Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Opinion

I'm not usually one to expect people in the political sphere to play nice. I understand the sort of brazen ego it takes to actually put oneself out there and say, "I'm the best, the most knowledgeable, the one to choose." That sort of ego doesn't allow for niceness, though -- it can't for fear that another bigger ego will trample it into political oblivion.

But now, more than ever, I think it's time for our democratic front runners to dust off a copy of "Tiffany's Table Manners," unless they want this election cycle to morph into an all too close version of "The Tortoise and the Hare."

Much like the hare, Democrats came into the presidential elections believing that a left victory was sealed tighter than a Ziploc bag. And who can argue with that ego? Much of America despises the job that President Bush has done, so much so that there are clocks counting down the days he has to be dealt with. It was easy to conclude that if the majority of people are holding their collective breath in the hopes that Bush won't screw anything else up while he's still in the Oval Office, there is no way that anyone would want another Republican, let alone a Republican who served under Bush, to take over the post.

Enter the tortoise, otherwise known as John McCain. He stood no chance in the beginning because the democratic stock was skyrocketing. Atop it all was Hillary Clinton, who comes complete with a side of Bill and an undeniable knowledge of how to run the country. Up on the pedestal with Hillary was Barack Obama -- a man so charming that he literally worked his way to the top on the idea that there is hope for America.

Democrats were that hare with an unbeatable speed that was going to land them in the White House.

Most even had high hopes at one point that the two would run together, morphing into an unstoppable team. But that was not meant to be.

Now, only months after what was seen as a glorious, democratic ascent to the throne, Clinton and Obama can't play nice long enough for The New York Times to refocus their eye on what mistake Bush made this week.

No, there are far too many soap opera-esque things to watch as they fire up on the Democratic side. There's the leaking of photos, the distribution of damaging campaign materials and the airing of dirty laundry. Really, who needs Karl Rove to ruin the Democratic shot at the presidency -- the candidates can handle that one on their own, and the public can watch them implode.

There's no hope for a pioneering joint ticket. There might not even be hope that they can win the race if they continue to self-destruct at this rate.

It's sad, and it's truly a setback for the progress that had been made, when two revolutionary presidential candidates -- a black man and a woman -- can't hide their disdain for each other long enough for people to remember why they should like politics.

Now, more than ever, the Democratic candidates are like the hare who was set to win the race but became too distracted and too big for its britches. And we all know what happened to him.

Meanwhile, the tortoise sneaks on by, unnoticed by those who have the ability to stop him.


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