We're sitting down with CNN's Candy Crowley to ask about her debate experience for a special edition of the iReport Interview later today. We asked you to share questions for Crowley and we appreciate the 250+ questions thus far!

Here are some of the questions we hope to ask in the interview:

-- As the first woman to moderate a presidential debate in two decades, what do you think are the challenges facing female journalists, especially those who cover politics?

-- Do you think the town hall forum provided more insight from the candidates than the traditional format?

-- Did moderating live up to your expectations?

-- How did you keep control of the candidates so they did not monopolize the conversation?

-- If you could take back one question that you asked, what would it be and why?

After reading those questions, what are we missing? Do you have a question you'd like to see in the interview?

Share your question in the comments or tweet your question @cnnireport with #askcrowleycnn. There's still time, so ask away! Stay tuned for the iReport Interview on CNN.com soon.

Depending on whom you ask won the debate, the answer will vary depending on personal politics. Democrats applauded Vice President Joe Biden's aggressive offense and Republicans commended Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan for standing his ground and maintaining his composure.

But what about moderate voters who straddle party lines? Here are five views from Independent voters:

'My decision needs to come from the top'
First-time voter Marcus Harun, 20, is still undecided after the vice presidential debate. The Independent said that Biden and Ryan made him confident that either "could handle being the vice president," but neither candidate swayed his vote. "My decision needs to come from the top of the ticket, from the president." Harun is giving himself until the last presidential debate to decide for whom he should vote.

'I doubt the debate swayed' voters
Moderate Independent Mark Ivy of Farmersburg, Indiana, says the VP debate was a "technical draw" with Biden winning on substance and Ryan winning on “style and demeanor." As for how much this debate mattered, he said, “I doubt the VP debate swayed many Independents and undecided voters one way or the other." A few months ago, Ivy decided he would vote for Romney because of the candidate's stance on the Affordable Care Act, but he remains “open-minded just in case.”

'I got a better sense of the core differences'
Left-leaning Independent Matt Sky says the audience saw a more "interesting, substantive and dynamic" debate and appreciates how Biden and Ryan both delved into specifics. He got a "better sense of the core differences between the two tickets," especially when it came to where the campaigns stand on the budget, he said. Sky is still leaning toward voting for Obama.

'Where has the respect gone?'
Conservative-leaning Independent (and former Obama voter) Jason Asselin was disappointed in Biden's lack of respect in the vice presidential debate. "For every serious answer Ryan tried to give came a smile, snicker or laugh from Joe," he said. "I call this total disrespect." As for who won, Asselin feels Ryan "pulled it off. He showed respect, he kept his cool. The vice president did not."

'You know a Republican's back is against the wall when ...'
Hearing Biden exclaim, "What? Now you're Jack Kennedy?" was David P. Kronmiller's favorite part of the night. "You know a Republican's back is against the wall when they use JFK to defend a position -- especially a Republican of Paul Ryan's Tea Party roots." In all seriousness, the Independent Obama supporter gives the debate win to Biden. Ryan was too "vague" on foreign policy, especially in his "horrible answer on Afghanistan," he said.

Wherever you stand on who won the vice presidential debate, the feisty evening set the stage for an Obama/Romney rematch in Tuesday's debate.

CNN's Candy Crowley will be the moderator. What would you like to ask her about the debate experience? Share your questions for this special edition of the iReport Interview.

Thanks to iReporter Joel David Hinrichs, CNN has obtained additional photos of Ben Baltz, the 11-year-old boy who won the hearts of the internet this week.

This past Sunday, Ben took part in Florida's Sea Turtle Tri Kids triathlon. Not the typical athlete, Ben lost his right leg to bone cancer at the tender age of six, having his fibula and tibia removed. He now uses a mechanical knee and prosthetic leg to help him walk.

Ben had already swam 150 yards, biked 4 miles and had powered halfway through his one-mile run when a screw came loose and his running leg broke in half.

Meanwhile, Kim Baltz waited at the finish line wondering why her son hadn’t crossed yet.

“It was only a mile, I knew he was tired, I was like, ‘Where is he, where is he, where is he?’" she told CNN iReport.

But before further worry set in, she heard the announcer tell the crowd to turn around and look at what was happening on the course. What followed was a heartwarming display that she'll never forget.

Matthew Morgan, Private First Class at Marine Detachment Corry Station, took notice when Ben's leg broke and carried him on his back for the remainder of the one-mile stretch, accompanied by his fellow Marines.

