The footsoldiers of destiny need to believe in more than power play

ON HOLIDAY in New York over the past couple of weeks, I had the dubious privilege of being able to observe at close hand the local gubernatorial race between the incumbent, George Pataki, and his Democratic challenger, Carl McCall. The campaign was remarkable for its banality.

So slender were the differences between the two that the most controversial issue at stake appeared to be Pataki's refusal to enter into a head-to-head television debate with McCall. Night after night, the local news channel was able to find little to focus on beyond this debate about a debate.

What the two candidates might have found actually to debate had they eventually made into the same TV studio remained unclear.