Oh, you just know that CNN won’t be putting this YouTube question to the candidates in the Republican debate tonight:

Chris Dodd:

I have a question about the Constitution. Many Americans are concerned that the administration seems to be making a false choice. That is, to be safer we have to give up rights. I don’t believe that; I wonder if you do. And if you believe that we ought not to give up our rights, then what would you do to protect our Constitution?

This makes me think of a great format for a three-hour debate during the primaries. Republican Party candidates, Democratic Party candidates and Third Party candidates sit, each group in a line of seats that together make a triangle so that all candidates can see one another. There’s a podium for each group, and one by one each candidate gets to rise and ask a candidate from another party a question. There’s no moderator, only a referee to ensure a very basic set of rules are followed. There’s no audience; just the three sets of candidates, who can applaud, boo, or moan, just like in the House of Commons.