Watch Dana Bash's report about how a group of undecided GOP voters reacted to Wednesday's debate.

(CNN) — As the country watched Wednesday night's CNN/YouTube Republican debate, CNN had a group of 24 undecided GOP voters react to the debate in real-time through devices called "peoplemeters."  In this report, Dana Bash takes a look at how key moments from the debate were received by the undecided voters.

Related video: Gauging Thompson on abortion

Related video: Enact the fair tax

Related video: Immigration a heated topic

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Nearly 5 million viewers tuned in to watch the CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate Wednesday night, making it the highest rated primary debate in cable news history.

A total of 4.9 million viewers watched the Republican candidates square off – 4.4 million on CNN and 500,000 on CNN Headline News, which simulcast the debate.

CNN’s Democratic presidential debate at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas two weeks ago is the second highest-rated debate in history, with 4 million total viewers.

With five weeks to go before the first wave of voters weigh in at the polls, the historic television audiences seem to indicate a growing interest in what have shaped up to be wide-open primary contests in both parties.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) — The skies opened up here in Tampa just an hour before the debate. Florida downpours are usually cleansing and invigorating – washing away the day’s dust and grime, feeding new life into roots and leaves. You know that tomorrow will be greener than today was. But tonight’s storm might have been a metaphor for the latest dark cloud hanging over Rudy Giuliani’s bid for the White House.

Revelations that – as mayor of New York – his office may have hid funds for accommodation and security during the time he was courting then girlfriend/soon to be 3rd wife Judith Nathan in New York’s tony Hamptons.

The disclosure sent a new wave of uncertainty through the media and blog worlds. Was it a dime dropped by an opponent? How might it hurt the man who is campaigning on truth and honesty - if not his personal life, at least in government? Would the other candidates pick up on it?

How it plays may come down to what the current occupant of City Hall, Michael Bloomberg has to say about it.

Regardless, it is exactly what a candidate doesn’t want on the night of a big debate like this one. They want to weave their own narrative. Giuliani was at risk of following the news instead of driving it. He is running on his record as mayor.

He insists that the story “is not true” that nothing improper was done, and that he is not responsible for how expenses were reported. But anything that raises questions about how he used public funds while at the helm of America’s biggest city may reflect on how voters think he will handle the nation’s budget. And with Mitt Romney reinvigorating his drive to box Giuliani out of a win in the early primary states and steamroll his way to victory, the former mayor can’t afford to lose even one step in the few weeks remaining.

– American Morning Anchor John Roberts

Tempers flared at last night's debate.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) – Perhaps it was the cloudburst that hit St. Petersburg just before the debate, but there was an awful lot of mud around the Mahaffey Theater. And it only took one question for Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney to pick up a handful and start flinging it about.

The question was on immigration and whether – as President – Giuliani would support so-called “sanctuary cities”. Within moments, Giuliani and Romney were at each other – the former mayor accusing the former governor of employing illegal immigrants to landscape his mansion – Romney muttering something about it being unrealistic to ask everyone with a “funny accent” working at your home for their immigration papers.

“Funny accent”?

Not exactly the way to win the Hispanic vote in America.It’s a sign of how close the early primary race has become. Romney is aggressively trying to shut Giuliani out of a win in the first few contests, hoping that the traditional “winner’s bounce” will change voters’ minds in the big super-Tuesday states and propel him to victory.

With little more than a month left before the Iowa caucuses, the Republican candidates are in a full-on rush to illuminate what separates them from their challengers. As uncertain as the race was months ago, it is even moreso now. The debate is about leadership and record. Who has the qualities and the qualifications for the highest office in the land. And while they’re all trying to be different, they’re also attempting to be the same. Who is toughest on immigration, terrorism, inflated spending, taxes. Who best to bring the Republican party back to its core values. Time is running out, and so the rhetoric gets ever hotter.

Read the rest of this entry »

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) — A few quick observations — the only time Sen. Hillary Clinton has been mentioned is in the pre-produced spots that the campaigns submitted to CNN and YouTube. No one has mentioned her on stage. Is anyone else surprised by that?

