Go read LithiumCola's excellent analysis of what the debate is (and should be) about for this election. It scrolled off Recent Diaries but needs to be on the Recommended list. UPDATE Now recommended, and rightly so.
The Deeper Issue at Hand
You don't need recommend my diary. I may well delete it presently.
Hope you enjoyed the poll I added to attract attention ;-)
Instead, the debate will be over whether or not the United States should be a small-L liberal democracy. The point at issue is therefore very deep; deeper than is usually recognized on TV and in the newspapers.
To put it simply, the 2008 Presidential race will not be over politics but -- as it was in 2000 and 2004 -- over the purpose of politics. In that sense it will be a meta-debate, and one that many will miss because they thought it was settled long ago.
Here it is again: The Deeper Issue at Hand
Let me know if this unashamed promotion of someone else's diary is totally verboten on DK. Apparently everyone is OK with this level of pimpage, in this case.