Dem debate attracts 2.6 million viewers

The melting snowman, Tennessee rednecks and the novelty of the CNN-YouTube Democratic debate attracted 2.6 million television viewers, a slight drop from the numbers who tuned in for a more traditional exchange last month.

While the debate Monday stretched the boundaries of traditional political broadcasts, a previous CNN debate of the Democratic candidates on June 3 attracted 2.8 million viewers. A MSNBC televised debate on April 26 attracted 2.3 million.

CNN reported getting 45.5 million page views on its Web site and said its television audience among 18-34 year-olds totaled 407,000, highest ever for cable news programing.

Steve Grove, head of news and politics for YouTube, said Monday's debate "differs markedly from the typical town hall format _ it makes the town hall the world" in which anyone anywhere can participate.

"I think this debate represents a truly evolutionary moment in politics," Grove said, noting that the video format gave questioners time to think through how best to present their question without the stage fright that sometimes afflicts town hall questioners.

Some advocates said the YouTube-CNN debate in which ordinary people got to ask questions by submitting personal videos deserves an 'A' for effort and a 'C' for innovation _ it tried hard to push the envelope, but only partially succeeded and could have done much more.

"It looked to me to be similar to other debates we've seen _ town-hall formats where ordinary people ask questions," said Ian Bogost, assistant professor of digital media at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

A melting snowman might inject humor, but so did a female questioner during a 1992 MTV town hall-style debate who asked Bill Clinton whether he wore boxers or briefs, Bogost noted.

YouTube has already left it's mark on the 2008 presidential race:

_ Since the launch of YouTube's "You Choose '08" program in March, the presidential candidates have contributed approximately 1,200 videos that have been viewed 13 million times.

_ Five presidential candidates posted videos on YouTube at the same time they announced their candidacies: Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and Bill Richardson, and Republican Sam Brownback.