are his competitiors.

^^ You are correct, sir, when you consider what the Republican party used to be.

I believe the shift occurred when the party was hijacked by Liberty University's fundamentalist, God wannabes (and other like-minded folk) who pushed their religious views upon the entire party. Unfortunately, the party platform became a catalyst for so-called conservative politicians to see issues in only terms of black and white; good and evil, etc. No shades of grey, no how, no way! ;)

I like Ron Paul's politics and I certainly believe that he stands head and shoulders above the rest in this republican field. He's as real as they get in this crowd! :)

At this point, it doesn't look like many of the GOP frontrunners are even interested in doing a youtube debate - they are shying away from the format, almost calling it a joke...

Wonder if they'll bother doing it? The format is refreshing, but it doesn't surprise me that these guys won't debate unless the questions are carefully picked and being fed from Fox News Channel, LOL.

At this point, it doesn't look like many of the GOP frontrunners are even interested in doing a youtube debate - they are shying away from the format, almost calling it a joke...

Wonder if they'll bother doing it? The format is refreshing, but it doesn't surprise me that these guys won't debate unless the questions are carefully picked and being fed from Fox News Channel, LOL.


You do know that 2 of the Rep debates were sponsored by MSNBC and CNN, not Fox, right? ....and the Dems would NOT show for a debate sponsored by Fox. So which party is really dodging the tough questions? I find that a little funny.

Am I the only one who finds it absolutely asinine that campaigning now begins 2 years before an election and that it will cost over a billion dollars to tell us how they have our best interests at heart? :bash:

You do know that 2 of the Rep debates were sponsored by MSNBC and CNN, not Fox, right? ....and the Dems would NOT show for a debate sponsored by Fox. So which party is really dodging the tough questions? I find that a little funny.

Am I the only one who finds it absolutely asinine that campaigning now begins 2 years before an election and that it will cost over a billion dollars to tell us how they have our best interests at heart? :bash:

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if Dems dodged FNC - but there's no doubt that FNC is far up the right's ass. CNN may have a slight bias, but I don't consider them to be in the same league. Especially within a global perspective - CNN is hardly liberal taking foreign journalism into account.

That's the point - Repubs are backing out of the CNN sponsored debate like mad because they're no doubt worried about the tough questions (yknow, the ones the 65% of the country that is unhappy with the current administration wants to be asked) that will surely come from users. I get that, but it doesn't make this any less interesting or frustrating.

I certainly agree about campaigning and such. Blech!

You're being incredibly stubborn about this. In spite of the aparatchiks' attempts to marginalize Paul, his robust and burgeoning following will not allow it, as recent events will surely attest.

I prefer resilient ;)

It is encouraging to hear of a Republican--as you suggest--that not only preaches libertarian ethics but has gained the trust of a young and burgeoning percentage who actually believe he'll practice what he preaches. He may, in fact, be the reform the Republican party so desperately needs.

I prefer resilient ;)

It is encouraging to hear of a Republican--as you suggest--that not only preaches libertarian ethics but has gained the trust of a young and burgeoning percentage who actually believe he'll practice what he preaches. He may, in fact, be the reform the Republican party so desperately needs.

Good point about Paul's appeal to the younger set. And hell, one of the parties has to stand for liberty.

Republican YouTube Event Moved To Late November
Skip directly to the full story.
Published: Aug 13, 2007


It looks as if the Republican presidential candidates, at least most of them, will be participating in a YouTube debate after all. The forum is now set for Nov. 28, the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.

The campaigns of Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain have signed on, according to CNN, which will broadcast the event.

CNN said it had not heard from Mitt Romney, who has been critical of the format, in which the general public poses questions via video sent to YouTube.

Romney's spokesman could not be reached Sunday night.

The Republicans were supposed to hold their YouTube debate Sept. 17. After a similarly styled Democratic debate in July, however, Romney called the format demeaning, in part because one of the questions to Democrats came from an animated snowman.

In addition, he and Giuliani said they had scheduling conflicts because the date came near the end of the third quarter, when they would be focused on raising money.

That led to considerable discussion on the Internet about whether Republicans were comfortable in such an unpredictable format.

The debate will be in St. Petersburg as originally planned.

The New York Times

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBXI77AA5F.html

YouTube debate gets full GOP slate

Romney and Thompson sign on for Nov. 28 in St. Petersburg.

