Election 2008

Wednesday night's CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate offered a rare opportunity for "regular people" to ask questions of our elected officials without the filter of press managers and the typical high gloss of the national media machine. The only problem? The part where regular people asked questions without the filter of press managers and the typical high gloss of the national media machine.

Following any presidential debate, the question on everyone's lips is always "Who won?" We have the same question, only we're more interested in who won the prize for "Most Awkward YouTube Submission."

Ashley, San Antonio, TX: Lower college tuition rates - military families or illegals?

Thanks for inviting us into your house, Ashley. I guess one day you realized you were tired of looking at those bare walls and thought, "You guys, we need to get some art on these walls," and then you were like, "Seriously, some really good art, like a pencil sketch of the senile man responsible for hundreds of thousands of AIDS deaths."

LeeAnn Anderson, Pittsburgh, PA: How will you keep lead-laced toys out of my home?

In the Angelina Jolie era, you kind of assume that adoptive parents don't use their children as propaganda tools for their mildly racist expressions of cultural superiority, but this lady shows us there's another side we need to consider: the side that says poisoning Chinese children is fine, as long as it happens in China.

Eric Bernston, Phoenix, AZ: How many guns do you own?

If you think this guy's question is kind of tasteless and inappropriate for a national dialogue about who would be best to lead the nation during this difficult time of war, wait until you see that weird little smirk/wink/nod he gives at the end. Where does he think we are? The locker room at a steak house? The "dimly lit crazy person's workshop with exposed wiring" vibe doesn't make us feel any more comfortable.

Sam Garcia, Colorado Springs, CO: Is your campaign exploiting 9/11?

"I had a feeling my question might get on national television during a meeting of powerful lawmakers hoping to be elected President, and that's why I WORE MY NICEST SPIDER-MAN SHIRT."

Nick Anderson, Editorial Cartoonist: Should the Vice President have as much power as Cheney has had?

Have you ever wondered what actually becomes of the people who take those night classes in computer animation that get advertised on local cable? Watch this and stop wondering.

Leroy Brooks, Houston, TX: What does the Confederate flag represent?

Symbol of racism. Next question, please.

Chris Krul, Bonita Springs, FL: Yankees vs. Red Sox?

Thank God someone finally asked one of the candidates a question that actually matters. And thank you CNN for not backing down in the face of what must have been tremendous pressure from the Giuliani camp. And thank you America, for making me even more depressed than I was before watching the debate.