Tonight the political herd thinning process known as “debating” got underway in ernest as the Democratic candidates tried to separate themselves from one another. Unfortunately for them, no one could manage to break from the pack.

While I found it entertaining, informative, and at times fiery, there seemed to be no real clear-cut winner of round one — not like I expected any other outcome, but I was hoping for my man Obama would find a way to get a leg up. In fact, the only one to really stand out in my mind was former Alaska senator Mike Gravel, who was holding some rather far left thoughts — not to mention his fellow candidates feet to the fire — when he spoke. He seems to be taking the role of educating the people on the flip side of the issues that Al Sharpton did in the ’04 Democratic debates.

Anyway, it’s gonna be tough passing out ratings for this one. Hey — it’s a lot less arbitrary than a mock NFL Draft.

The last domino seems to have fallen, with the news outlets crying that George Allen’s senate seat in Virginia has been lost to Jim Webb. With that one last stroke, both houses are now under control of the Democrats. Unchecked power has finally received a measure of balance, and for the first time in a few years, I feel slightly more optimistic about the future.

And as an added — yet ironic — bonus, Rumsfeld is on his way out as well. Had this man been given his walking papers a few weeks ago, it might still be a red congress.  But instead, G.W. backs his man in the Pentagon and that’s all she wrote.  I’m sure history won’t treat this fascinating individual kindly, and I shan’t miss his self-asked and answered style of speaking in press conferences. In fact, I’m not sure we’re going to get all that long a respite from it before it’s heard again one day in the chambers of Congress, in some hearing into the how’s and why’s of this war.

Of course, I don’t expect that to come in the here and now. Hell, I’d be shocked if there are any hearings of consequence in the first six months of the new congress. The presumptive incoming Speaker of the House — Nacy Pelosi — is already talking about the Democratic agenda for the first 100 days of the session, and it includes phrases such as “increasing minimum wage” and “implementing the 9/11 commission’s recomendations” are being bandied about. It certainly sounds like they have their priorities set on helping to right the country’s course first before cleaning the House.

But through all those hearings that will one day take place, I find it a stretch to see impeachment in the cards. If I were an odds maker, I’d say there’s a 1 in 4 chance that there’s something in this Administration’s skeleton closet that can get President Bush slapped. Of course, if something is found, I’d say the odds of it being worse than Clinton’s impeachable oral escapades were off the about a billion to one.

Ah, the cycle starts anew!  I’ve got $20 saying the Democrats will succumb to the trappings of power and lose touch with the country 20 years from now.  Any takers?