By AARON SHAROCKMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 27, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Bring on the snowman.

Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson agreed Friday to join the other major Republican presidential contenders at next month's CNN/YouTube debate in St. Petersburg, their campaigns said.

Romney and Thompson are the last candidates to commit to the Nov. 28 debate at the Mahaffey Theater downtown. Their announcements came within hours of each other Friday afternoon, after a St. Petersburg Times reporter asked why they had not yet said whether they would show up.

Romney previously had criticized the format, where questions can come from anyone - even as in the case of the Democratic YouTube debate a snowman. But Friday, a Romney spokesperson said the former Massachusetts governor was eager to attend.

"Gov. Romney is looking forward to traveling to St. Petersburg for the debate and looking forward to discussing issues important to voters in Florida and across the country," Kristy Campbell said.

About 90 minutes later, the Thompson campaign said its candidate was coming too.

"This is a unique platform to discuss the ideas and issues facing America and Sen. Thompson is excited to be participating," said Jeff Sadosky, a Thompson spokesman.

Publicly, organizers CNN, YouTube and the Republican Party of Florida said they never thought Romney and Thompson would skip the St. Petersburg debate.

But privately, they were wondering what was taking the candidates so long to RSVP.

CNN political director Sam Feist said he's excited to have everyone on board.

"We're thrilled that all eight candidates have committed to participating in this one-of-a-kind Republican debate," Feist said.

The two-hour event, which will be moderated by Anderson Cooper, has been criticized by some Republicans and Romney in particular, who argue that answering questions from a caricature or cartoon belittles the process.

Some conservatives also have feared that YouTube users will use the format to attack Republicans.

But the sentiment spawned a backlash from some conservative bloggers, who said failing to embrace the format could alienate support on the Internet. For his part, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has called the event the "people's debate."

Anyone can submit a question for the candidates through the Web site, www.youtube.com. The Times is helping residents film their questions from 10 a.m. to noon today at the St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading on the campus of the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg.

So far, more than 2,100 questions have been submitted. CNN will ultimately choose the 50 or so that candidates will answer.

Aaron Sharockman can be reached at asharockman@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2273.

Fast facts

Got a question?

The CNN/YouTube presidential debate is coming to the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg on Nov. 28 and Tampabay.com wants to make sure your voice is heard. Let us film your question for the Republican candidates and we will take care of the rest. Your question might be chosen to be answered on live television. Here are the upcoming sessions for filming:

Today:10 a.m. -12 p.m., St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading on the USF St. Petersburg campus. Go to the Times tent to the left of the Second Avenue entrance

Thursday:6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., YMCA, 3200 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg

Nov. 7: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., University of Tampa, student commons

Nov. 17 and 24: 3 to 5 p.m., Times booth at BayWalk

Or, if you want to film and submit a question yourself, go to www.youtube.com/debates for instructions.

[Last modified October 26, 2007, 23:56:52]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/27/Southpinellas/YouTube_debate_gets_f.shtml

Good, everyone's on board. It will be interesting to see what all the candidates have to say. I watched some of the Democratic debate but got caught up in other tasks.

I have to resurrect this thread again because the date of the debate is nearing...

While I do that, what do you think the outcome of the debate will be?

I guess I'll have to ask the only other nine people who watch it with me...

b.t.w. Joe Biden kicked ass at the democratic debate Thursday night. Even David Gergen thinks he's the man who's serious and bright enough to get us back on track - this coming from a staunch republican and former adviser to Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.

I guess I'll have to ask the only other nine people who watch it with me...

b.t.w. Joe Biden kicked ass at the democratic debate Thursday night. Even David Gergen thinks he's the man who's serious and bright enough to get us back on track - this coming from a staunch republican and former adviser to Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.

I think Biden came out of that debate quite well actually while Clinton got slammed around.

We'll have to see who comes out on top at the next debate for the dems.

I am looking forward to the Republican/You Tube Debate.

Only a few days to go...

I really hope Ron Paul gets some needed airtime. Guy has a awesome platform, but not many notice him because he is buried under Rudy Mitcain and Freddy.

I'm going to try to watch it, but I'll likely get sick...

I might miss the first part. Depends when I get done with dinner. I get home from class at 7:15pm.

