WHILE HANK JOHNSON and Cynthia McKinney's joust last night was no replay of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, it was certainly entertaining in its own right. Neither candidate delivered a knockout blow, so it's down to the scorecards. Here's a round-by-round analysis.

First Round: Each candidate gets one question from the panel with a 30 second rebuttal.

First question for Hank Johnson: The text of a McKinney advertisement was read, and Johnson was asked for his comment; the charges against the Georgia commissioner included a conflict of interest on landfill issues and personal tax problems the county commissioner had suffered.

Johnson dismissed the allegations of corruption, but admitted to financial problems "in the '80s." He called them a "humbling experience," and added that since the mid-'90s his "affairs have been in order." "Quite frankly, it was the politics of personal destruction." McKinney rebutted by suggesting that Johnson had taken money from landfill operators, which Johnson denied. "I've never taken a contribution from a landfill operator . . . that's just patently false."

Second question, for McKinney: Did the incident in which you struck a Capitol police officer directly lead to this runoff?

McKinney, smiling like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, reminds the audience that she "was never charged with anything." She then ducked the question, saying that Congress.org has scored her "the highest legislative success record of any of the Democrats in the Georgia delegation." While it's unclear exactly what that means, I have a feeling we'll be hearing about it again.

Score: First

Second Round: Each candidate asks two questions of their opponent.

Johnson asks the first question, pointing out that McKinney has missed a number of votes, including environmental votes, the minimum wage hike, and the Voting Rights Act amendment. "If the Voting Rights Act was not important enough for you to show up, then what is important enough for you to show up?"

McKinney partially deflects the blow by stating that she has a 94 percent voting record in Congress. She then goes way off the reservation and criticizes the Voting Rights Act, saying that the only reason she's in the runoff is because of Republican voting (implying that Johnson is a tool of the GOP). Johnson rebuts by reminding everyone that he is a lifelong Democrat.

McKinney's first question is an attack on Johnson for his past financial difficulties and alleged improper dealings with landfill developers. Johnson again decries the politics of personal destruction and points out that this is a debate for a runoff for a seat in Congress, not an interview for a bank loan. (He doesn't put it quite like that. But he should have.) He brings up the fact that McKinney's record of delivering legislation is pathetic; she has "absolutely failed to deliver any meaningful legislation to this district; 64 measures introduced by this congresswoman over 12 years, only one passed. It was a measure to rename a post office. That's a pitiful record." Ouch.