Bennett declines an online debate

If Sen. Bob Bennett had accepted a new debate challenge from Democratic opponent Paul Van Dam, the two might have had to type in ALL CAPS or end sentences with a bunch of !!!!! to put extra emphasis on their statements.

That's because Van Dam wants to delve into the issues du jour with the two-term Republican senator in an Internet debate. According to the Web site printdebate.com, where the proposed chat would take place, Van Dam is the first political candidate in the country to throw down the debating gauntlet using this online print format.

But, it seems we'll never know if one of the candidates would have typed LOL in response to one of his opponent's statements. (For those non-computer-chatroom-savvy newspaper readers, LOL is a popular chat-room acronym that stands for "laugh out loud.")

Bennett, who received the invitation Monday, will have plenty of chances to talk about issues with Van Dam at locations around the state — but the cyber world will not be among them. The senator, according to spokeswoman Mary Jane Collipriest, will stick with what's already in the planning stages — debates with a mike, not a mouse.

"Based on earlier correspondence with the Van Dam campaign, we've arranged to participate in at least seven debates, and we're looking forward to the schedule," Collipriest said. "Live, unedited debates are a more valuable and candid opportunity for voters to hear candidates discuss the issues."

Van Dam likes the idea of the online debate format, because, he said, it "focuses on substance, not slogans and sound bites." With key issues such as nuclear testing, budget deficits, health-care concerns and education atop his platform priority list, he prefers "we debate the issues as often as possible, in every available forum."

This debate forum, being offered to every national-level candidate, would include four rounds, with opening and closing statements detailing initiatives and plans, interactive questions, ensuing responses and a Q&A portion with participating public.

Ron Hrebenar, political science department chairman and interim director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, called the cyber concept "fascinating," but he doubts enough voters would actually log on and follow the debate to make a difference in the election outcome.

That's not to say Internet interaction between candidates isn't on the horizon.

"Now, in five years, this may be the rage and the way instead of doing face-to-face TV debates," he said. "But at this stage, at this level, at this time, I just can't imagine that it would be significant even if it did come off."