What we would like to know?

By AARON SHAROCKMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published November 26, 2007
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Breaking News Video

We have no idea which questions CNN will select for Wednesday's Republican presidential debate at the Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg. But since CNN's political brass is in town this week, the Times wanted to offer a few suggestions. Here are some of the questions people around the Tampa Bay area want answered:

Indigo Johnson, St. Petersburg

"Why is gas so expensive?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwN6UMziw7Y

Kevin Solomon, St. Petersburg

"Why aren't there more opportunities for the disabled?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwNAW7rkAm0

Humberto Fauvell, Tampa

"Rudy Giuliani: What will you do to help liberate Cuba?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWXfLNoZCZw

Julie Ryczek, Treasure Island

"What will you do to reverse the trend in obesity?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS31At_xvr8

Richard Martin, St. Petersburg

"Are you in favor of eliminating the Electoral College?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM7C7nGRRac

Will Michaels, St. Petersburg

"What is your position on offshore drilling in Florida?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5PMXME5-7g

Darlene Flournoy, St. Petersburg

"How would you track down deadbeat dads who don't pay child support?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE5OtRR3HDo

Alan Snell, Tampa

"What will you do to enhance bicycling as a viable means of transportation?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWRu8jzAE8A

Kevin Driscoll, St. Petersburg

"Why don't we release the earnings cap on the Social Security tax?"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuxlW7gRDBg

[Last modified November 25, 2007, 22:29:54]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/26/Southpinellas/What_we_would_like_to.shtml

============================

City plans to fence in debate site

The homeless had planned to use the event to get attention.

By ELENA LESLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published November 26, 2007
A tired and homeless Eric Nelson, 37, sits outside the Mahaffey Theatre after eating dinner outside with his girlfriend Tina May and other homeless on Sunday evening.
photo

[Willie J. Allen, Jr. | Times]
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photo
[Willie J. Allen, Jr. | Times]
Left to right: St. Petersburg police sergeant Tim Montanari, Beth Herendeen, marketing director of St. Petersburg and John Dunaway of CNN show a map of the area to homeless advocate Eric Rubin on Sunday evening. The discussion centered around the area that will be fenced off for the YouTube debate and the boat show where the homeless group and activists planned to hold a "sleepout" and hunger strike.
Breaking News Video

ST. PETERSBURG - City officials told homelessness advocates they could stay on a stretch of sidewalk earmarked for a four-day "sleepout" Sunday night.

But today, they'll have to move.

In preparation for Wednesday's Republican presidential debate at the Mahaffey Theater, the city plans to set up perimeter fencing today.

The barricade will run north-south from First Avenue S to Fifth Avenue S, taking in the east side of First Street S, where the homeless had planned to sleep.

"The city doesn't want us here, they don't want a public relations issue," said Eric Rubin, one of the rally's organizers.

Advocates had strategically chosen the stretch of sidewalk near the theater for their four-day rally and sleepout. With the eyes of the nation turned toward St. Petersburg for Wednesday's debates, they wanted a highly visible location to highlight the plight of the local homeless population.

About 60 people turned out for a dinner and interfaith service Sunday night to kick off the event.

But once they arrived, officials told them they'd have to move elsewhere.

"They think we're going to become invisible," said William "Grandpa" Shumate, 59, who lives in front of City Hall.

After numerous conversations between CNN, which has leased much of the property for the debate, the city and police, officials decided to let the group stay put Sunday night.

"We're going to let them stay because they're settled in and getting comfortable," said Beth Herendeen, marketing director for the city.

But today they'll have to find another locale for their multiday rally, she said Sunday night.

And where that would be is unclear. There was discussion of moving to the other side of First Street S, but some stretches of that sidewalk abut residential areas, making them off-limits according to city ordinances, Rubin said.

Herendeen said she couldn't specify where the advocates would be allowed to camp out.

"Any place outside the secure perimeter where they would normally be allowed to do so," she said.

The dispute is just the latest development in the ongoing standoff between the city and the homeless.

In the past few years, harassment of St. Petersburg's homeless has intensified, said the Rev. Bruce Wright. The most dramatic example of this trend came when police officers were filmed slashing the tents of dozens of homeless people last January. The video was uploaded on the video-sharing Web site YouTube, and St. Petersburg received nationwide criticism.

