A SENSE of decency is something you won't find during the run-in to the elections in the United States.

Tonight is the Presidential debate in America, and while most people be will turning off their TV's at the mere mention of the word debate, it might be worth staying up for.

After having seen the confrontation promoted like a heavyweight title fight I must admit I have got swept up into the euphoria.

The idea of two politicians standing next to each other and trying to put each other down in the best possible way is far too great an opportunity to miss.

Apart from the slandorous adverts that appear on the TV it would be wonderful to have the same event taking place here every now and then. It would make the whole election thing much more exciting.

A handshake here, a smile there isn't going to get anyone interested in anything. Put then all up against each is what I say and let's see who goes out for the count.

I DON'T want to be rude. In fact not many of us do, we're what you would call 'okay kind of people' with a conscious who try to do the right thing.

In fact I am so polite I will patiently wait on the side of a football pitch because some legendary referee decided he needed to get home early and wanted to play his game before ours, thus postponing mine.

So it was nice to know my local MP Jack Straw is an 'okay kind of person' too because he's so polite he shakes hands with a leader who gives dictators a bad name. And he does this without realising it.

While I am great at coming up with excuses, for most of the time I have to give it to Mr Straw. He's better than I am. I hold my hands up high and anyone who's got a problem with it is welcome to bring it up at my next annual general meeting.

Where I am sure we will have all the lights on and their will be no murky corners for anyone to hide in.

"It was too dark". Not that I shouldn't have done it. But "It was too dark". What kind of defence is that.

You might as well say "I can't tell one dictator from the other because they all look the same."

You can imagine Mugabe turning to one of his advisers and saying, "We're not supposed to be talking to that bloke are we?"

There is indeed a level of politeness for us all, but must I remind the British Government Mr Mugabe is not an ex-wife whom you meet at a party somewhere and feel obliged to say hello to.