On the cnn page you link to; Edwards' name is writen 7 times, Clinton 7 times, Obama, Richardson and Dodd 3 times each (but there's also an additional link to a story about The Big O). Meanwhile, Kucinich surpisingly gets mentioned twice, same amount as Richardson.

And here's my point:

Gravel gets only one mention. Gravel isn't even in the photo of the candidates on the page. And during the debate, even though Anderson insisted everyone gets equal time, Gravel only got to speak for 4min10sec.

See the talk clock:
http://action.chrisdodd.com/t/41/signUp.jsp?key=1478

http://www.gravel2008.us/
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"what would happen if the government started subsidizing different things."

Like if they stopped pushing for high fructose corn syrup.... that would be sweet.
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"Is cola a killer?"

Some more than others.
http://killercoke.org/

Sent by Brian | 5:35 PM ET | 07-24-2007

While Gravel is entertaining, he is also -- how can I most delicately put this? -- nucking futz. So while there would be a certain trainwreck's worth of entertainment by watching him respond to a question by staring into the camera for a full minute and then dropping a stone into a pond, I would prefer that time go to someone who may be less practiced in Zen koans, but has a chance of actually winning the nomination.

Sent by Stewart | 5:55 PM ET | 07-24-2007

AP Photo / Charles Dharapak

I really enjoyed the CNN/YouTube debate last night. YouTube is a very informal service in that it allows anyone (cats and dogs) to open up from the confines of their own home. Most of the candidates were like that last night. After watching the debate, I found myself wanting to know more about the lives of the eight contenders. I don't know what it was about last night, but perhaps hearing stories directly from the voters sparked an interest among the candidates to reveal more about themselves.

When the candidates were asked how they travelled to the debate, many responded that they flew. However, former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) was the only one to come to Charleston by way of train. I got the impression that he did this to be more enviromentally friendly since the question previously posed dealt with global warming. While his intetions to ride the train might be environmental, I thought it was odd for a Presidential Candidate to be taking public transportation. Another possible reason might be financial. As the lowest fundraiser among the Democrats, it was interesting that Gravel is the only candidate to travel in this way. It's possible that his campaign at this point in the race cannot afford to travel any other way.

U.S. Senator Joseph Biden (D-Delaware) briefly commented about the death of his first wife and daughter back in the '60s. I looked up Biden's story, and found that his wife and daughter were in a fatal car crash that injured the Biden's two other children. Biden stayed by his two children as they recovered, and he was even sworn into office for his first term from their bedside.

The last part of the debate that I particularly enjoyed was when each candidate had to say something nice about the candidate next to them. Out of all the candidates, Clinton was the only one to praise all of her opponents as "ready the lead the change that America so desperately needs." It's great to be a team player in politics, but it would have been nice to actually hear what she had say about Barack Obama instead of brushing him off as an exceptional Democrat. After all, the two have been in the senate for the past couple years, and they have been running for president for the past several months. She obviously knows him well enough to say something positive that only applies to him. Plus there is also this speculation that if Clinton gets the nomination, Obama will be her running mate. We ought to know more about her thoughts on Obama as...well, a person. Check out that portion of the debate here.

On a side note, a lot of people who use YouTube have no idea what is going on in the world of politics. This debate was a great way to draw younger people into the political agenda. boo ya.

Sent by Sean Powers | 6:44 PM ET | 07-24-2007

When I first saw the news here that Drew Carey was the new Price is Right host, I honestly thought it was a gag. It still boggles the mind to try to picture the demographic they're going after.

With respect to diet soda being no better in terms of heart disease risk, I think we've all seen a lot of people who order things like a triple cheeseburger and large fries with a diet soda, perhaps on the assumption that the one cancels the others out. I've seen the same with fat free snacks and chips made with Olestra rather than real fat. Perhaps these people think a lack of fat or sugar makes it ok to eat enough to feed a family of four. I doubt it has anything at all to do with the diet soda and everything to do with whatever else the people in the study were eating.

Sent by Sioux | 7:00 PM ET | 07-24-2007

Imagine how much dumber the debate would have been if hosted by the Mad Doctor Sanjay Gutpa; not that Anderson Vanderbilt Cooper, Esq. was much of moderator.

There were 2 lame-o questions. The last one was a waste of time; shallow. And the thing about Gore. He's not running; let's all get over it.

Some pundits and talking heads and media types are complaining the debate wasn't funny enough. USA! USA! USA!

And actually a Republican stratagist on the Situation Room said that their debate would have plenty of laughs and one-liners. USA! USA! USA!

Our democracy is becoming a joke.

(Doesn't matter anyway, CNN and the media elite have already chosen Hillary to be the next Glorious Leader. And the public is taking the salespitch.)

Since we've got our addiction to war and love of comedy, we should rename our country _The Boom Boom Comedy Hour_.
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"I would prefer that time go to someone who may be less practiced in Zen koans, but has a chance of actually winning the nomination."

You think he's a loon, that's your opinion. But CNN should not be deciding who is a worthy candidate and who isn't. Turner, Anderson Cooper and the rest of that gang of numbskulls don't have the right to play kingmaker. Nor does anyone else in the media.

