What would YOU ask McCain and Obama?

[cross-posted from the Google blog]

Millions of Americans tuned in last Friday night for the first Presidential debate between Senator Obama and Senator McCain. Historically, the debates are led by a moderator from a prestigious news organization, asking questions to each candidate and leaving time for a rebuttal from the other. Friday night was no different, with the well-respected Jim Lehrer from PBS serving as the debate moderator.

Many have argued that we should consider new ways for the candidates to debate. Technology has enabled a historic number of voters to learn from and participate in the election process -- something that was well illustrated by the CNN/YouTube debates.

While we're not officially part of the Commission of Presidential Debates, a few days ago we launched Google Moderator. It's a free tool which enables communities to submit and vote on questions for debates, presentations and events. This way, the best and most representative questions rise to the top.

One of the featured series on Google Moderator is U.S. Presidential Debates 2008 which, at the time of this writing, has 730 people already contributing 230 questions that have over 11,000 votes. Top questions submitted so far include:

• Many Americans feel it's unfair to saddle taxpayers with the bailout of irresponsible Wall Street firms. What caused this mess and what is a fair solution which benefits the average American, not the executives who got us here in the first place? - Suggested by Doug H, Los Angeles, CA

• What will be your single, top priority for your first 100 days in office? - Suggested by Shira, Pensacola, FL

• What will you do to reduce the size or increase the efficiency of the US government? - Suggested by Dave M, Philadelphia, PA

Do these questions represent your concerns? What would you ask the Presidential candidates? Who knows, maybe NBC legend Tom Brokaw will have a look at what you're asking before he moderates the next Presidential debate on October 7th in Nashville!

- Katie Stanton, Google

Project: Report: 6 Days Left to Submit in Round One!

In response to our call for aspiring journalists with untold stories to tell, reporters from around the globe have been sharing profiles of interesting, compelling individuals in their communities. Already, we've heard about a former truck driver who lost his job and found himself on the streets, a World War II veteran who served his country heroically on D-Day, and an 11-year-old baseball player diagnosed as deaf at the age of one.


Check out wisselvallig's profile of Pakistani-born Muslim, Sohail Khan, who teaches high school physics in Flower Mound, Texas, a mostly-white, affluent suburb 10 miles north of Dallas.





Do you know someone whose life or work is inspiring? Someone you think the world should know about? Now is your chance to tell their story!


There are just six days left before the deadline for Round One of Project: Report. To be eligible for the grandprize $10,000 journalism fellowship with the Pulitzer Center to report on a story abroad and technology prizes from Sony & Intel, submit your video profile (which must be three minutes or less, and in English or with English subtitles) to the Project: Report channel by midnight PST on October 5.


Good luck!


Yours,
Olivia M.
YouTube News & Politics

You Choose '08: Monday Hotlist

McCain and Obama debated for the first time last week...see how the candidates are spinning it (not to mention the satirists) on this week's Monday Hotlist.

First 2008 Presidential Debate (Full Video) (CSPAN)




McCain Is Right (johnmccaindotcom)




Barack Obama on the Debates in Greensboro, NC (barackobamadotcom)




Red State Update: First McCain-Obama Debate (TravisandJonathan)




McCain's Brain #3: The First Debate with Obama (thejanitor)

The Kiwis launch a YouTube Debate with major broadcast partner TVNZ

[cross-posted from the YouTube New Zealand blog]

A couple of weeks ago, the 2008 New Zealand general elections were called, with Kiwis going to the polls in early November.

Today, we're thrilled to announce the ONE News YouTube Election Debate between Helen Clark and John Key, a history-making initiative with New Zealand's public broadcaster, TVNZ. This marks the first time the head of a national government and a challenger will face YouTube video questions in an official live TV debate. The debate will be broadcast live on TV ONE on October 14.

So now it's over to you.

This is your chance to interact directly with the leaders of both parties - all questions are welcome. Be as creative and compelling as you like, just keep your questions under 30 seconds. You may be a frequent YouTube user, or you may be giving it a go for the first time. The power of video is that you can show where you're coming from, instead of just saying it. Whether you're on a train, in a classroom, outside your lecture hall, in the centre of the city, on the water's edge, in front of Parliament in Wellington, or an expat Kiwi abroad... get your camera and ask away.

TVNZ will be selecting the questions that are personal, short, and relevant. You can only ask one question per video, but you can submit as many videos as you have questions.

Remember - the debate will take place October 14, so get your video submissions in NOW and stay tuned to see the questions -- and the answers -- as the country's leaders respond directly to the issues that matter most to you.

Gingrich Gives Away Gas on YouTube

Back in early August, Newt Gingrich and his team at American Solutions came to YouTube with a unique idea: spark a discussion about drilling for oil on the site, and give away a free year of gasoline to the person who made the best video explaining why we need to - in the words of the former Speaker - "Drill here, drill now."

They got some interesting submissions. One person created "Onion Breath", a short commercial showing that high fuel prices lead to high food prices on items like, say... onions... Another entrant spent 2 minutes talking to a sock puppet while pouring a quart of oil over his head. And of course someone made an emotionally charged music video, complete with slo-mo graphics and rippling Ameircan flags.

Gingrich and company chose 3 finalists and let their community on American Solutions vote for the winner, and that winner was 24-year old Shamus Green, from Louisville, Kentucky. His video stars a 3-year old child who is burdened by debt after taking her "car" to the gas station.



