Political Discourse and Digital Media

I know BGA started a thread a while back regarding the impact of digital media on the Internet (e.g. YouTube) on the current election cycle, the Obama campaign, etc. Here's an interesting NYT article on the YouTube video of an Obama supporter, Derrick Ashong, who is about as well-informed as anyone in the country. Kudos to DNA; this is the kind of story that inspires the patriot in me. God bless America!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/business/media/17carr.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kica8hmSdAM (Ashong's man-in-the-street response. Well done!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2zO5d-XZWA&feature=related (Ashong's follow-up)

I'm still debating whether to open up our blog to the rest of Google users or the entire Internet. It would be wonderful to get a numerous variety of responses across the political spectrum from people like Ashong, but I'm not interested in quick, one-off, infrahumanizing shots that would inevitably get injected into our conversations. However, I'm not opposed to any of you inviting someone you know well who would take the time to be involved in our discussions. I definitely would like more conservative views represented.