The first US presidential candidates' debate featuring questions sent over the Internet has been held in the US state of South Carolina.
Front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama differed on whether, as president, they would hold early talks with US foes like Iran and North Korea.
Senator Obama said he would be open to holding such meetings with those nations, as well as with leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Syria during the CNN-YouTube sponsored debate.
Mr Obama said it was important to look for areas where the US could potentially move forward, saying it was a disgrace that dialogue had not already happened.
But Senator Clinton was more reticent, saying she would reach out diplomatically but take care not to be outwitted, adding that such meetings could be used as propaganda purposes.
Questions of race, war and gender were also addressed.
Asked if Muslim leaders in the Middle East would be able to negotiate and work with a woman leader, Mrs Clinton said there is not much doubt that she can be taken seriously and that she was proud to be running as a woman.
Illinois Senator Obama, who would be the first black president, said the US was ready to go beyond racial divisions.
The debate featured video questions submitted from around the world via the Internet, including workers in Darfur refugee camps, an animated snowman worried about global warming, and a strumming guitarist who sang his question about whether Democrats would raise taxes.
The debate was the first of six sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee in an attempt to limit the explosion of debates and forums taking up candidates' time.
