Casual Observation of Presidential Debates

"Rank order within a pack is established and maintained through a series of ritualized fights and posturing best described as "ritual bluffing". [Politicians] prefer psychological warfare to physical confrontations, meaning that high-ranking status is based more on personality or attitude than on size or [political] strength. Rank, who holds it, and how it is enforced varies widely between packs and between individual animals."

This text is taken from the Wikipedia entry on wolves, specifically pack hierarchy. I find similarities in how wolves maintain hierarchy and how politicians spar in debate: psychological, and attitude/personality-based, and little threat of actually going through with things. Will presidential candidates go beyond talk? (In some areas, I hope they don't)