Update [2004-10-8 17:54:30 by katerina]: Here are the current Question Diaries:
Dkos Rapid Response
Questions:1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20
Kos Rapid Response team please check out this guide.
Current Kos Rapid Response team: kerry2004, Civil Sybyl, 8051FSW, PitterPatter, MarkinSanFran, Storme, and Paul Rosenberg, cfm, gryn, epistole, and ATinNM (and thanks to JumboNH for the elegant navigation strip)
Volunteers, please check back here at 8 p.m. ET/5p.m. PT for last minute suggestions, instructions, coordination, hand-holding etc. ;>
Update [2004-10-7 21:32:15 by katerina]: Thanks to those who recommended and kept this on the front page. It helps to know this is an idea people want to see happen.
I have a proposal for a Kos rapid response team for Friday's Debate. Here's how it would work:
- Ten or twelve Kossacks volunteer to cover a pair of questions, one answered by Kerry, one answered by Bush. They can sign up in the comments section of this diary. There were 18 questions asked in the 1st debate and 20 in the VP debate, so if 12 Kossacks sign up, we should be covered for up to 24 questions.
Update [2004-10-7 21:32:15 by katerina]: We have five volunteers to post question diaries so far: mej, Kerry2004, Civil Sybyl, 8051FSW, and PitterPatter. With 2 questions each, that means we're covered for the first 10 questions of the debate, but it would be great if we could get 5 more volunteers. In addition, I'd like someone to post a "Fact Check Action Alert" diary where people could post facts that need to be checked and others could indicate that they're going to look into it and later post the results of their search.
- At a specified time before the debate on Friday, say around 2 p.m. E.T., volunteers post their initial diary with the title: KRR (Kos Rapid Response) - Questions 1+2 (or whatever the appropriate number is). They use the first paragraph to explain this idea and ask readers to hotlist the diary for the debate.
- Right before the debate I post a diary that explains what we are trying to do and contains links to the diaries for each question, so everyone will have one place they can go to to reference each question in the debate. I repost that diary after the debate as well.
- During the debate, volunteers will tape (or TIVO) their two questions and also take notes. As soon as those two questions are over, they will update their diary with the question, important elements of each candidate's response, and flag any responses by Bush that seem either false or especially newsworthy or by Kerry that seem powerful or useful to spin. These will be rapid response fodder for the rest of us. If there is anything that seems like it ought to be followed up ASAP, they'll post an action item so Kossacks can respond. Also, if there is any item that seems especially noteworthy and that might be a key element in reporting the night's debate, they'll post a comment asking folks to recommend. This will insure that the most important responses/question/reaction threads will stay in front of eyeballs and also may be brought to people's attentions (and hopefully, the media's).
- If we have organized this thing right, Kossacks watching the debate will have know exactly where to look to find a good play-by-play of the entire debate, a list of things that need to be followed up ASAP, and plenty of suggestions for things to emphasize in their comments to blogs, LTEs, call-in shows, etc.
With luck, the extra organization will pay off with an even better ability by our community to insure that no lie goes unchallenged and that no important point goes ignored.