Mashable asks the questions that need to be asked about tonights YouTube CNN debates.

It starts tonight: the CNN/YouTube sponsored Democratic debate in which all the questions come from YouTube users, sent in via video (video above).

Being held in Charleston, SC, the debate will play host to a large screen on which the candidates will see questions from those YouTube users selected by CNN (out of more than 2000 questions). The debate begins on CNN at 7pm, and while it won’t be live on YouTube, you can bet someone will upload the CNN footage soon after. The Republican debate will follow on September 17th.

There’s much debate in the mainstream media today over whether this is a new phase for democracy, or just the same old “email your questions” wrapped up in a different package. Your thoughts?

A neat idea, for sure. But is this really anything better or different? What it have been better if somehow we let our citizens choose the questions… Not CNN? Perhaps.