Questions Are Stories Too

The big story last night was the change in format of the YouTube-CNN Democratic Debate.  One reason political debates have become “must miss TV” is that the pundits asking the questions, and the politicians answering them share the same inside-the-beltway point of view. Their interchange is adversarial without being emotional. In story terms that is the worst of both worlds. By allowing real people to send in video clips and ask the candidates for help in solving the real problems they are confronting, CNN changed all that and gave us great TV. Take question 18 when “Gary”, standing in front of three glass enclosed flags (the type given to families after a military funeral) told us that those flags had been on the coffins of grandfather, father and oldest son, that his own flag would be joining them someday, but that he didn’t want his youngest son to continue that military tradition. He wanted to know how long each candidate would keep troops in Iraq. We have heard that question many, many times before, but this time stands out because of the emotions it contained. By asking it, Gary becomes my hero – my way into the story his question contains, and so, I too demand a real answer In the new YouTube world of instant video politics, any candidate who isn’t listening for the story inside the question is missing the point. They do so at great political peril.