Outside the massive college auditorium it was pouring rain. The drops were splattering loudly on the walkways. Inside, there was an overpowering buzz of anticipation. The walls were humming.
          At exactly 7:18 p.m. the moderator of the first of 4 televised presidential debates of 2008 stood up and made a motion to the assemblage to be quiet. The moderator, a CBS news anchor, smiled and nodded to the audience as a thank you for their attention. He turned towards the stage and sat down at the single chair facing the two empty podiums.
          Small curtains parted on opposite ends of the stage. Applause greeted the two men as they walked towards center stage. Each offered their right hand and shook the other’s. They exchanged a few words, walked to their podiums and settled behind them. Both looked straight ahead and waited.
          The moderator greeted both of them, gave instructions to them and the audience and said, “Governor, you have won the coin toss and have elected to go first. This is your time.”
           The Governor, tall and slightly graying, leaked a moderate smile, stretched the microphone closer to his mouth, looked towards his opponent, smiled, then turned towards the anticipating crowd and began.
          “I stand before you to tell you of my thoughts about this wonderful country of ours and where I stand on issues that will affect you and all Americans in the years to come. I believe that this great country of ours has lost its way. I tell you this not as a politician, but as a citizen. I tell you this not to gain votes, but to express my deep concern about this America which I love. If I am not elected because of my feelings then I will have had no regrets – I will have told you the truth that resides in my heart.”
          “Let me begin with my thoughts of the war in Iraq, as that is uppermost in the minds of all Americans. There is no need to search for people to blame for our involvement. I am sure that those responsible brought us to a war thinking they were doing the right thing. As for today and tomorrow. I would meet individually with the Sunni, Shiite and Kurd leaders. I would tell them they have 30-days to reach a peaceful accord with each other. If, at the end of the 30-days there is no accord and the current civil war continues, we will begin withdrawing our troops and immediately cut off our flow of financial aid. I will make it clear that the murders and attacks on each other and American troops must stop immediately. We will keep a contingent of troops in Iraq to protect Iraq’s oil fields and refineries from attack. I will ask all Middle East countries to give me their assurances that they will immediately halt any involvement in the violence in Iraq. I will make it clear that the United States will consider their involvement in the Iraq civil war as a serious act of defiance against the United States and the world community. At the same time I will ask American oil companies to increase their drilling activities at the same time as I order them to fully protect our environment. I will also set an immediate crash program of obtaining alternate energy sources such as solar and hydrogen power.
          “I want the world to know that America is the strongest military power in history. The rest of the world should be completely aware of our strength. There should be no misunderstanding about our willingness to use our strength to protect our freedom and those of our allies. Our wish is for Iraq to be a democratic state, but our desire must be met by the desires of a majority of the Iraqi people. We will support their efforts to become a democracy, but we will not force them to be something of which they do not choose.”
          “This is not the America of our grandfathers or even our fathers. Danger lurks in areas that were unknown to them. Our biggest threats reside not in marching armies or battleships but in soulless fanatics, willing to blow themselves into a thousand pieces and to do the same to innocent women and children.”
          “This generation and generations to come must learn to communicate with people who differ from us. All sides must understand that killing and torture will not bring the desired results. We must learn to listen to people unlike us and we must give them reason to listen to us. All sides must learn to understand the other. I am asked if I believe that by talking with our enemies can peace be attained. I answer that in some cases peace can be obtained by understanding and communication. Sadly and unfortunately these methods will not always prevail and we must stand ready to back up our words with force. I want our military to be even stronger than it is today. So strong that a potential adversary will consider it folly to challenge us.
          “A focal point of my administration will be to acknowledge that there are the less fortunate among us. These are the poor, the homeless, the forgotten that live in the darkness of our cities.”
          “If elected I will propose a plan that would save American taxpayers 20.7 billion dollars the first year I am in office. I plan to cut back on governmental waste, pork barrel spending, blind contracts, and governmental fraud. I have had my people studying the waste in government and our estimate is that over 20 billion dollars a year can be saved by cutting back on waste, fraud, cheating and pork barrel spending. Our hope is that even more can be saved in succeeding years. Our government must learn to spend more wisely and with less waste. “
          “Americans are asking more from the government. I say that government cannot provide everything for every American. Americans are taxed enough. If we want more from government we must stop the billions of dollars of waste. I will fight waste and corruption in your government. I don’t care how long anyone has served in their governmental position. If I find that you have contributed to waste, fraud or corruption you will no longer work for this government.”
           “One of our first acts will be to take a portion of the 20.7 billion dollars in savings and help provide for our poor, our homeless, our forgotten people. A country’s greatness is measured by how it cares for its poor and helpless. We must provide better medical care and housing for these people – these Americans. I will urge construction of low income housing across the country. At the same time I will put all able bodied people who live on our streets at work to build these shelters. No able bodied man or woman will be given a free ride. We shall provide work and medical care for those who can  work. And we shall care for those who are unable to do a day’s work.”
          “No American should suffer from the chill of a freezing night. No child should go to sleep hungry.” 

          “As the threat from street gangs and criminals grows we need more police on our streets. Gangs and criminals must feel the sting of our laws and their enforcement. I want it again to be safe to walk at night on our city streets. I will work with the great governors of our country to assist them in protecting our citizens by increasing the amount and effectiveness of our police forces.”
          “I shall further the hopes of Americans by promoting the advancement of human stem cell research. It is time to do all we can, without injury to a living being, to cure disease and aid the crippled among us. This great country of ours is capable of creating a stem cell program that will save lives without taking them.”
          “I will ask Congress and our Judiciary to review all sections of the Patriot Act. Although the threats to our shores and our way of life is under constant attack we must always be sure to keep intact what our founders gave us – our freedoms must be carefully guarded.”
          “I will propose that within the first two years of my administration that Congress and the Administrative branch of your government create a new tax structure for all Americans. One that does not victimize the poor or middle class and avoids penalizing the successful rich among us.
          “The thousands of pages of tax laws must be replaced by a simpler, clearer and more equitable method. I believe that all Americans will benefit by a new approach for our tax system.”
          “I have great hope for America. I believe in our people and our way of government. I believe that America’s greatest times are ahead of us. There may not be simple answers to the complex questions of our times, but we will find those answers. Working together will create an even greater America – an America that once again earns the respect of all countries. An America that brings pride and hope to all Americans.”
          “I thank you for your attention. God bless America.”
          With that, the audience rose as one and applauded for 12 minutes.
          The other candidate, standing behind his podium, stared at his notes.