The photos of the Marines were taken by Ben Kruggel and soon after he shared them with iReport, the story went viral –- gaining more than 225,000 views and getting reposted on sites like BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, and The Daily Mail, among countless others. Ben and Private Morgan also appeared on last night’s HLN’s Evening Express.

But the story didn't stop there. iReporter Joel David, who attended the event to support his 9-year-old sister, sent in additional photos of Ben competing in the race before his prosthetic leg broke.

"I photographed several other children, but there was something inspiring about Ben that caused me to focus on him," David said. "He had an inspiring look of determination and I wanted to capture that emotion in a photo."

As Ben and the Marines crossed the finish line, spectators at the event were brought to tears, cheering and pouring out support.

That support has continued to spread across the web, and his mom couldn't be happier to share his story with the world.

“We want to give him the message that he can do anything, and he has an inspirational story, and he just needs to be thankful that he is able to do it because there are a lot of kids out there that are still fighting cancer,” Kim said. “We just want him to get out there and participate in life.”

Thanks to iReporters Joel David Hinrichs and Ben Kruggel for sharing this story with CNN. If you have an inspirational story to tell, upload it to iReport.

President Barack Obama's lackluster debate performance last week, plus Gov. Mitt Romney's jump in national polls have raised the stakes for Thursday night's vice presidential debate.

From Vice President Joe Biden's history of colorful speeches to Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan's rising GOP star status, the VP debate is likely to get heated.

In anticipation of the face-off, we asked what you would ask the candidates if you were the moderator. While the actual debate questions are selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates, we wanted to measure the pulse of our community. Of the 80 submissions, questions regarding the budget and national debt were popular domestic issues and those referring to foreign policy mostly focused on the Middle East.

Here are the top 7 questions iReporters want answered at Thursday's debate from Biden, Ryan or both:

1. Both: Are we on that path of going to war with Iran just as we get out of Afghanistan?
"It seems like we’re on the same path of going to war with Iran as we were in going to war with Iraq," says Obama/Biden supporter Melissa Fazli. "We are just about to get out of Afghanistan and I really don't want the United States to be pulled into another war in the Middle East."

2. Ryan: What are the differences between the budget you proposed to Congress and Romney's plan?
Matt Sky, a left-leaning Independent, wonders where Ryan and Romney disagree when it comes to the budget plan, considering much of Romney's plan was adapted from Ryan's proposed budget. If the candidates have "significantly different ideas about the budget, that would be valuable information for voters to take into consideration," he said.

3. Both: Why did you vote for the Budget Control Act knowing it included cuts to the military?
Conservative voter Elizabeth Lauten worries about the 2011 Budget Control Act and its proposed cap on military funds. "I grew up a Navy brat and have always put national security and our military as a priority," she said. She appreciates "just how vital funding is to maintain a global presence, particularly in these unsteady times of wars and riots around the globe."

4. Biden: If you are re-elected for another four years, what foreign policy changes will you make?
Republican voter William Bernstein says that according to general consensus, Biden and Obama have been giving "preferential treatment to other countries in giving them more security" than the U.S. "We need a president and vice president who will want the best for the United States first and foremost, before other nations."

5. Ryan: How could Romney have been so wrong when it came to the auto bailout?
In a 2008 New York Times article written by Romney, he said a bailout would mean you could "kiss the American automotive industry goodbye." While Romney was born in Detroit and touted for a "strong" automotive background, iReporter Ryan Murphy, an Independent who splits his time between Detroit and Chicago, asks how he was "so wrong when it came to the auto bailout."

6. Both: What should the U.S. do in order to help the people of Syria attain freedom?
Rummel Pinera, who lives in the Philippines, is most concerned with foreign policy, especially in the Middle East. "I think the Middle East should be the top foreign-policy priority of the U.S. in the next four years. There's a danger that the conflict in Syria might become a regional one," he said.

7. Ryan: Why did you deny the middle class jobs by not passing the president's job creation proposals?
"These issues are important to me because as an American it is my duty to ensure that where I find politicians lying and misleading Americans into voting against their own interest, I call it out," said Obama supporter Egberto Willies, who worries about Ryan's votes against Obama's stimulus proposals.

We'll be watching with you, so tune in to the vice presidential debate on Thurs., Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. ET. What questions would you like to be answered at the debate? Share your question, or feel free to discuss these questions in the comments below.

You may have noticed some chatter on iReport lately about an event called Flux Night. It's an interactive art festival in Atlanta that happens once a year. This year, it took place on October 6, and CNN iReport was part of the fun!

