For those of you with kids at home and a shortage of 21st Century televisions, you no doubt had a difficult conversation with them last evening: 
"Kids, tonight Mommy and Daddy are going to be watching a Very Important Debate between two U.S. Senators--one of whom will be facing John McCain to determine who our nation's next Commander-In-Chief will be. Pennsylvania is a Way Cool State this year for Democrats because our votes could determine who will face the Vast Right-Wing Smear Machine this fall . . . No, no, sweetheart, Sen. Clinton is a Democrat. . . "
"Anyway, we're very sorry, but we've made an Executive Decision that we will be recording the results of American Idol for you to watch them tomorrow--or you may go watch them on the old television. . . Yes, I know it will be hard to see David Archuleta through all that snow, but I'm sorry. The decision is final."
By 8:55, Daddy had slunked off into the other room, choosing the insufferable Ryan Seacrest and FOX Television's 60-minute display of shameless cross-promotion over the befuddled Charlie Gibson.
"He's too old to be doing this," my husband declared of Mr. Gibson, after the first farcical question.  
"He's like 62," I replied, generously failing to point out how few years separate him and Charlie.
"I don't care; he needs to retire." 
"He's 10 years younger than John McCain!" 
Exactly.
By 9:05 we were all enjoying Our American Idols doing this week's group number to a Mariah Carey song on our flat screen TV. Surely there is no sadder commentary on what a ridiculous waste of time that ABC debate was last night.