From Iraq to haircuts in YouTube debate
Updated on 24 July 2007
Presidential hopefuls from the Democratic party responded to an array of questions submitted via YouTube videos in the first debate of its kind in US politics.
Issues from global warming to the cost of senator John Edwards haircut were covered during the CNN/YouTube event. Over 2,000 questions were submitted, of which 30 were featured during the programme.
A voter named Chris opened the debate with a barb aimed at the entire eight-candidate field: "Can you as politicians ... actually answer questions rather than beat around the bush?"
In the ensuing discussion, New York senator Hillary Clinton - the only woman in the presidential race - was asked whether muslim leaders in the middle east would negotiate with a female leader.
She said: "There isn't much doubt in anyone's mind that I can be taken seriously.
"I couldn't run as anything other than a woman. I'm excited that I may be able finally to break that hardest of all glass ceilings.
On Iraq, a questioner asked why the Democrats hadn't accelerated the withdrawal of troops after winning power in the senate in the 2006 mid-terms. Ohio senator Dennis Kucinich said cutting war funding was politically risky.
"Yes, it is politics. The Democrats have failed the American people."
On a lighter note senator Edwards was asked to defend a $400 haircut. Edwards used a video of his own in response. A montage of photos from Iraq and Hurricane Katrina were shown over the soundtrack from the musical 'Hair'. The piece closed with the words: "What Really Matters? You Choose".
