February 3, 2010

We live in a world that increasingly demands more dialogue than monologue. President Obama’s January 29th question-and-answer session with Republican leaders gave the public a remarkable window into the state of our union and governing process. It was riveting and educational. The exchanges were substantive, civil and candid. And in a rare break from our modern politics, sharp differences between elected leaders were on full public display without rancor or ridicule.

This was one of the best national political debates in many years. Citizens who watched the event were impressed, by many accounts. Journalists and commentators immediately responded by continuing the conversation of the ideas put forward by the president and his opponents — even the cable news cycle was disrupted for a day.

America could use more of this — an unfettered and public airing of political differences by our elected representatives. So we call on President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader John Boehner to hold these sessions regularly — and allow them to be broadcast and webcast live and without commercial interruption, sponsorship or intermediaries. We also urge the President and the Republican Senate caucus to follow suit. And we ask the President and the House and Senate caucuses of his own party to consider mounting similar direct question-and-answer sessions. We will ask future Presidents and Congresses to do the same.

It is time to make Question Time a regular feature of our democracy.

Please join us by signing the Demand Question Time petition.

Kate Albright-Hanna, Director of Online Video, Obama ‘08
David All, President, David All Group
David Almacy, White House Internet Director, 2005-2007
John Amato, Blogger, Crooks & Liars
Jerome Armstrong, Blogger, MyDD.com
Michael Bassik, Former Chief Digital Officer of Air America; SVP at Global Strategy Group
Ralph Benko, author, The Websters’ Dictionary: How to Use the Web to Transform the World
L. Brent Bozell III, Founder and President, Media Research Center
Cheryl Contee, Co-founder, Jack & Jill Politics
Marc Cooper, Director, Annenberg Digital News, USC
David Corn**, Washington Bureau Chief, Mother Jones, and columnist, PoliticsDaily.com
Ana Marie Cox, Founding editor of Wonkette
Susan Crawford, University of Michigan; former staff member, National Economic Council
Soren Dayton, New Media Strategies
Chuck Defeo, President & CEO, Connell Donatelli
Esther Dyson, chairman, EDventure Holdings; director, Sunlight Foundation
Allison Fine, Senior fellow, Demos
Mindy Finn**, Republican political consultant, co-founder, Engage
Todd Gitlin, Columbia University
Scott Heiferman, Founder and CEO, Meetup
Jon Henke**, Arts & Labs
Chris Hughes, Coordinator of Online Organizing, Obama ‘08
Andrew Keen, Author and entrepreneur
Phil Kerpen, Vice President, Policy; Americans for Prosperity
James Kotecki, Videoblogger, YouTube.com/EmergencyCheese
Dave Kralik, Former director of internet strategy for Newt Gingrich’s American Solutions
Liz Mair, VP of Hynes Communications, former RNC Online Communications Director
Mark McKinnon, Former media advisor to President Bush
Ari Melber, Net movement correspondent, The Nation
Mike Moffo**, VP at SS+K
David Moore, Director, OpenCongress.org
Ed Morrissey, Blogger, HotAir.com
Markos Moulitsas, Blogger, DailyKos
Craig Newmark, Founder and consumer service representative, Craigslist
Phil Noble, Founder, PoliticsOnline.com
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
Pierre Omidyar, Founder, eBay
Tim O’Reilly, Founder & CEO O’Reilly Media
Eli Pariser, President of MoveOn.org
James Pinkerton, Fellow, New America Foundation
Harold Pollack, University of Chicago
Bill Press, Bill Press Radio Show
Andrew Rasiej, Founder, Personal Democracy Forum
Glenn Reynolds**, Blogger, Instapundit
Jay Rosen, NYU
James Rucker, Executive Director, Color of Change
Patrick Ruffini, Republican consultant, former Republican National Committee eCampaign Director
Leslie Sanchez, Author and Republican strategist
Clay Shirky, New York University
Nate Silver, Blogger, Fivethirtyeight.com
David L. Sifry, Founder of Technorati, CEO of Offbeat Guides
Micah L. Sifry**, Editor, techPresident.com
Jacob Soboroff, Executive Director, Why Tuesday?
Pam Spaulding, Blogger, Pam’s House Blend
Zephyr Teachout, Fordham University
Richard Thaler, University of Chicago
Baratunde Thurston, Co-founder, Jack & Jill Politics
Mike Turk, Former e-Campaign Director, Bush-Cheney ‘04 and former RNC e-Campaign Director
Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor, The Nation
Jimmy Wales, Founder, Wikipedia
Michael Wesch, Kansas State University

**Steering Committee