Despite my despair over mounting incivility, I have a persistent but inexplicable sense of optimism which sometimes surfaces. (Not as often as I might like, but hey, these days even trace amounts will do!)

A debate I attended on Saturday night triggered this latent optimism -- all the more surprising because I went there fully expecting the worst.

The debate featured Governor Howard Dean and former Education Secretary and Drug Czar Bill Bennett. Not only are they on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but with the election so close, I assumed that a college age audience would be so loaded with hecklers and protesters that I'd be unable to hear a thing.

Much to my amazement, this was a lesson in civility. The two men were as polite and well behaved as the audience, and both commented on the importance of civility in dialogue. This was in spite of very sharp disagreements on a variety of issues. They behaved as gentlemen.

The crowd broke into applause more frequently for Dean, but the applause seemed louder for Bennett, so my guess is that more Republicans turned out than Democrats. But I could be wrong and it didn't matter; everyone was polite and well behaved.

Frankly, I am still amazed, two days later. I even found myself asking questions like, "Is there still hope?"

For me, Bennett's remarks on the disgraceful nature of the media hatchet job against Dean (the trumped up "YEEAAGH!" business) were the most memorable of the evening. I could tell that Bennett thought Dean would have been a better candidate for president. (A sentiment obviously shared by Dean.....)

Each man talked about principles and convictions, and both have them. Dean stumbled a bit when Bennett cornered him into praising Kerry as a man of conviction, but I admired Dean for giving it his best shot. I kept having sad, unrealistic thoughts about how Dean should be running for president and not Kerry.

And I wondered, "Might at least some of the current anger on the left be their own anger (towards Kerry) that dare not speak its name, and must therefore be repressed?" Repressed anger is not pretty, nor is it rational. My thoughts about this irrational anger were hard to square with the fact of these two public figures behaving so politely and rationally.

(They reminded me that it doesn't have to be that way.)

Governor Dean and Secretary Bennett are planning another debate in Maine later this month. I highly recommend it. (More information here.)

Five Stars!