I liked the format. As in any debate, the problem is trying to get politicians to actually answer the questions.

Facing an unusual series of video-recorded questions from Americans - by turns toughly worded, highly emotional, and simply offbeat - the eight Democratic presidential candidates sparred tonight over race, gay marriage, Darfur and troops in Iraq, while also still finding ways to trade the verbal jabs that typify traditional debates.

The televised debate was unusual from the start: A man speaking on a homemade video - and not the usual television anchorman - opened the forum, sponsored by CNN and the video’sharing Web site YouTube, by imploring the candidates to answer directly and not “beat around the bush” - the last word delivered as a play on President Bush’s surname.

At times the candidates were direct: Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio castigated his fellow Democrats for keeping troops in Iraq, saying it was because of politics and fear, while Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware said of children in Darfur, “Those kids will be dead by the time the diplomacy is over.” Some candidates, like Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Mr. Kucinich, used the word “you” repeatedly - a popular phrase in the YouTube universe - to refer to American voters and to the people asking the questions by videotape.

More at the New York Times