We organized a mobile scavenger hunt that asked attendees to share photos from around the event, and then we projected their photos onto a wall in real time. More than 400 submissions came in via iReport and Instagram hashtags.

The scavenger hunt was super-fun and successful, and we'd love to try it again at other events on a larger scale so more iReporters can participate. For those of you who weren't in Atlanta, we thought you might like to see some of the gorgeous images that came in. Here's a sampling of the best:

And you can view all the images grouped by category here:

Light | Street style | Patterns | In motion | Favorites

Enjoy!

Scavenger hunt photos courtesy Instagram users shapoka, sillyunicorns, bromanbrolanski, haddongk, envelopeatlanta, auroravizion, sydga, calliedeer, jordoham, boulderopal, grinsli, samrturnage, willcortez, jareenai, emkayar, ztothphoto2012, prodmod, da12vid, carmenorchante, tjjazzyj, ccocksedge and sydga.

Keeping a group of lively teenage students interested in politics can prove a challenge at the best of times; ask any teacher.

But when one Danish teacher spotted iReport’s call for thoughts on the U.S. election and how it affects the international community, he sensed an opportunity for his classes.

English and history teacher Anders Burman works at Orestad Gymnasium school in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. He felt that encouraging his students to send in questions and thoughts to CNN on the presidential race would give them the perfect platform to engage and learn more about an election that will have an impact beyond U.S. borders.

And keep them busy in the classroom.

“I thought it would be interesting for them, to give them experience from a learning English perspective as their language skills would improve but also because they would actually be producing something,” he said.

“The iReport assignment creates variation and adds relevancy to the course, which is important to keep students engaged in the subject.”

Students responded to two assignments: one inviting iReporters to send in their questions for the candidates, the other asking for international iReporters to send in their views on key subjects such as foreign policy and taxation.

Student Sarah Gaub and her friend, Puk, for example, wanted to share their thoughts on the contrast between Denmark and the U.S. when it came to public service funding and taxes, an issue that has proved one of the most divisive in the election. Their thoughts provided an illuminating glimpse into how the rest of the world views issues that have bubbled to the surface in the U.S. elections.

"Because we are a small country, we have a policy to take care of everybody," Sarah said in her iReport. "It is how we are raised. That is why we have a system where the richest pay more in taxes, so everybody can have the same benefits."

The students also sent in videos asking the candidates questions about the environment, education, health care and immigration – in short, much the same topics that have exercised U.S. voters’ imaginations in recent months.

In the remaining weeks leading up to Election Day on November 6, the classes will continue to follow the major events and debates on the election schedule. On the day itself, Burman will be gathering the classes together for an “election morning” where they will watch coverage - on CNN of course, in addition to local media - and study the results.

“I hope that they will learn more about U.S. politics and the U.S. electoral system in general,” says their teacher, who added that using digital platforms such as iReport meant that the students could also acclimatize to a news landscape that increasingly embraces digital tools to gather, and disseminate, information.

“By creating a video that answers or asks a certain question, the individual student is encouraged to search for, sift through, and select relevant information on the subject,” he said.

“Sifting through and selecting information is a very important discipline [for students] in today's digital world.”

We’re glad iReport can be one of their teaching aids!

From New Orleans, Louisiana, to Bogota, Colombia, Venezuelans living abroad turned out in droves to participate in their country’s election in hopes of ending Hugo Chavez’s rule. More than 100,000 Venezuelans who live abroad registered to vote for this election.

Chavez faced a major challenge to his socialist rule but ultimately won more than 54% of the vote to defeat Henrique Capriles Radonski.

Election Day in Bogota, Colombia began at 6 a.m., and Darina Florez, who shot the above photo, said the process was calm, enthusiastic, organized and united: “People voted for our democracy, and we will be waiting for the results,” she told CNN en Espanol Sunday.

It was a similar scene in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Adriana Porras said the atmosphere was happy and the lines moved quickly. After the polling center closed, the Venezuelans waiting outside of the embassy sang the national anthem and the "Alma Llanera," a Venezuela folk song.

In the U.S., thousands of expatriates traveled by bus to New Orleans, Louisiana, after Chavez closed Venezuela's consulate in Miami. iReporter Hedi Enghelberg said the atmosphere outside the voting center set up near the consulate was “like a holiday, a big holiday!”

But inside and outside Venezuela, the mood among many voters turned more somber after the polls closed.

