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Column by Ann McFeatters

WASHINGTON - Pity the poor folks in Iowa. After the final debates, first among the Republican presidential candidates and then the Democratic contenders, before Iowans vote, the undecideds must be tempted to choose "None of the above."

Fair or not, the Iowa caucuses on the night of Jan. 3 will whisk out of the picture some of the candidates who have been running nonstop for a year. Two Democrats and two Republicans will leave Iowa for the New Hampshire primary boosted by the results, even if their triumph ultimately proves to be a last hurrah as voters in other states weigh in.

The last two debates, hosted by the Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Television, were painfully dreary, omitting questions about the war in Iraq, foreign policy and immigration. There was almost no give-and-take among the candidates and no follow-up.

Republicans would push for more tax cuts, paid for by unspecified spending cuts, and, with a few exceptions, such as Ron Paul of Texas, follow President Bush's policy on Iraq.

Democrats would raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy, get out of Iraq, make American foreign policy credible and spend more on health care and education.

The rest of us may be jealous that Iowans get to have the first vote - or contemptuous that such a serious decision that impacts us all starts in the county fairs of a small state. But as the long, long courtship of the Hawkeye State by the candidates comes to an end, we have gratitude to Iowans, who have lived with this process so the rest of us could go on about our own lives.

All the candidates have expressed their thanks to the people of Iowa for letting them into their living rooms, for shaking their hands and going to their rallies and, as Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said, for taking the process seriously and treating all the candidates with respect.

It has been tempting to criticize the contenders, all of whom have put their egos on display, inviting us to probe their lives, decisions, choices, family life, foibles and mistakes. But at the same time, we have to be grateful to them all for caring deeply about this country.

Everybody in America seems to want change, with the possible exception of the Bush dynasty. We haven't learned yet how the candidates specifically would deliver change in pragmatic, workable ways. But Iowans pushed and prodded as much as they could to try to force the candidates to tell us. As Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said, Iowans did the best they could to take the candidates out for test drives.

Asked about their New Year's resolutions, the Democrats, again, were egregiously predictable. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would exercise more and spend more time with her family and rebuild the confidence and optimism of Americans. Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina would remember that every night a child goes to bed hungry, a family goes to the emergency room and a father loses his job. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut wants optimism and that Iowans vote for him. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson vows to lose weight and stay positive. Biden vows to remember that life can change in a second and treat his family well. Obama resolves to be a better father and husband and not be timid.

Republicans were asked for their resolutions for each other. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee urged them to be more careful in what they say. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said they should all have a spirited campaign and then elect a Republican. One-time Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee resolved to be a better man, husband and father. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado wondered how Huckabee is going to convince Americans he's the one. Ron Paul urged everyone to obey the Constitution and guard civil liberties. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California urged everyone to buy American goods. Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, urged everyone to realize they are lucky to be Americans. Sen. John McCain of Arizona urged everyone to raise the level of dialogue and civility.

With America in holiday mode, we leave Iowans to ponder their choices. As we do every four years, we salute, as Obama said, their core decency and generosity of spirit. And we wish them wisdom on Jan. 3, despite the tedium of the debates.

Scripps Howard columnist Ann McFeatters has covered the White House since 1986. Her e-mail address is amcfeatters@nationalpress.com.