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I just got off the very confusing media logistics conference call with CNN for Monday’s debate (satellite coordinates what?), and I just wanted to assure all of you waiting with bated breath: this will be a “very, very unique event.” So promises CNN, who also teased us from the evolving set at McAlister Field House that “the scene is set for a very exciting, internet, grassroots feeling.”

I don’t know about you but that kinda gives me the creeps. I’m surprised Exciting Internet Feelings aren’t a class C misdemeanor in South Carolina.

One member of the press asked if “the cat video” is really, seriously eligible for use on Monday night: apparently someone held up their cat in front of the camera and asked (presumably in a ridiculous cat-person voice) how the candidates would keep our foodstuffs safe from evil Chinese death products, and it’s fair to wonder if we’ll see that kind of crap directed at the future leader of the free world (if John Edwards thinks the third tier candidates are “trivializing” the debates, wait till he meets YouTube!). It’s anyone’s guess how many questions CNN has already selected, if any, for use (they have to book some airplane tickets for selected questioners), even though the YouTube contest is technically open through Sunday. However, the vague answer was given that they intend to “use the creativity of the American people to keep the candidates on their toes,” but that was prefaced with the acknowledgment that “this is still a debate,” so presumably there is a limit to the ridiculous — sorry, DickGhostmoon.

I feel pretty stupid now for giving up my actual ticket to the debate once I got my press pass. Someone on the call asked if it would be possible, if they attended the debate proper (no other media beyond pool photographers are allowed in the Field House for the debate), to sneak out early to make it back to the spin room before the mass exodus — and it is. That possibility hadn’t occurred to me (idiot), so I’ll be driving five hours to watch the debate on TV like the rest of you. There’s going to be WiFi, though, and I’m going to do my best to bring you some live streaming video from the spin room; watch this space.

I should’ve asked them if we can bring beer into Mark Clark Hall.