They brandished pens and spattered the microphones with saliva. The healthcare debate? Exciting!

Dean uplifted the audience from the get-go with a poignant Obama/Kennedy comparison. A red-faced Rove fired the first shot by explaining that most of the 47 million uninsured Americans didn’t deserve government handouts.

According to Karl Rove, America has “the best healthcare system in the world.” As expected, waves of booing ensued. I even heard “YOU LIE!!!”

A semi-awkward student and a lipstick-plastered news reporter moderated the event. However, the raving politicians frequently disregarded their “ahems” and forged ahead with their agendas.

Rove’s general position:  Fix the flaws in our healthcare system with special attention to the debt-ridden Medicaid program, or “charity care.”

Dean’s general position:  Take care of our people by providing governmental baseline health insurance. AKA listen to Obama.

Karl Rove is a truly eloquent speaker. He’d probably make an effective adviser.

Dean slightly disappointed those audience members who’d taken CAS 100 by employing the troublesome ad hominem argument (personal attacks).

Regardless, Dean left us with the words, “the pain of staying the same exceeds the fear of change.” A point to ponder.