Best Behavior

If they issued grades for deportment, the six Democratic Presidential candidates who took part in today’s Iowa debate would all have earned A’s. No bickering, backbiting or mud slinging.

The good behavior started at Reagan airport en route when Hillary Clinton apologized to Barack Obama for her now-departed New Hampshire co-chairman’s snide statement on Obama’s “drug use” and carried over onto the stage as the candidates, for the most part, gave crisp answers on the issues with a minimum of reaching around to pat their own backs.

If there was a transcendent moment, it came after Joe Biden’s defense against charges of racist comments when Barack Obama went beyond politics to create a moment of grace.

“I’ve worked with Joe Biden, I’ve seen his leadership,” Obama said. “I have absolutely no doubt about what is in his heart and the commitment that he has made with respect to racial equality in this country. So I will provide some testimony, as they say in church, that Joe is on the right side of the issues and is fighting every day for a better America.”

Everyone on the stage today seemed capable of restoring sanity and good sense to the Oval Office.

Cross-posted from my blog.