Did you watch the presidential debate?

I went there during the Bulls-Pistons commercial breaks, I must admit. And then didn’t, preferring some of the funny ads to the staged political event, though apparently the politicians tried to be funny.

There were moments during Tuesday night’s GOP presidential debate in South Carolina when you had to wonder: Are these guys running for president or merely aiming to be king of the one-liner?

After the somewhat mediocre face-off between the candidates two weeks ago at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, it appears some White House hopefuls have decided that comedy is perhaps the best route to gaining the momentum necessary to win the party’s nomination in 2008.

See why I think these things are pointless at this stage?

The second GOP debate, co-sponsored by the South Carolina Republican Party and Fox News Channel, seemed to be all about one-liners and digs at other candidates—partly because the Fox moderators seemed intent on making the event less boring than its predecessor…

There was Jim Gilmore, who trotted out a clearly-plotted one liner trashing his opponents “as very liberal…in characterizing themselves as conservative on abortion and taxes.” But when asked who he was talking about, Gilmore blew it. Instead of giving it to America straight, he told viewers to check out his campaign Web site for the answer.

What? I don’t get it. Was there a joke in there?

In another memorial line, Tom Tancredo scored points with a pop culture reference to the Fox series “24” when contemplating how he’d handle a hypothetical terrorist attack on shopping malls. “I’m looking for Jack Bauer at that time, let me tell you,” Tancredo said.

Some may be thinking ‘Geesh, we’re in trouble’ right about now, but let’s put this in perspective. There are about 18 months between now and the presidential election. I’d like to think Newsweek, being liberal leaning, maybe didn’t put the Republican debate in a good light. But the Democratic debate wasn’t better, and they are what they are — staged publicity events that deliver timed clips of prepared talking points, but no real debate whatsoever. One commentator wistfully harkened back to the compelling Lincoln-Douglas debates and acknowledged that those days are gone.

What I want to know is who are the leaders? Who embodies the morality that starts with the commitment to all human rights and extends to every human life, and who has the vision to ennoble others to respect that dignity? Because that’s the core of a worldview that would inherently meet every challenge and even every threat with just and honorable resolutions. Where is that? Through all the noise of the political and media circus atmosphere, we aren’t hearing it, at least not clearly.

But there’s time, and okay…it does crank up a lot sooner than 18 months. The Chicago Tribune today carries a big page one story that Illinois has now officially joined the crowd of other states that have upped next year’s primaries to February, on “Super Duper Tuesday.”

Moving to boost U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s White House bid and make Illinois voters more relevant, the Senate gave final approval Tuesday to legislation that advances the state’s 2008 presidential primary by more than a month to Feb. 5.

So it was a political move. Of course.

Democratic supporters said they hoped the legislation, which passed 48-10, could give Obama, the state’s junior senator, a healthy cache of delegates at a crucial moment in the race to become the party’s nominee.

And they added that part about making Illinoisans ‘feel more relevant’ for good PR.

But voters weary of seemingly endless campaigns might see drawbacks in an earlier start for an even lengthier campaign season that will extend by six weeks the time between the primary and the November general election.

I’ve got news for them. The campaign season began the day after last November’s election.

By the way, I checked in on some post-debate analysis on Fox and heard Alan Colmes ask the viewers ‘who won and who lost?’ and the screen listed each candidate’s name with their ID number for viewers to call in their vote. No kidding. I’ve never watched an espisode of ‘American Idol’ but I know that’s how the contestants are chosen or eliminated. So now we have the American Idol-izing of the American Presidancy?

This is a curious campaign year. Or two.