The youtube component definitely brought a different dynamic to the debate - much harder to tell off an American citizen than to disagree with the panel moderator. This debate was also much much more interesting than the ones that preceded it - my roommates who are thoroughly uninterested in politics were engaged the whole way through - and it was nice to see a more candid side of the candidates every now and then. Unfortunately, most of the debate was filled with the same old talking points. Questions were dodged just as easily and political grandstanding seemed to be the theme of the night.

Sad for me though: Gravel's jabs at the mainstream candidates lost some of their bite tonight. People never took him seriously as a candidate but at least they respected his efforts to keep candidates honest. Last night, though, he sorta faded into the oblivion of ranting old manness.