Wright has sent a list of demands to city officials and said he will call off the rally if his requests are fulfilled before Wednesday.

He wants the city to sign a resolution that would protect homeless men and women who do not want to move to Pinellas Hope, a 250-bed outdoor shelter in unincorporated Pinellas County scheduled to open in early December.

"There's plenty of room in the city proper," he said. "They just don't want the homeless here."

A city ordinance prohibits sleeping on the public right of way if shelter space is available. Wright said that many homeless people are concerned they will be jailed or fined once Pinellas Hope opens.

He also has demanded that the city set aside money for permanent shelters and provide housing for homeless men and women with children. Pinellas Hope does not accept families.

City officials have countered that there are already ordinances in place to protect the homeless.

"We have had hundreds of people, both elected and not elected, working on this issue now for years," said City Council Chairman Jamie Bennett. "So I'm trying to understand how this (protest) is going to help anyone up off the sidewalk. How is this going to help St. Petersburg?"

It will force officials to face the problem head-on and hopefully "shame" them "into doing the right thing," Wright said.

And even though they're not sure where they'll lay down their sleeping bags and blankets, advocates said the rally will go on.

Said Wright: "We'll sleep in front of the Hilton if we have to."

Time staff writer Cristina Silva contributed to this report.

[Last modified November 25, 2007, 22:45:47]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/26/Southpinellas/City_plans_to_fence_i.shtml

=======================

Viewers' questions are key

By ERIC DEGGANS, Times TV/Media Critic
Published November 26, 2007
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photo
[Handout]
Ask CNN's Anderson Cooper if he has any regrets about the first presidential debate organized with YouTube in July, and he'll cite one thing: The size of the videos on the TV screen.
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He has heard the complaints about the snowman. And the gun nut. And the focus on the front-runners.

But ask anchor Anderson Cooper if he has any regrets about CNN's first presidential debate organized with YouTube in July, featuring questions to the Democrats submitted by the public through the video-sharing Web site, and he'll cite one thing:

The size of the videos on the TV screen.

"I kind of wanted the video to be seen full-screen as opposed to the way they were shown," Cooper said of the videotaped debate questions, which were shown occupying only part of the TV screen, as you might see them on the Web site. "I think there's an intimacy that you get when you look at the videos full-screen that was missing a little bit from the way we showed them."

CNN is in St. Petersburg preparing for Wednesday's YouTube-fed Republican debate at the Mahaffey Theater. The deadline to submit questions was Sunday, according to YouTube. Cooper was asked what viewers might see and hear when the GOP candidates take the stage.



How is this debate going to be different than the Democratic debate, based on what you learned from the first time around?

I think we're gonna have a lot more questions to choose from. We had some 3,000 at the final count last time. I think we're already at the 3,000 mark, and we saw a flood of questions coming in the last couple of days last time. So I wouldn't be surprised if we got above 5,000 this time, which is fantastic. It's great to get so many questions. It's sort of a bottom-up process. We let the questions and the general tone and the quantity of questions on any given subject sort of determine how much time we spent on any given subject. So it really does come from the viewers. They are the ones deciding which topics get the most focus.



Why do you think that you're seeing more questions now? Are people a little more comfortable with submitting a video since they've seen the first debate?

I think so. Once you actually see it and you see candidates actually answering questions from people, I think more people are motivated to get their questions in. We were getting questions immediately after the Democrats' debate for the Republican debate. People feel like they have a chance of getting their question asked and they see how other people ask questions, and it gives them ideas on how they want to ask them.



The critical interpretations of this debate were all over the map. Some people seemed to really like it; other people seemed to be very critical. Did you read any criticism that you felt was on the mark?

Some people were critical of the snowman question (a question about global warming was posed by a snowman), which was sort of an odd criticism. You could have had a question on global warming that started off with talking about CO2 levels and greenhouse gases and people's eyes would have glazed over. I thought it was a clever, funny way to ask a serious question, and if some people thought that cheapened the debate, I think they need to have a little bit more of a sense of humor about things. Frankly, the political process has been plenty cheapened long before the snowman video was ever invented.

There was criticism that all the questions should have been voted by people online, and I think all of us wish that would be possible. It's frankly just technically not possible, because you would have campaigns basically stacking the deck.