“We were expecting to win this election, said Jorge Barrios from Carracas, Venezuela, "but we didn’t win enough votes to change the future of the country.”

See all the iReports from Venezuela’s election here.

If you check out iReport's top assignments this evening, you may notice that they're all related to something called Flux Night, a one-night interactive arts event here in Atlanta. We’ll be trying something totally new for the evening – a mobile scavenger hunt with photos from participants projected at the event in real-time. We’re super excited to see how it turns out, and – assuming it’s a success – look forward to trying similar experiments elsewhere in the future.

For those of you who aren’t in Atlanta, our Assignment Desk will return to its normal programming once the event is over. And for those of you in Atlanta, come visit us in Castleberry Hill to join in the fun!

The full details are below:

What

Flux Night, a night of art + experimentation

Where

Castleberry Hill Arts District, Atlanta, Georgia

Map, driving and parking directions here

When

Saturday October 6, 8 p.m. to midnight

How to participate

Flux is free to attend, and we'd love if you took part in the iReport mobile challenge while you're there! You can use the CNN App, the Flux Night App, or an Instagram hashtag to take pictures of:

-- Something illuminated, with bonus points  for long exposures and light trails: #fluxlight

-- A pattern: #fluxpattern

-- Flux street style, meaning an interesting outfit or accessory: #fluxstyle

-- Something or someone in motion: #fluxmotion

-- Your favorite thing about Flux Night: #fluxfave

And don't forget to stop by our headquarters (on Walker St. across from No Mas) to see your photos on display and pick up some fun freebies. See you there!

Say hello to our fall intern, Jamescia Thomas!

Jamescia is in her last semester at George State University, pursuing a bachelors degree in sociology. She is a native of Atlanta and previously interned with Zoo Atlanta, Cartoon Network / [adult swim] and the Cannes Film Festival in France, where she studied for four months.

We asked her to tell us something about herself, and this is what she wrote:

“Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, many of my school field trips included visiting the CNN Center. The tours were always so exciting, from viewing the newsroom to hearing live audio feeds of different broadcasts.

"After every visit, a tour guide always asked ‘Who wants to be a part of the CNN team?’ Each time, I remember enthusiastically waving my hand with the rest of my class. Having this experience and now working with CNN makes the excitement of joining the iReport team so much sweeter!”

In her spare time, you can find Jamescia looking for the next best recipe on Pinterest or at the golf course improving her swing. She's on Twitter at @JamesciaThomas and Jamescia on iReport.

Please welcome her to the iReport team!

The first debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney Wednesday night had some Democrats wondering, "What happened to my president?" while GOP supporters reveled in their candidate’s performance.

By most accounts Romney was the clear winner, while Obama, known for his oratory skills, came across as lethargic and unengaged. According to a CNN/ORC International survey conducted right after the debate, 67% of debate watchers questioned said that the Republican nominee won the face-off.

“This was not the Obama I expected to see. What should have been a robust debate quickly devolved into a shellacking by Gov. Romney,” wrote iReporter Randi Johansen of Kent, Washington.

“Romney appeared dominant and aggressive while Obama kept his head bowed and looked like a kid being scolded by his school teacher. Obama had no FIGHT in him tonight. Before the next debate I suggest Obama call up Honey Boo Boo to ask if he can borrow some of her "go-go juice."

That was the general consensus among voters who shared their views with iReport. 1drvpr, echoing others, felt Obama "let down a lot of people," while Sahit Muja said Romney "destroyed Obama point for point."

Conservative Kathi Cordsen could hardly contain her enthusiasm.

"I was looking forward to this for so long. I had no idea that this would be so good," said "Every single time [Romney] was asked a question, he didn't pause. He blurted it out like he was supposed to. He was just strong. It's not that he won; it's more that Obama lost."

Likewise, Republican Elizabeth Lauten,  a volunteer on the Romney campaign, was cheering. “Mitt Romney really  brought his A-game and out-debated the President all night long even  though Obama had nearly four and a half minutes more speaking time," she  said. "Romney showed the country he's not only ready to be President,  but he's ready to clean up Obama's mistakes. I can't wait to see what  the next debate brings!"

David P. Kronmiller, who voted for Obama in 2008, said he could think of just “one really good moment” from the president, "when he talked about his grandmother and how she raised him.” The Burbank, California, voter said he was surprised Obama didn’t take on Romney more forcefully “for wanting to raise taxes on lower income families and lower middle-class families, which is what Mitt Romney's [tax] plan basically does."

