YouTube Asks, Dems Respond

Voters put questions directly to the Democratic presidential candidates last night, thanks to 3,000 citizens who submitted questions to YouTube. CNN selected and played 39 of the homemade videos, in which regular Americans—including a lesbian couple, a singer, and a snowman—created an unprecedented debate format. The candidates stayed on message, CNN reports, as the voters stole the show.

In the first debate ever to feature exclusively questions from amateurs, topics ranged from health care, US war policy, and global warming (asked by the snowman) to Iran and North Korea, Arab leaders' attitude toward women, and slavery reparations. Costumed interrogators whose questions didn't make the top 39 included people dressed as a Viking and a chicken. (More YouTube stories.)