It's presidential politics, 'American Idol' style

Move over Hillary, Rudy, and all you other presidential candidates.

There may be a popular latecomer to the 2008 presidential race.

We just don't know who it is yet.

Reality TV producer Mark Burnett and MySpace are launching an interactive political reality show -- Independent -- to find the best presidential candidate to be a voice for young America.

They're so sure it will work that they'll give the winner $1 million to spend on a presidential bid.

"We're going to discover in a big way what America really thinks and bring to light the issues that are closest to those who now finally have a chance to be heard," Burnett said in a statement. "We're going to hear in a big way what America really thinks."

So could this put a popular Texan on the presidential ballot?

Sure, said Bruce Buchanan, a government professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

"We could have another Texan on the ballot," he said. "Of course, the winner could just as well be someone from Delaware.

"If this is a way for people who have political aspirations to see if they are the most plausible, and then get a million bucks to try to get elected, what's the harm in it? If they can find talent on American Idol, why not this way, too?"

Younger Americans

Politicians have long worked to attract voters between 18 and 24, who make up the largest group of nonvoters, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

So this show, which Burnett and MySpace officials say will draw "the nation's next great politician," will try to reach out to this demographic on its own turf -- TV and the Internet.

The TV show will be paired with the social networking site. Candidates won't be holed up on an island; instead, they'll be out in public, dealing with issues, activists, supporters, detractors and more.

Through an interactive town-hall environment, participants will get feedback from viewers both on TV and through MySpace. Many of the issues and challenges the candidates will face will be proposed by MySpace users.

Ultimately, the winner will get $1 million -- not to keep, but to use for a 2008 presidential bid. Or they can use the money to create a political party to represent young Americans. Or maybe donate it to a political action group of a growing cause.

"Independent represents a giant leap in the re-democratization of American politics," said Chris DeWolfe, chief executive officer and co-founder of MySpace.

Some political observers say they should have realized that it was just a matter of time before this type of show came along.

"It's such a classic thing that illustrates what's going on in American society," said Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor at Texas Christian University. "Isn't all of life becoming a reality show now?"

The show

Details are scarce about the show and requirements for potential contestants, since the show won't start until early 2008.

The show hasn't been picked up by a network yet, but Burnett and others say they will soon start shopping it around. Observers say it probably won't be hard to find a taker, since MySpace is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., which also owns Fox Broadcasting.

For now, the plan is for potential politicians interested in participating to create a MySpace video. Once the candidates are chosen, each will create MySpace impact profiles to describe their campaign platforms.

What's next?

While it will probably be entertaining, not everyone is certain that this is the right way to engage young voters.

"Maybe it will engage young America -- for about 10 minutes," said Allan Saxe, associate professor of political science at the University of Texas at Arlington. "It's going to be a game show. Maybe it will work.

"But I don't like this way of going about it," he said. "I think the nomination of a president of the United States should be through a very important system, like our primary system. This sure gives it a carnival atmosphere."

More than that, Saxe said, younger voters tend to be fickle -- and might support a candidate who amuses them, not one that seems to be on the right track politically.

So the real question, some say, is what other shows could this one spark?

"How about Dancing With the Politicians?" Saxe suggested. "Watch out. That's going to be next."

Independent