That said, Romney's performance was not without criticism. cancan2012 suggested the governor came on too strong and "dismissed every fact about what he has said on the campaign trail and denied ever saying it." Egberto Willies conceded Romney may have won the debate "in style and preparation," but worries that voters will take "the statements without facts that he continued to make and assume he was knowledgeable on issues, or that he would be better for the middle class."

Looking ahead to the rest of the campaign, Obama supporters are unlikely to underestimate Romney, said Gretchen Essenmacher-Kinard, a back-up singer in Punta Gorda, Florida, who voted for the president in 2008 but has since switched her allegiance to Romney.

“He always came across as a bit weak when it came to speaking in public. I have much more confidence in his ability to project his visions and goals for our country now,” she wrote. “Many of the President's supporters believe Romney is this corrupt businessman who is just trying to add another notch to his belt. And they, like the President, tended to believe that Romney isn't nearly as smart as President … I guess today they will have to eat humble pie.”

Kronmiller is counting on the Vice Presidential show-down next week between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan to raise the bar on future debates.

"Joe Biden's great for an hour and a half," he said, "so hopefully it will be a more entertaining and lively night."

What was your take? Did the debate change your view of either of the candidates? Post your thoughts in the comments, or record your own video.

Follow Wednesday's presidential debate coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET on CNN TV, CNN.com and via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Web users can become video editors with a new clip-and-share feature that allows them to share favorite debate moments on Facebook and Twitter.

As America gets ready to watch President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney square off on domestic policy at their first presidential debate Wednesday, there are a lot of questions up in the air.

We asked you, the voters, what questions you would ask if you were in the moderator seat. While the questions for all the debates are decided by the Commission on Presidential Debates, we wanted to take your pulse on what you'd like to hear. Of the more than 100 submissions, questions regarding the economy, health care and other domestic issues were among the most popular.

Here are the top 10 questions iReporters want answered at Wednesday's debate:

1. Romney: Will you uphold any of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act?
"My dad has been chronically ill for a number of years. He was approaching the lifetime cap when the Affordable Care Act bill was passed," said college student Chris Wolfe. The passage of the health care bill kept his father from losing his insurance, and possibly saved his life.

2. Obama: Why did you not focus primarily on jobs during your first two years in office?
iReporter Mark Ivy, a moderate Independent, points out that the economy was in such "bad shape" when Obama took office, and questions why the President didn't "use his political clout on finding solutions to right the economy and inspire business to return to expanding and hiring."

3. Both: How will you pay Social Security to the baby boomers?
Baby boomer Steve Parker, 51, is worried that there won't be any money left in Social Security when he reaches retirement. "If you're not going to let me have Social Security, then you should cut me a check for every penny that I paid in to it," he said.

4. Obama: Why are current homeowners not getting the same deals as Wall Street?
Melissa Fazli was inspired to ask about homeowner rights because she worked as a realtor during the housing bubble. "Current homeowners are not getting the same deals as Wall Street bankers/investors or any new buyer," she said.

5. Both: What is your plan to put America back to work?
iReporter Jannet Walsh from Murdock, Minnesota, has struggled with unemployment after moving home to care for her mother. "The new normal for a career is probably no career because you've lost your job," she said. She's keen to hear a specific plan and time table from both candidates.

6. Both: Who had the better auto bailout solution?
While the candidates had differing ideas on how to handle the bailout of the U.S. auto industry in 2009, Jamison Luther says both ideas ended in bankruptcy. He would like to see the candidates defend their stances on the bailout and see them "display their economic ideas, articulation, and execution on a real world event," he said.

7. Both: What most concerns you about your opponent's views on immigration?
Left-leaning Independent Matt Sky has been hearing a lot about immigration, but he thinks both candidates lack a "clear plan" on this issue. "Too often we hear vague statements from the parties accusing each other of not taking the immigration issue seriously or fairly without laying out specifics."

8. Both: Why are seniors being punished for going back to work?
Rick Huffman, 63, works as a security guard and feels it's wrong to "punish seniors" who must work after the age of 62. "I am upset that seniors are taxed on their Social Security after having already paid taxes over the years they pay into it," he said.

9. Both: Where do you stand on climate change?
"I'm concerned that I'm hearing the candidates talk a lot about jobs and the economy, but have been hearing very little about climate change, which was a huge story this past summer with the record shattering drought, and other severe weather events," said mother and nature lover Cary Okoro.

