The winner of last night's "debate," which was more or less a civil photo opportunity, didn't even appear on the stage. His issues are the ones Americans desire to see addressed, and to an extent they were.
So I do not hesitate to declare the winner of last night's gathering as none other than:
Al Gore.
As Gov. Dean has eloquently explained, he was inspired in 2004 by the early courage of the former vice president's anti-war stance. What Al Gore said in 2003 could be heard from the mouths of most of our announced candidates. Sadly, many on that stage failed misearbly when their time to be counted mattered most: Sens. Clinton and Biden spring to mind immediately; John Edwards has shown courage and recanted.
Does anyone truly believe that global warming even would be seriously discussed but/for Al Gore?
I could go on. But there really isn't any need to belabor such an obvious point.
At the end of the day, someone who wasn't there cast a huge shadow over the entire debate. It is time for him to jump into the race.
Run, Al, run.