The first debate between Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, an author and Jewish Vatsyayana, and Bill Pascrell, a former mayor of Paterson and the man whose campaign manager has yet to respond back to us, was nothing exceptional.

Both men stuck to partisan bickering: Mr Boteach used typical Republican attack points: love for Israel, distaste for high taxes, and nuanced anti-abortion stance; Mr Pascrell too stuck to Democratic attack lines, attacking republican trickle down economic, blaming George W. Bush for the deficit, and pretending to be a staunch supporter of Israel.

Mr Pascrell has a neat balance between his amorosity for Israel and pragmatic consideration of Muslim votes in the 9th district. A balance Mr Boteach attempted to upset by bringing up the Jewish State without much success.

In terms of who won, both men were unexceptional, and it was more of a draw than anything else.