The only reason the top 3 candidates have their place is because they get more airtime. Then becuase they are on tv so much, voters think they must be the best, so they answer as such on the polls. Then the media continues to talk about their chosen top 3 using the polls as reinforcement that they are covering who the public wants to see.

It should be equal time for all the candidates. Especially in a debate. Especially when snide Anderson Vanderbilt Cooper insists he is moderating fairly.
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"I thought it was odd for a Presidential Candidate to be taking public transportation."

Americans are trained to think that actually trying to live what you believe is odd.

It was different, but it shouldn't be. We should expect our politicians to come out of their bizarro world and live and move around with the general populace.
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Us younger adults have a moral obligation to act for change. Our country can't sustain the idiocy the (majority of) babyboomers have turned this nation into. What is seen as fringe to the old fogeys needs to be accepted as mainstream to us.

There's still a bit to go until the primary. Please don't just give up the ghost and go with who Anderson Cooper or Wolf Blitzer want you to love.

Nor should one just disregard new or fringe ideas as nutty just becuase they are different. Look what status quo has gotten us. We need massive change.

Sent by Brian | 10:00 PM ET | 07-24-2007

Regarding the Farm Bill... the nonprofit environmental group, Environmental Defense is doing a lot of work in this area, check out http://environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=103 and Scott Faber the campaign director at ED could talk about its impact on consumers...

Sent by Elyse (e) | 12:00 PM ET | 07-25-2007

That's so cute that you think I'm a baby boomer (born in the heart of Gen X, thanks) who's for Hilary (leaning Edwards, possibly Obama, wish Feingold were running) and gets his news from CNN (haven't watched in years: NPR, BBC World Service, the Boston Globe, Countdown and the net serve my news functions). For someone so riled up for change, you sure do have a large set of preconceived notions.

I am not for Mike Gravel because Mike Gravel is an old man who is out of his mind. I've already lived through that with eight years of Reagan: I don't need to rubberneck that trainwreck again.

Sent by Stewart | 12:52 PM ET | 07-25-2007

I'd love to hear more about the meningitis bit. There's a lot swirling around this peg right now.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently broadened the recommendation for the meningitis vaccine (from 15- to 18-year-olds) to 11- to 18-year-olds (as covered by NPR's Linda Wertheimer). But there seems to be more behind vaccination recommendations than meets the eye.

For starters, from listening to Wertheimer's report, you get the impression that the reason the vaccine is suggested for a wider age group now is purely because it's "different" and "better," giving "longer lasting immunity" than the former one.

But the Associated Press makes it clear that (instead) in fact the vaccine's recent abundance permits expanding the recommended age group to include preteens.

We consumers tend to blithely soak up all health recommendations that popular media presents us. BPP could thankfully fill a real information gap by going in depth about other factors, beyond straight medical advice, that precede a vaccine announcement like this one.

Another more political point suggests that something as uncomfortable as U.S.-Cuban relations might determine which vaccines the experts herald. I'd be impressed with BPP for addressing this story. As reported in the UK almost two weeks ago, there is no Meningitis B vaccine. Another UK report from last month, however, states: "Cuba has developed the world's first Meningitis B vaccine which is available in Third World countries, but not in Europe or the United States due to US sanctions." On the American front, the CDC website indeed makes a point to emphasize, not what vaccines exist, but rather what vaccines are available in the U.S.

This is fascinating stuff, BPP, and if you could clear up this contradiction, you'd be offering some creative and intelligent journalism that I'm not finding elsewhere.

I'm sure the angels who convened in Houston today would
love to put their two cents in about the fact that, not consumers' well-being, but rather supply fuels and sanctions halt our access to and education about preventive treatments for tragic, crippling and fatal meningitis. Expert Grace Lee who was mentioned by the Associated Press no doubt has a lot more to say about "decision-making regarding vaccine policy." Let's hear it.

Sent by Helen Ivor-Smith | 9:08 PM ET | 07-25-2007

"That's so cute that you think I'm a baby boomer"

Actually for the record, I didn't say you were a babyboomer. I just said that generation made a lot of mistakes, and I said that in a completely isolated paragrpah from my reply to you. I didn't make any attempt to guess your age at all. Nor did I suggest you were for Hill, or anyone. I said the public (I meant to say general public, but forgot the word general) is buying into her, and it's true in general as she is taking the lead. And I didn't say you watched CNN. I just made the argument that while you (or any individual for that matter) may have biases for or against candidates, CNN (or any true news outlet for that matter) doesn't have the right to.

Why so catty, buddy? Let's keep the BPP a friendly place, eh? Obviously, there was a misunderstanding - only a tiny tiny portion of what I wrote was in reply to you, and it wasn't condescending ("thats so cute") at all. I hope I cleared it up. :)

Sent by Brian | 11:23 PM ET | 07-25-2007

Now now, let's keep it civil here. We want a free exchange of ideas, but this isn't a place for personal attacks. Everyone play nice.

Sent by Dan Pashman | 3:27 PM ET | 07-26-2007

all in good fun :D

Sent by Sean Powers | 7:12 PM ET | 07-26-2007