the youtube candidate is a political thriller set in the divisive atmosphere of the present day. when matt anderson stands behind the family's kitchen table and makes a speech a president might deliver to the american people, his intention is to help his daughter with her class project. instead, his presentation captivates the nation and elicits calls for him to enter the on-going campaign. replete with warmth, humor, and unexpected moments of high drama, the story traces the formation of an advisory 'dream team' whose "outside the box" campaign innovations and dynamic ideas seek to overcome the new party's late start and underfunding. results on election night lead to employment of a little-known constitutional process and the nail-biting suspense of determining the next president of the united states.