Shamus, had this to say on American Solutions website:

"I know the constant dread of watching the needle on the gas tank. For our energy, we need to do it all, using wind, solar and other sources, but we also need to drill here and drill now. The international powers that be think they have the United States where they want us – it’s time to show them that we are taking back control of our future. The money that we would save would allow us to contribute more to the global economy, give to charities, and to save for our children’s future."

The Obama camp "scares" its own supporters into action

The latest video on the Obama campaign's YouTube channel is worth a look. For an Obama supporter, watching "Bad News" must feel like a chilling look into the electoral crystal ball. A nifty mash-up of past election results footage, the video imagines what a John McCain victory might look like on November 4th... the goal seems to be to raise the stakes for Obama supporters and remind them to register to vote.



With voter registration deadlines looming in many states, expect to see more and more video content pointing people to VoteforChange.com in the coming weeks. The campaign recently got Alecia Keys to make a video about the site:

Citizentube: Friday Five

Palin talks to Couric, Silverman stumps for Obama, Nader teams up with Obama Girl, and a new animated political show hits the scene. Here’s this week’s Friday Five.

Palin On Foreign Policy (CBS)



Excerpt from Katie Couric’s recent interview with Sarah Palin.


Sarah Silverman and The Great Schlep (TheGreatSchlep)



Comedian Sarah Silverman encourages Jews to vote for Obama.


Sarah Palin Better Than Barack Obama (OurCountryPack)



Political Action Committee's ad supporting Sarah Palin.


The OBAMA GIRL and RALPH NADER Show! (barelypolitical)



Ralph Nader and Obama Girl team up in barely political's latest video.


Scientists Dumbfounded by New Trend in Global Colding (onthebubblenews)



Teaser for new animated political humor show.

Announcing "In My Name," a Global Effort to End Poverty

Today, in New York City, world leaders will meet to discuss the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight time-bound, measurable goals that they set in the year 2000 to combat global poverty. These ambitious objectives were promises made to the poor, meant to hold world leaders accountable for ending global poverty by 2015. Today, we are halfway there.

That's why YouTube, Will.i.am, and nonprofit organizations Oxfam, GCAP, Save the Children and Comic Relief are launching "In My Name," a global effort to raise awareness around these goals -- and to give you the opportunity to tell your leaders to do more. See Will's message on the project here:



Bono, John Legend, Scarlett Johansson, Fergie and others are joining Will to speak out about the importance of achieving these goals. But world leaders also need to hear from you.

From now through November 1, visit www.youtube.com/inmyname to upload a video stating your name, your home country, and your simple message to your government about the need to meet the MDGs. Be as creative, compelling, simple, or wordy as you like -- this is your chance to join the video petition to end world hunger.

At the end of the program on November 1, a mash-up of the most powerful submissions from around the world will be broadcast directly to global leaders at the United Nations General Assembly, as proof that global citizens are holding them to their commitment to create a better world for everyone.

You can make a difference in the fight against poverty -- all it takes is your name.

You Choose '08 Spotlight: Udall vs. Pearce

Next up in the You Choose '08 Spotlight are Tom Udall and Steve Pearce in the New Mexico Senate race. It's a hot one down there... hear more from Olivia, then submit your question by SEPTEMBER 29th.

You Choose '08: Monday Hotlist

McCain and Obama's latest ads, a military wife throws her support toward McCain, Barely Political breaks out the age card, and a ninety-two year old great-grandmother explains why she’s voting for Obama. Here’s the week Monday Hotlist.

Foundation (johnmccaindotcom)




Blueprint for Change: Economy (barackobamadotcom)




Dear Mr Obama: from a Military Wife (quietvideo)




John McCain's Age Card (barelypolitical)




Great Grandmother for Obama and Biden (BubbesForObama)

Citizentube Friday Five

Nader gets philosophical, Lisa Nova does Palin, two comedians sing about the economic crisis, and those 527 groups come out swinging. Here’s this week’s Friday Five.

The Economic Meltdown Song 08 (w/Free mp3!!) (RhettandLink)



Topical (and humorous) song about the recent economic meltdown.


To Be or Not to Be: Ralph Nader Confides in Cardozo the Parrot (votenader08)



Nader reflects on what he should do to get more media attention.


Sarah Palin Exclusive Interview with Charles Gibson on ABC!! (LisaNova)



Sarah Palin (aka Lisa Nova) does an exclusive interview with Charlie Gibson.


BornAliveTruth.org Gianna ad (BornAliveTruthInfo)



Ad from BornAliveTruth.org targeted at Barack Obama.


My Friends (karinmoveon)



Ad from MoveOn.Org targeted at John McCain.

Nader Collaborating with YouTube Celebs to raise awareness

Ralph Nader's campaign took a page out of the Mike Gravel YouTube playbook this week, in launching a series of collab videos with YouTube Celebrities. He's done interviews with 3 different YouTube stars - Davis Fleetwood, Red State Update, and Renetto. It's all a part of his strategy to raise more awareness for his campaign via alternative media sources, the campaign tells Citizentube.

"By interacting directly with various internet personalities we hope not only to familiarize our campaign with a wider audience, but to give more legitimacy to this alternative medium." said John Harrison, who works for the campaign. "The Nader/Gonzalez campaign believes that you can't have democracy without a democratic media, and so we embrace the potential of YouTube to change the political discourse in this country."

All three interviews were shot by the campaign but edited by the YouTube personalities and uploaded to their personal accounts. Here they are:



And the campaign isn't done - future interviews, John tells us, will be released with Barely Political (creators of the Obama Girl) and Representative Press.