A Thursday cartoon in USA TODAY by Mike Smith comments on the supposed fluff and trivia that determined the outcome of the much ballyhooed Pennsylvania Primary. Two voters are shown leaving the “Pennsylvania Polls” and the lady asks the gentleman, “Which of the Major Issues Influenced Your Vote?”

The other cartoon figure cheerfully responds: “Beer Drinking and Bowling Scores.”

The punch-line is intended to highlight the stupidity and vapidity and shallowness of voters --- influenced by nonsense when our nation faces grave challenges.

The problem with this entire argument is that when it comes to “Major Issues” there are simply no differences between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

What’s the “right” or appropriate answer to the query in the cartoon? Were voters supposed to be influenced by their miniscule differences on government health insurance? On raising taxes? On surrender in Iraq regardless of the advice of our generals?

What are the “major issues” where these two candidates disagree?

Since they’ve both signed on to a virtually identical “progressive” agenda, of course it all comes down to personality --- which candidate inspires more “hope” based on vague promises, or which one is better equipped to answer late night phone calls based on vague experience. Obama says he can bring “change” and unite the country, without fully explaining how; Clinton claims she’s proven her ability to handle emergencies, without showing where (other than the devastating sniper fire in Bosnia).

When policies are interchangeable and indistinguishable, personality inevitably becomes the focus of the campaign.

And in this regard, voters have discovered that neither “Wonder Boy” (Barack O) or “The Energizer Bunny” (Hillary C) is especially likable.