Better than a debate

Memo to Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and all the other Democratic big shots:

Things are getting bad, aren’t they? Your dream duo is disintegrating into bickering over who thinks the American people are bitter, who did or didn’t get shot at by Bosnian snipers, who wears flag-pin lapels, and other urgent matters. Voters are sick of it, and John McCain is getting a free (if little-noticed) ride.

Here is a possible solution, put forward by a friend of Polprint:

Rather than (or in addition to) another debate, he argues, why not have Obama and Clinton appear together to promote the Democratic platform and attack McCain?

Clinton could go first on, say, the economy (help Americans! Stop the mortgage crisis!). Obama could follow with foreign policy (bring the troops home!). Then Clinton on health-care, Obama on education, Clinton on environment, Obama on immigration, and so on. The statements would only include points that the two of them agree on (which is plenty).

That would serve three purposes: stopping the Democratic mud-slinging, at least for a day; showing Democratic party unity—reminding voters, before it is too late, that whoever wins the nomination will have the loser’s full support; and shifting the emphasis to Democrats’ differences with McCain.

Where this idea falters, plainly, is feasibility. Clinton and Obama do not care for each other, to say the least. They would probably rather search out real sniper fire than share a platform. But Mr. Dean and Ms. Pelosi, that is what heavyweights are for—to think creatively, and for the good of the Party. Polprint's friend believes it might just an idea be worth broaching.