Remember when Democratic Presidential candidates refused to participate in a Fox News sponsored debate because they feared Brit Hume might be rough on them...

Thankfully, Republican candidates don't exhibit the same cowardice: they agreed to attend a CNN debate, held last night and moderated by the not so moderate Anderson Cooper.

As details about the debate, cosponsored by YouTube, emerge we should all be a little saddened by the failure of CNN to actually manage it's debate.

Remember: this is a debate amongst Republican candidates who are each attempting to convince Republican primary voters that he will best represent the Republican Party in the general election next November. A logical conclusion: questions should come from concerned Republican voters trying to gather information they need to make decisions going into the primary season.

CNN knew better: Democratic questioners would better steer the debate towards Democratic issues...

As Michell Malkin has now pointed out (click here to read article) several of the questioners were closeted (at least last night) Democrats. When a former Brigadier General uses his title to influence perception of him, he shouldn't be so cowardly as to hide his affiliation with Hillary Clinton. Likewise the Log Cabin Republican hid his support of Obama. The list seems to go on and on.

Anderson Cooper would like, I think, to be taken seriously. His efforts last night did not serve him well.

Next fall, when each party has a nominee for President, I hope the debates citizens see will challenge the participants with questions from a broad spectrum of likely voters. If CNN runs the show, this outcome is clearly not likely.