10. Romney:  Where should the government be involved in LGBT rights?
Kyle La Rose, an openly gay man, feels Romney has failed to take a clear stance on the federal government's role in gay rights. He said that while the candidate is weary of big government, he has no problem ignoring that concern when saying he supports the Defense of Marriage Act.

We'll be watching with you, so tune in to the first presidential debate on Wed., Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. ET. What questions would you like to be answered at the presidential debate? Share your video question, or feel free to discuss these questions in the comments below.

Kevin Hutchinson was supposed to have a relaxing week in Cairo. Instead, he found himself holed up in his hotel, in the midst of violent protests.

He's no stranger to chaotic experiences. The Calgary, Canada native currently lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and his travels have taken him to Khartoum, Sudan, during a rebel attack; Hong Kong, where mafia killings took place in his hotel; and Islamabad, Pakistan during a suicide bombing.

“I’m not sure if trouble has a knack for finding me, or if I have a knack for finding trouble,” he said.

Protests against an anti-Islamic movie trailer on Youtube began in Egypt and have spread to other countries, as far away as Australia,  within the past two weeks. After demonstrators laid siege to the U.S. embassy in Cairo, the violence spread to the streets, just outside Hutchison’s hotel.

“On Thursday [September 13th] the amount of protesters increased considerably and I was able to watch quite a bit of the events unfold behind the hotel,” he said.

“Much to my surprise, it continued to escalate into the evening, I began to post iReport videos showing the clashes between the protesters and police.”

Despite this, Hutchison made it to the wedding inside the hotel that night as planned, though hundreds of guests declined to attend. “Within a few hours, the reception hall was filled with tear gas as the protests turned to riots outside the building.”

Soon Hutchison was told that protesters surrounded the hotel, so the entire building was on lockdown.

“It almost seemed implausible to me that, for one, this protest/riot was still happening and two, that the police were being backed up – they were not holding their lines.  It wasn’t like there were tens of thousands of rioters;  there were a lot, but I’ve seen far larger crowds controlled with far more efficiency.”

Riots continued through Friday, and Hutchison, stuck in his hotel, sent more footage to iReport.

“Some of the heaviest fighting took place next to my room, on the street separating the Shepherd and Intercontinental,” he said. “The rioters would move up, the police would push them back but then fall back to a spot farther back than the original spot they held.”

By Saturday afternoon, the protests had calmed down to the point where he was able to leave his hotel and return to Dubai.

Riots also spread to Tunisia on that Friday, and the American Cooperative School of Tunis was ransacked. iReporter Gabe Bredy’s father is the superintendent of that school. The two of them cleared the compound of looters, though not before much of what was there was destroyed or taken, including the school's computers.

Bredy told his story to iReport, and a week later, reflected on what happened.

“It has been an emotional week, and the attacks felt very personal to a lot of people,” he said.

“I think the situation is improving in Tunis. Tunisians are a lovely, moderate people and are ashamed of their actions on the 14th. I know most here are eager to rebuild and reopen. The spirit of service among international teachers is strong, and people just want to begin teaching their students again.”

Hutchinson also shared his thoughts on the future of Egypt after this incident.

“If the newly elected government of Egypt cannot lead its own people through times like this without calling for protests and reaction, rather than calm and action – it needs to get the hell out of the way and allow a more suitable government take its place. The people of Egypt - my friends there - deserve this.”

Excited and ready to rock, the three winners of CNN's contest to attend the Democratic National Convention hit the ground at full speed. Veteran iReporters Omekongo Dibinga and Melissa Fazli and newcomer Willie Harris documented almost every step of the way. If you don't believe us, just look at all the iReports they sent!

Day 1

We kicked off with introductions and a taste test at the CNN Grill, an existing restaurant that CNN took over to host politicians and tastemakers during the convention. From spotting Sen. John Kerry and journalist Tom Brokaw, to spending a few minutes with CNN's Soledad O'Brien, the iReporters were awestruck from the start.

When night fell, the iReporters headed to Time Warner Cable Arena for the big night of speeches. Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker's speech on education inspired Harris, who wants to be a teacher some day. And Michelle Obama "knocked her speech out of the park," said Dibinga. "Talking about success meaning helping people not just making a lot of money and closing the door behind you, that was excellent," he said.

Day 2

When an iReporter shows up in a suit paired with a red iReport shirt underneath, you know it's going to be a good day! Four local iReporters and two iReporters in town for the convention joined us for an iReport meet-up. CNN director of photography Mark Hill and on-air promotions producer Danya Levine came by to give the iReporters some tips on photography and interviewing. Read some of their expert tips here.

