I hope we can all agree that being the President of the United States is a BIG, BIG job that (ideally) requires the officeholder to show good judgment while making critical decisions that affect not only this country and its citizens, but the entire interconnected global community. Wednesday night's MSNBC Democratic debate highlighted the maddeningly poor judgment of several candidates, most notably the two frontrunners for the nomination -- Clinton and Obama. Tim Russert, the night's debate moderator, host of NBC's Meet the Press and a rabid baseball fan, asked Allison King to pose the final question of the evening. Here's the question and ensuing exchange:

RUSSERT: I want to thank you all for your answers this evening.

I want to ask Allison King for one more question. This, after all, is New Hampshire. She wants to ask you about baseball.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: For many here, in New England, the answer to this next question may be the most important one you answer tonight.

(LAUGHTER)

Red Sox or Yankees?

Governor Richardson?

(APPLAUSE)

(LAUGHTER)

DODD: What is it now, Bill? Come on.

RICHARDSON: Red Sox, because Manny Ramirez is back. The Red Sox will win the penant and they will win the World Series.

(APPLAUSE)

KING: Senator Clinton?

 

KUCINICH: You know, I've got to take exception to this. Cleveland Indians won the central division, 92 victories -- they're going to the World Series.

(LAUGHTER)

Hi, mom.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Senator Clinton, where are you on this? Red Sox or Yankees?

CLINTON: Well, I hate to say it in front of this New Hampshire crowd -- I'm a Yankees fan. Have been for a long, long time.

(APPLAUSE)

RUSSERT: Senator Clinton, what a bout a World Series -- Yankees and Cubs?

CLINTON: Well, you know, I've worried about that because I think, given the Cubs' record, which of course, I hope it happens, but it could very well be a sign of the coming apocalypse, were that to ever occur.

(LAUGHTER)

It would be so out of history that you would have the Cubs versus the Yanks. Then I'd be really in trouble.

RUSSERT: But who would you be for?

CLINTON: Well, I would probably have to alternate sides.

(LAUGHTER)

RUSSERT: Spoken like a true sports fan.

Senator Gravel, Yankees, Red Sox?

GRAVEL: I'm from New England. I was born in Massachusetts. Do you have to ask that question?

RUSSERT: Edwards?

EDWARDS: Red Sox.

RUSSERT: Obama?

OBAMA: Sox, but the wrong color. I'm a White Sox fan all the way.

(LAUGHTER)

RUSSERT: Dodd?

DODD: Sox. And tomorrow night you're going to be hosting a debate in Red Sox nation. RUSSERT: Yes.

Biden?

DODD: Who's going to be the president of Red Sox nation? We all want to tune into that one.

RUSSERT: Biden?

BIDEN: I was raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, by a grandfather, if you weren't a Yankees fan you didn't eat. Yankees.

(LAUGHTER)

RUSSERT: Thank you all.

In my mind this was a VERY insightful look into the personal judgment and souls of the Democratic candidates. Here's my scoring for the candidates' answers:

Kucinich is the clear winner for honorably standing up for his hometown team, the Cleveland Indians, and speaking out for every baseball fan that turns red in the face every time they're forced to watch yet another Yankees-Red Sox game. Hey, ESPN, we don't need to see EVERY Empire vs. Nation game played over the course of the 162-game season!

Gov. Richardson slightly distanced himself from the pack by mentioning by name the enigmatic BoSox slugger, Manny Ramirez, but lost points for over-the-top pandering to the New England audience.

Biden, Dodd, Gravel, and Edwards continued doing what they've done during the course of the entire campaign -- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to separate themselves from the wanna-be-pres pack (not PAC). However, they still did better than...

Clinton and Obama. Clinton can't decide between her "hometown" NL Central Champion Chicago Cubs and her "hometown" AL East Champion (OH WAIT, they didn't win the division) New York Yankees. Come one -- the Goat-cursed, Lovable Losers or the Bambino-blessed, Evil Empire?!  That's easy an easy decision, Sen. Clinton -- GO CUBS! There's a lot I can forgive from candidates in the heat of an election season, but I simply cannot forgive a candidate's inability to show sound judgment during a PENNANT RACE! And if waffling wasn't bad enough, Obama picks the WHITE SOX?!

The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908, when they beat one of the proudest, most honorable franchises in baseball history, the Detroit Tigers. That's 1-9-0-8! That's 99 years ago for the mathematically-challenged. Theodore, not Franklin, Roosevelt was President the last time the Northsiders won the Series. And Obama chooses to support a team that has THROWN a World Series in the mean time? It was only yesterday (okay, it was 1919) that the Black Sox from the Southside threw the series on behalf of organized crime. Is that the type of "sound" judgment we want from our next President? I think not.

This election season there's only ONE choice -- THE CHICAGO CUBS! 

GO CUBS!!!