By wplog

Published Monday, Nov. 26, 2007 | 4:22 p.m.

Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.

WASHINGTON — Nevada's Republican Sen. John Ensign has submitted a question for Wednesday night's CNN-YouTube Republican presidential debate. You know the drill. This is the debate without middlemen, where regular people get to turn a camcorder on themselves and ask the candidates anything on their minds. A handful will be aired on debate night.

Ensign, dressed in a dark suit and reddish tie, looks into the camera and asks the burning question you might expect from the chairman of the committee trying to get Republicans elected to the Senate in 2008.

"I want to know why you believe voters should care about which party controls the United States Senate. Thank you."

The camera holds steady enough that you can read the emblem of the National Republican Senatorial Committee on the blue panel behind him. In fact, the NRSC disclaimer says it paid for the spot.

Ensign is not the only politico trying to get in on the action. Videos have been submitted from the likes of conservative Grover Norquist and Democratic Presidential contender Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut.

Ensign's entry, one of nearly 5,000 videos submitted for the event, has received more than 8,000 hits through this afternoon. His performance has won him three stars (out of five).