Tonight, MoveOn.org Political Action and co-sponsors SEIU and Campaign for America’s Future will hold a first-of-its-kind online candidate forum, a “Virtual Town Hall.” The presidential hopefuls will discuss their positions on Iraq and respond to questions from MoveOn members.

Presidential candidates Chris Dodd, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, Dennis Kucinich, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson will participate in the first of three Virtual Town Halls. Candidates were invited if at least 10 percent of surveyed MoveOn members said they would like to hear what he or she has to say. Several Republican candidates were also invited to participate but declined to take part in this discussion on Iraq.

MoveOn members submitted more than 6,800 potential questions and then more than 60,000 votes were cast to determine the top questions to be asked of the seven presidential candidates.

“Tonight's event will give real people a chance to ask presidential candidates tough questions about Iraq, the most important issue of our time,” said Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org Political Action’s Executive Director. “The internet is clearly changing the way campaigns are run,” Pariser concluded.

Many of MoveOn’s 3.2 million members are expected to gather in more than 1,000 homes across the country to listen to the discussion. In the 2006 midterm election MoveOn members contributed $27 million, made 7 million get-out-the-vote phone calls, organized 7,500 house parties and held 6,000 in-district campaign events. Overall, MoveOn’s membership grew by 450,000.

After the town hall event, members will be surveyed about which candidates’ positions they prefer. Members will then be encouraged to sign up for candidates’ email lists and to contribute to their campaigns. The survey results will be released on Thursday, April 12th--this does not constitute an endorsement from MoveOn.org Political Action.

Air America will broadcast the town hall in Los Angeles, New York and on their satellite radio station. The discussion will air on the network of Air America affiliates three times over the course of that week.

The timeline for the first Virtual Town Hall is as follows:

March 28th: Email sent out to MoveOn members announcing event and question submission instructions

April 10th: Virtual Town Hall takes place at 7 p.m. EST in homes across the country

April 10th: Support survey begins immediately following town hall; results collected until midnight PST April 11th.

April 12th: Results of support survey announced (*does not constitute an endorsement from MoveOn.org Political Action).