Democratic primaries promise prime-time TV

Washington

ADMIT it! You miss that exhilarating media event that seemed to have given a certain meaning to your dull life, that provided you with original insights into politics, economics and foreign policy, a show that brought together the best and the brightest in American public life, and most important, that amounted to a new and uplifting demonstration in political civility.

I am referring of course to the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, during which 16 men and one woman (Carly Fiorina; remember her?), starting with the Feb 1 Iowa caucuses, vied for the support of 2,472 delegates to the Republican National Convention - as the whole world was watching.

Primary after primary, one televised debate after another, scandal chasing scandal, we remained glued to the television set and the laptop computer, as we just could not believe what was taking place before our eyes, as conventional wisdom (Jeb Bush has the momentum and is a sure win; there is no way in the world that the Donald would win the nomination) was being challenged and as the fight that would determine who became the next leader of the free world, degenerated into a series of childish personal insults, flush with vulgarity and even profanity, and that made a kindergarten fight look…