(CNSNews.com) - Seizing the opportunity offered by ever-developing Internet technology, the liberal activist group MoveOn.org hosted a "virtual town hall meeting" Tuesday evening, putting voters in scattered locations in touch with 2008 Democratic presidential hopefuls.

The debate, hosted at more than one thousand separate house parties, allowed participants to question candidates about their positions on the war in Iraq and the future of the country.

"With the president stubbornly threatening to veto any timeline to end the war, what better time to engage the people who would succeed him in the White House about the mess in Iraq?" MoveOn.org said in a press release ahead of the debate.

More than 10,000 people, most of them anti-war, anti-Bush activists, gathered in living rooms across the country to hear from Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards Bill Richardson, Joseph Biden, Chris Dodd, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

"Given the power of the Internet, we now have millions of voices participating in our debate," said Hillary Clinton, who praised MoveOn.org for hosting the event.

The new campaign medium did not give any advantage to big names like Clinton, however, as the debate focused on candidates' perceived political strengths and weaknesses rather than on big-name status or fundraising achievements.

Richardson referred to this leveling of the playing-field, saying, "I may not be a rock star, I may not have the most money, but I think I do have the best vision."

Each of the speakers explained their positions on the war in Iraq and their plans for the country should they win the presidency. They also answered questions from participating voters.

Hillary Clinton -- who's been blasted by MoveOn.org for her cautious, "centrist" stance on the Iraq war -- now says the situation in Iraq is "deteriorating."

"My plan to end the war confronts that reality head on," she told the liberal gathering Tuesday night. She said under legislation she introduced, "we would begin redeployment of our troops out of Iraq in 90 days."

Clinton also said she supports "engagement" with Middle East countries - including Iran and Syria. "And I applaud Speaker Pelosi and her delegation for going to the region, as I applaud the Republican delegations that did likewise," she said. "We have to start a process to deal with those countries."

Clinton agreed that the American people elected a Democrat-majority Congress to start bringing troops home, and she said she is working every day in the Senate to "change course" in Iraq. But Clinton also said she's trying to "be responsible" by admitting that U.S. troops may be needed for "continuing missions to protect America's vital interests" and to support the Iraqi government.

The other Democrats also called for troop redeployment, but they differed over the specifics.

"Well I believe we that ought to begin redeploying our troops this evening," Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said, "If I were president today, I would withdraw American troops by the end of this calendar year. I would have no residual force whatsoever."

Richardson said Congress has the constitutional right to start and stop wars. "I would pass a congressional resolution de-authorizing the war based on the War Powers Act," he said.

Sen. Biden (D-Del.) wants to "draw down" American combat troops within the next three months, with the goal of "getting us out of Iraq by March of '08." He said, "Leaving Iraq is absolutely necessary, but it doesn't answer the critical question of 'then what?'" Biden advocates a "decentralization" plan, in which Kurdish, Sunni and Shia would control their own regions.

Rep. Kucinich said the continuing insurgency in Iraq is a direct result of U.S. presence in the nation. "We need to take a new direction in Iraq -- and that direction is out."

Sen. Barak Obama mentioned that he's opposed the Iraq war from the start. He called for engagement with neighboring countries to find a solution. "I believe that includes opening dialogue with both Syria and Iran," he said.

Former Sen. John Edwards urged Congress to "stand firm." He said Democrats "must not write George Bush another blank check without a timeline for withdrawal. Period."

Many of the candidates urged President Bush to accept emergency war-funding legislation that includes a troop withdrawal timetable. President Bush says he will veto any bill that ties funding to troop redeployment.

Clinton said if Bush carries through on his veto promise, he will be responsible for failing to support the troops. (President Bush says it is Democrats who are failing the troops by using a vital funding bill to make political statements.)

Obama said he is "committed to finding the 67 votes we need to override this veto" if it happens. (Most observers agree there won't be enough votes to override a veto, however.)

Edwards said if Bush vetoes the funding bill, "Congress should send another funding bill to him with a binding plan to bring the troops home."

In addition to submitting questions for the candidates, liberal activists were also asked to vote for the candidate they believe will best handle the situation in Iraq. The poll results are to be released on April 12.

MoveOn.org said it plans to organize more virtual town hall meetings in the months ahead, focusing on issues including health care and global warming.

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