This morning, the Commission on Presidential Debates and MySpace are announcing "MyDebates.org,," a "landmark partnership" that they claim "will do for the debates what TV did in 1960 for the Nixon Kennedy election." Their joint press release says this new site "will offer a host of interactive tools for viewers to virally engage in the political process." The release notes that "marks the first time that the CPD has paired with an Internet property to include online functionality into the event series and traditional debate format." Unfortunately, the CPD's landmark is little more than a shack. At best.

This morning, the Commission on Presidential Debates and MySpace are announcing "MyDebates.org,," a "landmark partnership" that they claim "will do for the debates what TV did in 1960 for the Nixon Kennedy election." Their joint press release says this new site "will offer a host of interactive tools for viewers to virally engage in the political process." The release notes that "marks the first time that the CPD has paired with an Internet property to include online functionality into the event series and traditional debate format." Unfortunately, the CPD's landmark is little more than a shack. At best.

New York Times TV critic Alessandra Stanley writes that "Debates give candidates a chance to break loose of YouTube-ification and speak for themselves at length." She couldn't be more wrong about YouTube.

A new site does a great job of illustrating the candidates' health care positions; progressive liveblogging during the Michigan primary; the Caucus Calculator is updated for Nevada; why aren't the Republicans using the web to get out the vote in Michigan?; John Edwards once again teams up with Eventful; Dennis Kucinich successfully sues MSNBC, will attend the Nevada debate; and a new report says that most Congressional website are plain awful.

More on the CNN/YouTube debate: Save the Debate wants CNN out of the YouTube debate process; Factcheck.org finds a smattering of truth-bending among the candidates; IPDI gets their criticism on; regardless of criticism, the debate was the the most-watched of the season; gay advocates are compiling a list of Giuliani's pro-gay efforts; our own Micah Sifry and David Colarusso get interviewed; and Hillary answers questions on iVillage, doesn't break a sweat.

The Republicans finally had their YouTube debate, but it wasn't as participatory as the producers would like to think, since the public couldn't help decide which videos to show; in fact, only two of the forty most-viewed submissions were shown; conservatives and liberals alike are bothered that the questions were so narrow, focusing overwhelmingly on guns, immigration, and religion; and then there's the gay general, whose link to Hillary Clinton shook things up; the overwhelming opinion is that Mike Huckabee walked away with a victory; some of the candidates' teams liveblogged the event; and for something completely different, check out the New York Times' profile of ActBlue.

Getting ready for tonight's CNN/YouTube debate; it's good to see all of the Republicans participating, and the introduction of user-submitted videos is a welcome change, but we're still wishing it involved the public in the question selection process; debate executive producer David Borhman continues to be skeptical of allowing the pubic to choose the questions; UStream is becoming a significant player in online political video; James Kotecki takes a bath, guest curates YouTube's front page; the DNC announces a new video library of Republican campaign appearances; John Edwards launches a new anti-lobbyist project; and Hillary and Barack both teach their supporters how to caucus.

The CNN/YouTube debate nears, and Billiam the snowman rears his frosty head; but espite about 5,000 submissions, many are focusing on a handful of questions from snowmen, unicorns, and dragons; executive producer David Bohrman is "the most direct way for people everywhere... to participate in the debates; a new Ron Paul fundraising push is set for this Friday; electiononline.org reminds us that the election season is a dreary nine months long; and an argument from the Chris Dodd campaign for his video's inclusion in tomorrow's debate.

The Republican CNN/YouTube debate is this Wednesday, and certain videos are getting "weeded out"; one writer suggests that we could be in a "banner moment for unmediated political action"; Jersey City's WFMU launches a Rudy 9/11 remix contest; pro-Hilary bloggers launch (and close) and ill-fated program to pay pro-Clinton commenters; Ron Paul beats Mike Huckabee at the "money bomb" game; another Paul haul is planned for Dec. 16; Digg lanuches a Digg the Canddiates page; Amy Schatz writes about Ron Paul supporters' aggressive tactics with the media, ensures hundreds of angry emails; the Clinton campaign gets cozy with Drudge; picking apart the candidates' email strategies; and two videos that might help you forget it's Monday.

Off The Bus and Scoop08, two citizen-journalism efforts tracking the election, get the New York Times treatment; a Republican CNN/YouTube debate is confirmed (I thought that already happened?); what is the meaning of Stephen Colbert's continued popularity on Facebook?; Why Tuesday posts some responses to its Candidate Challenge; and Barack Obama participates in the MTV/MySpace online dialogue, and does well (at least that's what this video-disabled blogger heard).