I'm going to join what seems like an insta- consensus that the YouTube format worked nicely. Sure it was gimmicky and frivolous at times. But the unpredictable variety was far more appealing than the usual Brokaw-Blitzer-etc drone. And while debates have long featured questions from "ordinary voters," the video format lets people be more relaxed and articulate. It also makes for fascinating settings--in a church, with a lesbian partner, with a disabled mother--which reminded us of the almost unfathomably vast and diverse country beyond the strange artifice of the debate hall. This non-professional quality also made for more human moments onstage, I thought. I liked Obama's crack about how his trouble hailing cabs in New York should put to rest questions about whether he's black enough. I was dazzled by Hillary's response--both thoughtful and politically astute--to a question about the meaning of liberalism, in which she concluded that she'd like to be called a "modern progressive." (I was certain she would offer the usual BS about rejecting "labels.") And Joe Biden's cracks about the mental health of a man who appeared with a massive assault rifle was really funny--one of Biden's best moments. (John Edwards once again oddly failed to break through for me. I can't put my finger on why but somehow he seems to be saying smart things in ways that don't really stir me. Likewise, Chris Dodd just never seems to move past being a senator to being a real person in these events.) But the one who stood out was Hillary. She shows really impressive poise and confidence, and didn't lose her stride even in the face of offbeat questions about her gender and voter fatigue with the Clinton and Bush families. I also particularly liked her answer about nuclear power: She explained that nuclear has promise that is hard to tap for reasons of cost and waste--but that instead of writing it off (as John Edwards seemed to) we should redouble technological efforts to address those problems. As for substance, well, did I miss something new? It does seem that Barack Obama inadvisably indicated he would "be willing" to meet one-on-one with the leaders of Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria and Venezuala during his first year in office. But that's not the same as promising that he definitely would meet with them. And anyway, if you listen to his complete answer it's clear that he was really thinking about Iran and Syria. And don't overlook that John Edwards firmly answered the question the same way. Bottom line: Great night for Hillary. And I'm looking forward to the GOP version of this. --Michael Crowley