Obama, McCain Back Public Re-use Of Debate Footage

Sens Barack Obama (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) are urging the TV networks and Presidential Debate Commission to allow debate footage to be distributed and used freely on the Internet and to allow the public more input on debate questions. The Open Debate Coalition, comprising groups from both sides of the political spectrum, had asked the presidential candidates in letters last week to pledge to hold more Internet-friendly debates, including requiring media companies to release rights to video footage. That includes ground rules that media companies make debate video freely available for sharing, blogging and posting. Coalition members include craigslist founder Craig Newmark, David Kralik of Newt Gingrich's American Solutions, Eli Pariser of MoveOn.org, Republican strategist Mandy Finn, Arianna Huffington and Josh Silver of Free Press.