WASHINGTON (AFP) — Democratic 2008 presidential hopefuls parried unusual questions about flatulent cows and "spoiled brat" voters, as well as Iraq and health care, in the first exclusively online campaign "debate."
The "mashup" forum hosted by Yahoo! in partnership with the blog Huffington Post and online magazine Slate, allowed voters to compare responses to similiar questions on burning issues, posed by talk-show host Charlie Rose.
The latest in a seemingly endless series of forums and debates in the gruelling 2008 race, the online showdown was intended to bring candidates closer than ever before to voters.
Hopefuls including front-runner Senator Hillary Clinton and her top rival Barack Obama took the chance to flay the Bush administration on its Iraq war strategy and to lay out pesonal education and healthcare policies.
Their responses were filmed from various locations on the campaign trail on Wednesday, before being posted online on Thursday.
Among highlights of the serious issue questions, Clinton defended her decision to accept campaign financing from lobbyists, and while Obama called for a withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq.
But the most entertaining segments of the "mashup" came in wildcard questions posed by hard-hitting comedian Bill Maher.
Jabbing Clinton on Iraq, and her vote to authorize war in 2002, Maher asked : "Why should Americans vote for someone who could be fooled by George Bush?"
Clinton laughed off the question saying "it's a little bit more complicated than that," before launching into her explanation for a vote which has exposed her to attacks from the Democratic party's anti-war left.
One of her rivals, John Edwards, was asked by Maher to comment on the impact of methane gas produced by cows on global warming.
Long-shot Democratic candidate Mike Gravel faced a question about surveys that said Americans were becoming fatter and less intellectually able than in previous generations.
"I have no problem saying that." he replied.
Maher, who hosts a politically-themed show on cable channel HBO, also tried to tempt New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson into political suicide, by asking him whether voters were "spoiled brats."
Richardson navigated the minefield, complimenting voters in the states of Iowa and New Hampshire -- which not coincidentally hold early party nominating contests next year -- on their discriminating evaluation of the field.
Organizers of the debate have also asked Republicans to take part in a similar forum, billed as the next step in the evolution of televised presidential debates, but said Democrats had the first shot, as they replied first.
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