The only two Democratic Presidential contenders remaining sat down Thursday night to address the issues in the last Democratic debate before the colossal event dubbed Super Tuesday by the media. For those of you who didn’t see it, the event was marked by two hours of hemming, hawing, and several pointless questions. In other words, it wasn’t a huge departure from the other debates we’ve been treated to thus far.

Senator Barack Obama began with his opening statement, first thanking former competitor John Edwards in a very classy beginning parry. He made the prediction, to stirring applause from a group of voters which included famous directors Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner, that either he or Hillary Clinton will be the next President of the United States. But let’s not count the Republicans out yet.

Obama also referred to the fierce battle he and his fellow Senator are currently waging for the Democratic nomination, calling their race “competitive.” Nice euphemism. Nobody’s buying it, though. He also said it’s time to take the country in a “new direction” and said this (the election) will be a “defining moment” in history.

Clinton, who was carefully neutral in a brown pantsuit which she erringly paired with some simply terrible turquoise jewelry, looked on with an ingratiating smile before beginning her own opening remarks. Sure to get her digs in, Clinton called Bush’s “a failed administration” and predicted there will be a “heap” of problems to solve when either she or Obama makes it to the White House next January.

How nice that things started out so warm and fuzzy and friendly, especially when these two have been adamantly at each other’s throats for weeks. But don’t worry - all this cozy camaraderie wasn’t able to last long. When asked to point out a policy distinction between the two of them, Clinton was quick to shove the finger at health care. She’s determined to have universal health care, and Obama is just as determined that her plan simply won’t work. He wants to lower premiums for all families, Clinton wants to mandate health care. Either way, people like myself are still left out in the cold so I can’t get on board with either policy.

Toward the end of the evening, both Clinton and Obama were asked if they would consider each other as a Vice President. Barack was very careful in his answer, saying there are many people he would consider to be his running mate and future Cabinet members. He stated that he’s certain Hillary Clinton would be on anyone’s short list to be a Vice President…but he still didn’t answer the question.

It’s okay. I’m going to put these inquisitions to rest right now. Check it out: Obama and Clinton, share a ticket? Puh-leeze. The two of them can hardly manage to share a stage or a headline, much less the Oval Office. Both are very different and have drastically different ideas. Obama has pointed to Clinton’s Senate voting record several times with disdain in his voice, and it’s doubtful Clinton would ever consider someone so young and so different from herself to be her second-in-command. It’s just not going to happen that way. Sorry.

Meanwhile, the country is gearing up for the end-all-be-all of this election (at least, it is until the next round of primaries), Super Tuesday. Those who live in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, George, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia have some work to do.

Choose well - we’re all counting on you.