I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed attending the VP debate at

Case last night. Before I went in the hall I walked around and saw with

my own eyes again the oddly incongruent nature of American politics. On

the one hand there are rock bands and very large outdoor TV screens,

weird anarchists with weird signs, a lot of young Bush Babes sliding

through the crowds. People dressed up as the Statute of Liberty, and

then there was flipper the dolphin going this way and that. A lot of

beer and hot dogs. People over dressed and many hardly dressed. Signs

for more war and signs against. Booths for everything. Well-known TV

anchors mingling with the unwashed masses, largely being ignored. Then

you step from this carnival into the sedate debate hall–an old

wrestling gym completely renovated just for this purpose. You now

mingle with serious politicians from both parties under an imposing

banner with our eagle holding in its beak the words “The Union and the

Constitution” forever. The contrast seems stark, but really is not.

This is the way our free politics has been conducted from the start. It

all could have been taking place in the 1820’s when Henry Clay was

trying to hold back the rude Democracy of Andrew Jackson. Impressive,

all of it, and very American. The humor of it, the pith of it, even the

democratic elegance. Then the sober debate. Little wit, much logic,

especially from Cheney. Each aggressively holding to his view, yet

shaking hands and introducing his family to the other. And then the

debate after the debate because because the pundits have to figure out

who the winner was. And it was Cheney; not even a close call. A good

night, reminding us all of how organized this messy and all-too-human

Republic is. How can you not like this stuff, how can you study

anything else but politics, says I to a Case student I meet who claims

to love chemistry? Love the human says I to him, not the elements of

matter. Love the argument and the poetry of it all. Yes, the Union

forever.