A New Generation of Politics and Voters

By David Brody

CBN News

July 23, 2007

CBNNews.com - Tonight in Charleston, South Carolina, the democratic presidential candidates will participate in another debate. But this one will be different. It will be the first debate sponsored by YouTube, the online video giant that is making a huge impact on politics across the country.

This election season is not just playing out on the campaign trail. It's playing out right on your home computer.

The online video giant YouTube.com is a force to be reckoned with. Presidential candidates have their own home pages where you can check out their latest speeches or greetings.

Robert Novak has watched politics go from the first presidential debate on television to YouTube on the Internet. He has been a newspaperman, political columnist, and a television commentator in Washington since 1957. Now he's written a book about his extraordinary career called "The Prince ofDdarkness." Be sure to watch Pat Robertson's interview with Novak at the end of David Brody's report.

Note the John Edwards' clip that YouTube got a hold of. Edwards and a hairdresser are preparing him for an appearance, and as his hair is being combed and fluffed, a recording of "I Feel Pretty" is playing in the background.

In a word, YouTube is "huge." More than 100 million videos are viewed every day. Roughly 60 percent of young people 18 to 29 have watched YouTube videos.

The company generates $10 billion a year. YouTube videos are so popular that they account for 60 percent of the online video market.

To put that in perspective, the next 64 online video sites combined make up just 30 percent of the market. So when you're on YouTube, you have the potential to be a star.

But any mistake along the campaign trail could cost you dearly. Just ask former Senator George Allen.

At a campaign rally in Virginia last year, Allen made a slang reference to a volunteer for Democrat James Webb.

"Let's give a welcome to macacca here," he said. Allen's campaign nose-dived after the clip made him an unwanted YouTube celebrity.

There's no doubt that YouTube has shaken up the political world. But there's one guy who has taken it to another level. The candidates are now coming to him.

James Kotecki goes by the name "Emergency Cheese" online. His Web site was featured on YouTube and thus, an online star is born: "Hi everybody. I'm James."

He's so popular, in fact, that some candidates like Dennis Kucinich are interacting with him, for all of America to see.

And Republican candidate Ron Paul even stopped by Kotecki's dorm room for a chat: "Congressman Ron Paul. Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you," Kotecki said.

Kotecki's now a blogger, journalist and has become a nationally known YouTube expert.

He said, "It really is changing the game. It's shaking up how politicians communicate the message to the voters."

"In terms of politics, YouTube has been working very hard to make itself a premiere source for political videos," Kotecki added.

Some of these political videos have made waves such as the provocative, "I've got a crush on Obama" video that became a national sensation.

On the Internet, anything goes, so even though candidates have their own YouTube home pages, trying to control your message is not predictable.

Kotecki said, "That's certainly part of the double-edged sword of YouTube. If anybody can create, then people who don't like you are going to create content. People who like you are going to create content too, and you can create content of your own."

So as candidates try and navigate the potentially exciting but shark-infested waters of YouTube, Kotecki has some advice: Visit often, don't be a one-hit wonder, and just be yourself.

He said, "If you look sincere and if you look like a politician who really does want to engage with people, I mean, that in itself is a novelty."

But candidates, beware. Your enemies are lurking and could try to make fun of you in an instant.

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