The Vice Presidential Prom

(Danville, California)

 

    I spoke a lot about the content of Wednesday night's Pennsylvania debate in yesterday's posting, but there was so much, we never got to talk about the weird discussion of running mates. Oh, heck! It's worthy of a column all by itself.

 

    I vaguely remember a kid in high school, who was pressured by his dad to take the girl-next-door to the junior prom. She was a homely wallflower with two left feet, so the story went. And, were it not for a wave of neighborly pity, she never would have gone to the dance in the first place.

 

    I have no idea how it turned out. I simply chose to skip the dance with a handful of good friends, and we went to drink beer on the beach at Lake Michigan. For all we know, the odd couple had a great time. At least they got to dance!

 

    Which brings me to the "Clinton-Obama Prom." They contorted themselves every which way the other night, trying to dodge the "pick me" question! They looked like two people trying to pass through a phone booth together without bumping one another. It was painful to watch. You know my feelings on this: Obama should ask her, and she should say yes! And vice versa, if she is the nominee.

 

    They spent much of the debate avoiding eye contact, let alone trying not to look at each other at all.

 

    When moderator Charles Gibson asked the running-mate question, there was a long pregnant pause. "Don't all speak at once," Gibson chided; and the crowd erupted in laughter. It was the best line of the night!

 

    Would she pick Obama? "We will certainly do what is necessary to make sure that a Democrat is in the White House next January," Said Sen. Clinton. Chalk it up as a non-answer.

 

    Would he pick Clinton? "I'm confident that both Sen. Clinton's supporters and Sen. Obama's Supporters will be there supporting the Democratic nominee when we start engaging in that general election," Obama said. Chalk it up as another non-answer.

 

    So we still don't know. They even acted like this was high school, unable to look each other in the eye for the awkward "will-you-dance-with-me" question, and the even more painfully awkward "what-if-she-(or he)-rejects-me" answer.

 

    The problem here is that we are not electing the high school class president. We are electing the President of the United States. But in doing the latter, we are acting like the former.

 

    I just hope the winner can be a bit more candid and pointed with another world leader when we face a real crisis. As a nation, we need to get beyond all the high school anxiety!

 

    My dance card is filling up as I head to Philadelphia Monday to cover the Pennsylvania primary!  Log in at www.MarkCurtisMedia.blogspot.com

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