Also, is it just me or did there not use to be so much booing at presidential debates?

And no, your eyes are not deceiving you, that is indeed action star Chuck Norris sitting in the audience. He is supporting former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

– AC360 Associate Producer Jack Gray

Romney and Giuliani tussled over immigration at the beginning of the debate.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — In the first moments of the CNN/YouTube debate, sparks flew between former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on the issue of so-called sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants.

After Romney attacked Giuliani for saying New York was not a sanctuary city, Giuliani responded by saying Romney lived in a "sanctuary mansion" and that Romney employed illegal immigrants at his own home.

Romney denied the allegations.

Full story

– CNN Political Assignment Editor Katy Byron

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) — All these guys are trying to out tough-talk each other on illegal immigration. Including John McCain. They clearly got the same message from McCain's spectacular fall from grace this summer: Conservatives will not support any Republican who is in any way sympathetic to illegal immigrants. Including President Bush.

– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider

Watch the candidates debate immigration.

(CNN) – Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee jumped into the immigration showdown with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, saying that although immigrants are part of what makes the United States a great nation, "It's our home. We now get to decide who comes into our home. To place somebody above [those waiting for legal immigration] or in front of them in line is the wrong thing to do."

Thompson said federal funding should be cut off to cities that provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants.

Thompson also took a jab at Giuliani, who bashed Romney for employing illegal immigrants, and defended his own record of employee scandals.

"I think we've all had people probably that we've hired that in retrospect probably was a bad decision," Thompson said, referring to a campaign fundraiser and personal friend who resigned from the Thompson campaign because of drug-related crimes and issues with the IRS.

– CNN Associate Producer Natalie Apsell

(CNN) — From the first moments of the debate, the crowd at the Mahaffey Theater played a major role in setting the dynamic for the candidates.

Quick to applaud and to boo, the packed house had all eight GOP presidential hopefuls working to get their applause — and to avoid the jeers.

A testy back-and-forth between former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney over immigration early in the debate was punctuated by frequent applause and some jeers.

When moderator Anderson Cooper tried to move on to the next question and Giuliani jumped back to respond to Romney's remarks, members of the crowd booed. Giuliani quickly paused, and the next YouTube question was played.

– CNN's Josh Levs

Thompson took aim at Romney and Giuliani early Wednesday night.

(CNN) — In his first at-bat of the night, former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee didn't hesitate to go after two of his main rivals, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In response to a question about immigration, Thompson accused Romney of supporting President George W. Bush's failed immigration reform plan, and then shifting positons. He then joined Romney in going after Giuliani by also labeling New York a sanctuary city while Giuliani was mayor.

– CNN Nevada Producer Alexander Marquardt

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, on the left, introduced the GOP presidential candidates on Wednesday night.

(CNN) – Florida Gov. Charlie Crist introduced the eight participants in the debate in his hometown of St. Petersburg.

Crist introduced them in the order of the positions they took on the stage, from right to left: Rep. Duncan Hunter of California; Rep. Ron Paul of Texas; Sen. John McCain of Arizona; former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee; former Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York; former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts; former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

Each candidate greeted Crist with a smile and a handshake before lining up for a group photograph.

– CNN writer Jim Kavanagh

Chris Nandor used his YouTube submission to perform an ode to the GOP presidential field.

(CNN) — The first YouTube video clip shown at Wednesday night's debate was not a question. Instead, it was an opportunity for one voter to handicap the Republican presidential candidates in song.

– CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart

(CNN) — The CNN/YouTube debates are all about you. Your questions are driving the discussion during tonight's historic Republican debates — but the discussion doesn't end there.

This is your chance to be a part of the Best Political Team on TV and online. We want you to give us your take on how the candidates do.

First watch tonight's CNN/YouTube Debates at 8 p.m. ET. Then, send your political analysis to CNN via I-Report.

Simply upload your videotaped response here.

Your opinions could be part of CNN's post-debate coverage. So go ahead and join the conversation and let your voice be heard!

Go backstage at tonight's CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) — CNN.com's Melissa Long takes a look at what's going on behind the scenes ahead of tonight's CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate.