Some said the format didn't knock the candidates off their game enough; that viewers were getting some of the same answers that they would have gotten if you and Wolf Blitzer had come up with the questions.

I think knocking any of these people off their game is something which is a very difficult thing to do and which happens extremely rarely. If it does happen in a debate, it happens in little moments here or there. These people have made the same speeches and use the same sentences and been through so many town halls that there really are virtually no questions that they haven't already been asked. The question is, how aggressively do you follow up and how aggressively are they directing questions or comments at each other. That's one of the frustrating things about the way the process works.



Are we having too many debates?

You are hearing the same things at times. The last debate was interesting because clearly the candidates are sharpening their attacks on each other and focusing on one another more. It'll be interesting to see if that happens again. For those who are closely following this thing, these debates are interesting. ... We want an informed electorate. We all want to make decisions based on what we see of these candidates, and I'd rather see too much rather than too little.



Were there any debate questions you regretted airing?

No, actually. I wish we would have been able to get in more. I think we had some 40 questions in the laptop. ... I think it's great to have people from all different walks of life have the ability to ask questions to someone who will be the president, and to be able to do it from their living rooms or their bedrooms, and to ask it in the way that they truly speak. I think that's important.

[Last modified November 25, 2007, 22:43:51]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/26/Southpinellas/Viewers__questions_ar.shtml

YouTube takes turn on stage

But the evolution of interactive debate has a long way to go.

By JOHN FRANK and RODNEY THRASH, Times Staff Writers
Published November 27, 2007
Billiam the snowman asked Democratic candidates a question about global warming during the first CNN/YouTube debate in July.
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[Dirk Shadd | Times]
The main editing station rests in the foreground as YouTube questions are being discussed and decided inside the CNN Election Express, a 45-foot-high definition satellite truck equipped with 20 work stations and can operate as a newsroom and a television studio, stationed at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.
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Just past the midpoint of the CNN/YouTube debate in July, a squeaky, high-pitched voice blared through the speakers:

"I've been growing concerned that global warming is being neglected. As president, what will you do to ensure that my son will live a full and happy life?"

The South Carolina audience snickered. This was not the average voter. He wasn't even real. He had tangerines for eyes, a lemon for a nose, baby carrots for a mouth. Billiam, as he later identified himself, was a snowman.

"You could never do that without YouTube," said Nathan Hamel, one-half of the Minneapolis duo behind the snowman.

Moments like this made the debate unique, and pundits initially hailed it as a success: "This is the YouTube election." "An antidote to sound bite politics." "Democracy at light-speed." "A new dawn in U.S. politics."

But months later, on the eve of Round 2, some observers are asking: Did the novel, tech-infused debate change anything?

"Not to slight YouTube," Hamel said, "but I don't know if it really revealed more about the candidates" than a traditional debate.

John Palfrey studies the Internet's influence on society as the executive director at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center. He watched the first YouTube debate and applauded the creative and fun format but left with the same feeling as Hamel.

"Those who use the Internet for civic activism are really only a few people," he said. "Elite and small groups of voters are using the Internet right now. ... That is not a sea change."

In the broader scheme, he said, YouTube - or more broadly the proliferation of online video - is just the latest technological advance campaigns are employing to target voters.

Television set politics on a new course after the 1960 debate aired to national audiences. Forty years later, the Internet became a powerful force, and in the 2004 presidential election, blogs added new voices.

"YouTube is a video manifestation of the Internet," said Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief at Wired magazine. "Tomorrow, it will be another platform."

Watch dance evolve

YouTube, after all, launched two years ago as a video-sharing site dedicated to the off-the-wall and the obscure. Now en vogue, it is a hub for rants and raves of random people and embarrassing moments caught on camcorders and cell phones.

"If you go to YouTube right now, I challenge you to find any mention of anything political," Anderson said.

To prove his point, Anderson clicked his way to the site. "It's exactly what you would expect," he said. "Sports, cute s, more sports."

The most viewed video with more than 66-million hits is a comedian acting out the evolution of dance. The top political video is an eerie anti-Hillary Clinton production seen 8.9-million times.

YouTube is a digital water cooler, more than a political platform, Anderson said, so its marriage to CNN for the debates was surprising.

The site's transition from entertaining to political is not a product of corporate design. "People started using YouTube for politics," said Steve Grove, the site's news and politics editor. "It's a further democratization of the political process. It levels the platform of dialogue."

YouTube revealed itself as a political player during the 2006 midterm elections when video footage surfaced showing Virginia Sen. George Allen calling his opponent's campaign worker "macaca," construed as a racial slur. It derailed Allen's re-election bid and nearly destroyed his political career.

"Candidates began to realize that voters were using YouTube as a window into their campaigns," Grove said. "We saw this and responded."

It created channels where candidates can post videos and interact with voters. Today, all 16 U.S. presidential candidates have pages complete with friend lists, video play lists and commercials.

"Rudy Giuliani's gone from about 12 videos to about 95 in a week," Grove said. "Bill Richardson is now hosting questions during an 'Ask Bill' session on his site. The Mitt Romney campaign continues to post every conceivable opportunity that Romney has on television onto the YouTube site."

Debaters stay scripted

A sense of respectability came in June, when CNN and YouTube announced a partnership to host two debates, the second of which arrives Wednesday in St. Petersburg featuring Republicans.

The July event with Democrats attracted 2.62-million viewers -including 407,000 ages 18 to 34 - but ranks fourth in debates so far.

The unusual video questions gave a new feel, but the biggest complaint centered on the candidates, who barely broke from their rehearsed rhetoric.

Kim Friedrich, a cancer patient from New York who pulled off her wig as she asked the Democrats about Medicaid, said the answers to her question and others were just as gimmicky and stale as if the question had been asked by a traditional moderator.

"I think the point of this debate was to get actual answers," said Friedrich, 36. "If anything, these debates show how deft of politicians they are in that even the most bizarre questions by snowmen or serious questions like mine still get turned into their formulaic answers."

She said the candidates said exactly what she expected them to say: "I have a plan, then not saying what the plan is."

Dennis Kucinich was the only candidate to take a stab at Hamel's snowman query. Still, he had a different take.

"I think you got some sense of the humor of the candidates and their ability to come up with unscripted responses," said Hamel, a substitute teacher.

Other Web-based ventures are trying to improve on YouTube's debate format. One version is a forum spearheaded by Yahoo that allows users to "mash-up" candidates' answers to questions to make a personalized debate. At 10questions.com, visitors vote on the best video questions to ask candidates. Then there's the and MTV series, "Presidential Dialogues," where candidates answer questions from college students and those watching on the Web give instant feedback rating the candidates' responses.

"We are trying to bring that feeling of the individual candidate talking to the voter, and the Internet lets that happen," said Lee Bremer, . 's political director. "The format forces them to get off their talking points and have a conversation."

These advances put more power in the hands of the voter. It's a direction experts believe will continue as campaigns rush to utilize Internet technologies.

In 2012, "it will probably be something that we can't even conceptualize," Bremer said. "I think the future is interaction with voters at home in ways we've never seen."

Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. John Frank can be reached at jfrank@sptimes.com or (352) 754-6114. Rodney Thrash can be reached at rthrash@sptimes.com or (813) 269-5303.



About YouTube

What is it? Allows users to upload and share videos.

Started: Founded in February 2005; officially launched in December that year. Google Inc. purchased it 11 months later for $1.65-billion in stock.

Users: YouTube estimates 65,000 new videos are uploaded to the site daily and 100-million are viewed.

Source: YouTube.com



[Last modified November 26, 2007, 23:15:19]

From the St. Pete Times.

Republicans debating in St. Petersburg Wednesday
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Eight Republican presidential candidates will be in St. Petersburg for a debate Wednesday.

Bay News 9 and BayNews9.com will have complete coverage of the event.

The debating candidates are Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson.

Bay News 9's coverage begins with a preview Wednesday morning, followed by another on-scene broadcast early Wednesday evening. The debate runs from 8-10 p.m., at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg and Bay News 9 will be broadcasting portions of the event.

Following the debate, stay tuned for a special edition of Political Connections at 10 p.m. as we interview candidates live and our political experts give their take on the debate.

Also log on to BayNews9.com for a recap and video of the event and tune into Bay News 9 On Demand, channel 342 on Bright House Networks digital cable, for much more information.

The eight candidates will answer questions from the public submitted by video. More than 3,500 questions have been submitted, including one by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

Journalists at CNN's political unit choose which videos will be presented.

"The questions are funny," said Sam Feist, CNN's political director. "Some of them are striking. Some of them are sad. They are incredibly meaningful. You watch hundreds of these questions and you really get a sense of what's on people's minds."

CNN's Anderson Cooper will moderate the debate.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/11/27/304888.html?title=Republicans+debating+in+St.+Petersburg+Wednesday

It's Debate Day!

Republicans take center stage in St. Petersburg
Wednesday, November 28, 2007

PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Eight Republican presidential candidates will be in St. Petersburg for a debate Wednesday.

CNN crews were busy setting up in and outside the event site Tuesday.

All of the questions will come from YouTube users and will be displayed on a jumbo HD screen.

The eight candidates will be quizzed on issues like immigration and the economy.

Bay News 9 and BayNews9.com will have complete coverage of the event.

The debating candidates are Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson.

Bay News 9's coverage begins with a preview Wednesday morning, followed by another on-scene broadcast early Wednesday evening. The debate runs from 8-10 p.m., at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg and Bay News 9 will be broadcasting portions of the event.

Following the debate, stay tuned for a special edition of Political Connections at 10 p.m. as we interview candidates live and our political experts give their take on the debate.

The eight candidates will answer questions from the public submitted by video. More than 3,500 questions have been submitted, including one by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

Journalists at CNN's political unit choose which videos will be presented.

"The questions are funny," said Sam Feist, CNN's political director. "Some of them are striking. Some of them are sad. They are incredibly meaningful. You watch hundreds of these questions and you really get a sense of what's on people's minds."

CNN's Anderson Cooper will moderate the debate.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/11/28/304888.html?title=Republicans+take+center+stage+in+St.+Petersburg

I see Bay News 9 is going to go all out on this debate and devote a part of the evening to it. That doesn't surprise me actually. In reality, I think it is a good thing because the increased coverage will bring more focus into the outcome of the debate.

I, in a large part, enjoyed watching the debate. I thought all the candidates did pretty well, though there was no clear cut frontrunner at the end. The only drawback was Fred Thompson not getting enough airtime. I think that was nonsense.

Specifically, I think Giuliani and Romney both did very well throughout the debate, despite the mudslinging. Huckabee did well on certain issues as well, such as immigration. Hunter, I think was strong in the gun control issue. And Paul also did pretty good in my opinion as well, though he could not stand up to McCain's argument for the Iraq war. McCain himself, I think did pretty good on immigration, Iraq, and other issues.

Again, Thompson, I think, didn't do well because he didn't get enough airtime, which was rather lame.

I also think that some of the topics of the debate were poorly chosen. Certain topics that I would have like to see covered were not. Plus the debate went over by 7 minutes.

After the debate, I watched Political Connections on Bay News 9 and liked the insight that Bob Martinez and Bob Buckhorn provided. I also liked Huckabee's comments after the debate as well.

OVerall, I think the debate went pretty well.

On a side note, I saw ads for Bay News 9's "Your Morning News" that has Anderson Cooper at the end.

I watched it twice and came away unimpressed where substance was concerned. The best performers of the debate seemed to me to be Huckabee, Thompson and suprisingly, McCain. Ron Paul was okay, but I was quite disappointed that he didn't grab the reigns and take off. :(

As I saw it, the best performance went to Huckabee and the worst performance was secured by Romney. Romney looked really nervous, he stumbled through many of his answers (habitually even) and was catching it from all sides. He just didn't come across as sure of himself, nor close to being presidential.

Ron Paul and John McCain stood their ground and both came across as confident, while Giuliani just didn't manage to impress me much. Many of his policy positions came across as Bush on steroids, although he certainly did his best to attack his opponents which appeals to the "tough guy" crowd, so he may have won points there. ;)

Tancredo, Hunter, and to some extent, Thompson may as well not even appeared, as none of the three received nearly as much attention/airtime as the remaining field, although Thompson had some of the best zingers of the evening sharing the award with Huckabee who also offered some of the best quips throughout the debate.

My take... based strictly on the debate, Huckabee, Thompson and McCain will go up in the polls; the remaining candidates will hold ground or even slip a little.

^^
Thompson, I don't know. I really think he's a joke trying to run for President. Huckabee and McCain will probably go up in the polls for sure. Guilani and Romney probably will keep their placement if not slip a bit.