Former President Bill Clinton tore down the house during his keynote speech, according to the iReporters. Fazli felt Clinton "totally rocked the arena" and commented on the long standing ovation he received as he took the stage. Dibinga appreciated that Clinton was the first politician he had heard acknowledge that "we're better off than four years ago."

When Obama joined Clinton on stage, it was a dream come true for Fazli, who volunteers for Obama's campaign. "I was emotional about it because I've been talking about this man for four years on iReport and to finally see him in person with my own eyes was just amazing to me," she said.

Day 3

Some veteran iReporters shared a "heartfelt moment" as they met face-to-face for the first time, reminisced Fazli. Dibinga, Fazli and Egberto Willies have known each other through iReport for almost four years. Meanwhile, newcomer Harris took to the streets asking people what they hoped to hear at Obama's speech that night. His poignant questions revealed job creation, health care and education as the biggest topics convention goers wanted addressed.

Worrying that we wouldn't get in to see Obama's speech, we headed to the Arena five hours early. The speech had been scheduled for a larger stadium until fears of severe weather forced a change of venue. We were sitting high up in the rafters, but we snagged seats for the entire group! The energy inside the arena grew and grew until President Obama took the stage.

Harris may only be 23, but he called the experience of being at the DNC the "single-most exciting thing that has happened in [his] life," he said. "Being part of the speeches, hanging out with CNN staff and everyone was so nice. It was just a great experience. I'm just at a loss of words."

Dibinga felt "unexpectedly inspired" as the convention wrapped up. "I'm really inspired to go back and do my part in really helping build a better country where there's less of me and more of we," he said. Fazli was also moved to do more, but in a political sense. "It was history in the making. It was a big pep rally. Getting all fired up like that has inspired me to get more involved with the Obama campaign," she said.

You can look back at all the best iReports from the three contest winners, as well as stories from other iReporters and CNN employees, through our DNC 2012 Open Story. And, if you're curious about iReport's experience at the RNC in Tampa, read about it here. While we take a breather after the conventions, stay tuned for information on the presidential debates coming this October.

The Republican and Democratic National Conventions kicked off the presidential election race of 2012. The conventions brought delegates from across the country together, spotlighted celebrity appearances, showered convention-goers with balloons and confetti and inspired political satire.

The RNC and DNC were saturated with layers of satire. Comedy Central's Jon Stewart and his band of comedic coorespondences poked fun at both conventions on the Daily Show. The satirical site the Onion had a parody field day at the expense of both Democrats and Republicans, and CNN's iReport site also saw a resurgence of political satire during the conventions.

While attending the RNC, iReporters Luis Ramirez and Tim Young -- who go by Bread8 Productions -- produced a satirical video called "Which foods are Republican." They went around the RNC asking political and media personalities like Republican Party politician Rick Santorum, former Republican party presidential candidate Herman Cain and CNN's Wolf Blitzer, which foods they consider Republican.

Initially, Bread8 Productions was inspired by the overpriced cost of food at the RNC, but through their satirical video they also wanted to see if things like food reflect party affiliation. "We know Republicans have a hard time stomaching the issue of illegal immigration, but there were lots of empanadas," Ramirez said.

He says the weirdest answer he got while shooting the video was from Rick Santorum who answered with 'blackened alligator.' "But the most common answer to [the question] was 'American foods,'" Ramirez said. "I am not sure what that means."

For some it was the food, but for others it was the people who inspired satire. Clint Eastwood sparked controversy with his improvisational conversation directed at an empty chair that a fictitious President Obama was sitting in, during his speech at the RNC.

Adam Forstadt and Chris Wylde took Eastwood's speech, which the Twitter realm dubbed as "Eastwooding," and satirized it into the iReport video "Clint Eastwood vs Obamachair." In the video, Wylde imitates Eastwood's speech with humorous undertones.

Forstadt says the video was inspired not only by the speech, but the nature of celebrities at the conventions as well. "I don't think celebrities and politics mix, unless they have a true understanding of the issues," he said. "Clint just looked like a crazy old man up there and that's ultimately what we were trying to capture with this video."

Both videos generated thousands of views on CNN's iReport. But there were many commenters who quickly came to the defense of the GOP, offering criticism for the lack of content satirizing Democrats.

On CNN iReport's Facebook page, user Tommy OvertheTop Trittipo said in response to "Clint Eastwood vs Obamachair": "Heaven forbid CNN would ever cover Obama-related satire."