Tonight's CNN/YouTube debate will likely be heated.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) — The Sunshine State takes center stage Wednesday night in the race for the White House as eight Republican presidential candidates face off in the party's first CNN/YouTube debate.

With five weeks and one day to go until the first votes are cast in the race for the White House, the stakes could hardly be higher.

The candidates will be fielding video questions submitted by the public via the YouTube Web site, just as Democratic White House hopefuls did in July.

Full story 

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser

Giuliani holds the lead in a new poll out of Florida.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA (CNN) — He may be trailing in the early primary states, but in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, it appears Rudy Giuliani is the front runner in the Sunshine State.

If the Florida Republican primary were held today, the former New York City mayor would finish on top with support of 38 percent of likely primary voters, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Tuesday. (Full poll results [PDF])

That's 21 points ahead of his closest rival, Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor received the support of 17 percent of those polled, with Senator John McCain of Arizona and former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee tied at 11 percent.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is at 9 percent in the survey, followed by Rep. Ron Paul of Texas at 5 percent, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California at 1 percent and Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado at less than 1 percent.

The poll, involving telephone interviews with 300 voters likely Florida Republican presidential primary voters, was conducted November 25-26. The poll's margin of sampling error was plus-or-minus 5.5 percentage points.

Full story

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser

The Thompson family arrived in Florida Tuesday for the CNN/YouTube debate.

Somewhere over South Carolina (CNN) — I am in a coach middle seat, flying from Washington, D.C. to Tampa, Florida on US Airways Flight 1491, destined for the CNN-YouTube GOP debate in St. Petersburg.

The child cooing two rows in front of me is Samuel Thompson, potentially the nation’s future first toddler. Come inauguration time, the GOP presidential hopeful's youngest son would be about two years old. The pint-sized campaigner sports short blond hair and a giggly, camera-ready smile.

The whole Thompson clan is on board: Fred, Jeri, daughter Hayden, 4, some extended family, and of course, a few Thompson suits. The former Tennessee senator and wife fly first class, but it’s a far cry from private jets.

On the tram to the terminal, I ask the Law & Order star whether he’s reviewed all 5,000 YouTube questions in preparation for tomorrow’s debate.

He shakes his head and admits, “I didn’t know there were that many.”

– CNN Senior Producer Alex Wellen

CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a look at some of the YouTube questions not likely to be chosen for Wednesday's debate.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Nearly 5,000 YouTube questions have been submitted for Wednesday's CNN/YouTube debate, and not all of them are entirely serious. CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a look at those most unlikely to be chosen.

Catch the CNN/YouTube debate Wednesday night, 8 p.m. ET.

Crist submitted a YouTube question for the CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN) — Florida’s Republican governor is getting into the YouTube act.

The Republican Party of Florida today unveiled a question submitted by Governor Charlie Crist for tomorrow night’s CNN YouTube debate, which is being held in St. Petersburg.

The debate, which is a first for the Republican presidential candidates, features video questions submitted from YouTube users from across the country and around the world.

“I asked a simple question to the Republican presidential candidates — a question that has a significant national impact but also has strong ties to the State of Florida and our people,” Crist said in a statement. “Would they, as candidates for President of the United States, support a national catastrophe fund similar to Florida’s hurricane catastrophe fund?”

Florida has a state hurricane catastrophe fund and Crist is one of the major proponents of a national version of that fund.

CNN and YouTube received 4,926 submissions to the debate through Sunday night.

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser

A CNN satellite truck up early Sunday for reporter live shots.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (CNN)– Sure, we’d rather be sleeping in on a Sunday morning, but we’re up early and on the job down here in Florida. We’re just outside the Mahaffey Theater along Bayshore Drive. The theater is where the Republican presidential candidates will face off Wednesday night in a CNN YouTube debate.

Inside the theater stage hands and production workers will spend all day building the stage and hanging lights and cables, in advance of the debate.

Outside, we’ll be doing live reports all day on the race for the White House. It’s an early start for us, but it’s nice and warm out, a lot warmer than Iowa or New Hampshire right now.

Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser