YouTube Fraidycats?

Sounds like some of the Republican presidential candidates are going to pass on the next YouTube debate unless they change their minds, apparently afraid of bad folk singers and talking snowmen.

I think it is a bad idea, just as I thought Democrats were wrong to bail on the Fox-sponsored debate just because it was sponsored by Fox. Was it Roger Ailes who said something to the effect that if they can’t take questions from Fox, how could they expecte to stand up to Al Qaeda?

I wouldn’t go that far but, so what if CNN finds some tough questions among the vox populi,com for Republicans or if some of the questions seem a little goofy. I disagree that it somehow lowers the tone, given how low some politicians can go in sticking money in freezers or covering the trails of their earmarks or patronizing madams.

Some of the YouTube questions in the Democatic debate were compelling, with the addition of real people with real problems.

No, that doesn’t mean that all debates should be given over to what was also a promotional vehicle for YouTube and an attempt by CNN to skew hipper and younger. But dodging them with the suggestion they lower the tone of politics is both humorous on its face and a big stone that some glass-house-occupying legislators don’t need to be throwing.