And on iReport, user Halliod said: "So I guess it is ok when celebrities come out to endorse Obama, but when a celebrity does not he could be censored for speaking out publicly."

But others defended the videos, asking whether some commenters understood the nature of satire.

User Sleepo said in response to the same iReport: "The creators of this video aren't saying that Eastwood shouldn't have done it, they're saying that it was hilariously weird -- and a perfect target for parody."

Satire has been a part of American politics since the establishment of the thirteen colonies. And political satire is not new to CNN iReport. Over the years, political cartoonists contributed satirical commentary to the site.

The recent iReport parodies are striking up an array of conversations with the CNN audience. So we wanted to know what are your thoughts? How do you feel about political comedy, and why do you think comedy aimed at Democrats is less prevalent on iReport?

Going into the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, a lot of things were up in the air as Hurricane Isaac bared down on the Gulf Coast and the first day of the convention was canceled. But then we met the three iReporters who won CNN’s contest to attend the RNC -- Alex Anderson, Elizabeth Lauten and Matt Sky -- and we knew this funny, talented group could handle whatever came our way.

Day 1

Tuesday was all about taking in the excitement. We watched the speeches by Ann Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie from the CNN Grill, where CNN had built a restaurant and TV set to host politicians and tastemakers during the convention. We settled in while actors Stephen Baldwin and Evan Handler, politicians Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, and journalists Tom Brokaw and David Gregory, to name a few, milled about, and CNN's Piers Morgan took a moment out of his dinner to meet the contest winners.

As the evening came to a close, we couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us next.

Day 2

Wednesday a handful of other iReporters in Tampa that week joined us for a photo walk with CNN photographer David Holloway and photo editor Shana Darnell, who shared tips on framing, lighting and how to best capture protest images. iReporter Carol Lim put a few of their tips into action later on as she documented the small demonstrations around the city, including a man on a cross protesting the war on drugs. We had just enough time for a group photo in front of police on horseback before a thunderstorm drenched us.

After drying off, a few of us headed back towards the convention area and and stumbled across a shirtless man wearing a boot on his head. "Welcome to Romneyville, please take off your pants," he shouted from a megaphone. It was none other than the wacky presidential hopeful Vermin Supreme, who put down the megaphone for a few minutes to share some zombie survival tips with iReporters Luis Ramirez and Tim Young.

Afterwards, Matt Sky, his girlfriend, Julia Lundy, and I wandered into the Forum to snap some photos as busloads of delegates started taking their seats. The Texas delegation, all wearing khakis, blue dress shirts and cowboy hats, took quite a liking to the iReporters. Sky talked about Romney and Obama's views on the economy with an alternate delegate for awhile, and Lundy found herself in a heated discussion with another alternate delegate.

Day 3

We kicked off the final day of the RNC with a taste test at the Grill and surprise visit from Wolf Blitzer – and then let the iReporters out on the loose. They had a lot on their plate: Interviewing politicians about their messages for undecided voters, getting speech reaction and documenting quirky sights of the convention.

We watched Wednesday night’s speeches from the Forum, and though we were high up in the nosebleed seats, the excitement of the crowd was electrifying. First came Clint Eastwood’s surprise address to an invisible President Obama. Then Marco Rubio, and then Romney took the stage.

Lauten, a conservative voter, marveled in the excitement on the convention floor just before Romney's acceptance speech. And Sky, a left-leaning Independent, thought Romney gave a powerful speech, but questioned the part where he asked if America was better off than four years ago. Going back to Bush-style economics "might not put us in a better place," he opined.

After the end of Romney's speech, more than 100,000 red, white and blue balloons dropped from the ceiling. "I loved it. It's one of the moments I waited for all night," Lauten said. "The crowd was much more excited and hopeful than the 2008 crowd," she added, referring to her experience at the 2008 RNC.

It was bittersweet bidding farewell to the iReporters. Lauten reminisced about all the great people she met at the convention and put together a highlight reel of her biggest interviews. The biggest thing Sky took away from the convention experience was "a better understanding of how similar we are," he said in his wrap-up video. Despite our politics, "most of us want to see this country prosper," he said. And Anderson must still be reveling in seeing Newt Gingrich, meeting Piers Morgan and and having Eastwood "make [his] day" during the final night.

You can look back at all the best iReports from the three contest winners, as well as stories from other iReporters and CNN employees, through our RNC 2012 Open Story. And be sure to check out the Democratic National Convention Open Story as the convention kicks off in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week.