Most people watching tonight’s Democratic presidential debate expecting to have their attention drawn to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were not disappointed. There were three others on the stage, though I’m not quite sure why. Did Lincoln Chafee actually say he voted for the repeal of Glass-Steagall because he had just arrived in the Senate at the tine and, you know, wasn’t quite sure what was going on so he supported one of the most destructive measures in modern American history? Can’t imagine Chafee will be around much longer. He looked mostly confused like he walked into the wrong meeting and was only slowly coming to the realization he was supposed to be somewhere else.

It’s good to have Jim Webb there if only to remind voters that there are some Democrats like that – that it’s still a fairly “big tent” party and that patriotism and sacrifice are not exclusively Republican values. As for Martin O’Malley, maybe some other time, but not this time.

So, Clinton v. Sanders? Like it or not, most Americans will think that these two are very much alike on matters of policy. They both presented extremely well tonight. Sanders is more appealing to committed liberals, but Clinton, as we always knew, will appeal to enough of those same liberals when they have to think long and hard about who is most electable – who can keep the Republicans from winning the White House. And the part of the Democratic Party that doesn’t live in Iowa or New Hampshire will find little in this debate to dissuade them from supporting Clinton when the time comes.

Sanders supporters will disagree, and likely energetically so. And here’s something else that will annoy Sanders supporters: His performance tonight confirmed my view that he has no expectation that he can win the nomination. This is about raising the issues that are important to him and to more progressive voters. I am a great fan of Sen. Sanders and his brand of politics, issue for issue, but there are not enough voters in the country who share those values to give him the nomination. I love the fact that there is so little hedging in his comments, which is not the way to win in politics, sorry to say. He knows that. Of course some will say that this is precisely why he will win, and I will disagree. I guess we’ll have to see.

The winner tonight was the Democratic Party. The candidates had a real discussion about the issues, within the parameters allowed by electoral politics. They were respectful of each other and of key constituencies. They talked about their hopes for the country and its citizens, which, in the end, drives more voters than fear.

Let’s have more just like this.