It began with political ads and the CNN Debates, but as the eyes of the nation turn to the Iowa caucuses, YouTube is bringing cameras on the scene.

During his appearance on the Chris Matthews Show, Newsweek's senior Washington correspondent Howard Fineman said this week that the Iowa caucuses are about to be "televised in a way that they've never been televised before." That is, on the Web.

YouTube distributed small, net-wired cameras to Des Moines Register reporters, allowing them to record and uplink the caucuses for the national American audience, Fineman added.

The Des Moines Register partnered with YouTube earlier this month, to make it possible for citizens to upload their experiences in the Iowa caucus process.

Virtually anything goes in these "voter videos." The range is vast, from a video in which a cat chooses the next political leader, to videos where citizens weigh in on candidates and campaign strategies, to videos containing messages of hope.

The Des Moines Register is not alone in inviting citizens to share their experiences, get their Michael Moore on, and even criticize the media outlets that feature their content. WMUR, a New-Hampshire television broadcast station and member of the Hearst-Argyle news family, is encouraging its viewers to share their experiences as well.

Although these news outlets cater to different states, the content found is more of the same: footage of campaign events, campaign feedback, and less serious videos such as those encouraging others to build snowmen for Kucinich.

But the videos are crossing state lines, and extend beyond eligible caucus and primary participants.

YouTube, the self-proclaimed World's Largest Town Hall, has made it possible for citizens to interact with the democratic process and then share or comment on their experiences with the rest of the nation.

At the advent of the YouTube CNN debate, Citadel military college President Lt. General John Rosa said, "Technology is changing the way we do business in our lives every day and it's certainly going to change the way we elect public officials."

YouTube has already affected the careers of many politicians. Most notably, former Sen. George Allen, who received national heat from the news media after a student working for an opposing campaign caught him uttering a racial slur on film and posted it online.

Presidential hopefuls have made use of YouTube as well, filming campaign visits, speeches, and even creating "viral" campaign ads.

YouTube is certainly becoming a larger facilitator of political dialogue, and even has its own video blog--citizentube. Yet, there are some who are still wary of this newfound political forum. Bloggers, media professionals, and even CNN's own Jeanne Moos criticized the new format during the CNN - YouTube debates.

Arguments against YouTube grassroots politics range from audience immaturity to dubious factual accuracy, but the medium is growing despite its pitfalls. The introduction of caucus and primary inspired user-generated videos is just another spurt.