The problem is not with using the internet to gather and  select questions from "real people" it's setting it up so people are selected basis on gimmicks than substance.

  I'd suggest CNN do away with the recorded video aspect and invite people to submit written questions and a brief bio and exposition explaining why that question is important to them. Then after selecting the people,  put them on the air live to ask the questions. This would both allow for follow-up and would make people less likely to think silliness is the ticket to 15 minutes of fame.

While we're on the subject of the internet, what drives me crazy about criticisms based SOLELY on this by now shopworn vision of [the computer age} is that they only happen when some doofus wants conveniently to avoid addressing content. They also get tossed out by people who use computers and the internet every day. Yeesh.

I'm sure some idiot in the Gutenberg age scoffed at information that appeared in a book -- using, of course, as dunderheaded a pronunciation of the "new" word book as was possible without narrowing the scope of the stupid 'ad medium' criticism.

Hey, Romney may be right, I can say, I didn't see it, but who is Mitt to talk, he went to CPAC and specifically kissed up to Ann Coulter (9/11 victim basher).  Atleast McCain declined to appear at CPAC.